Kristala

About

Kristala is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Astral Clocktower Studios and was released on June 6, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Story-rich Dark Fantasy ARPG Kristala features a mix of compact/open levels, tons of classic RPG elements, and an emphasis on soulslike mechanics. Play as a catlike warrior from one of six clans, each with its own unique magic specialty. Your goal is to master the magics of the six sacred Kristals in hopes of becoming a Raksaka Warrior - a powerful protector of your species. Simultaneously, you mu…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 270 reviews

gameplay18 positive mentions

optimization12 negative mentions

The game features engaging combat mechanics that feel satisfying, especially with the parry and deflect systems.
The graphics and art style are visually appealing, with vibrant environments that stand out compared to typical dark and drab souls-like games.
The game offers a unique experience by allowing players to control a customizable cat character, combining elements of stealth and agility with traditional souls-like gameplay.

The game suffers from optimization issues, including lag spikes, frame drops, and bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
Some combat mechanics feel unresponsive or clunky, with issues such as inconsistent hit feedback and problems with enemy AI.
The lack of haptic feedback and controller support bugs detracts from the overall experience, making it feel less polished for a 2024 release.

gameplay
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by a fluid combination of souls-like combat and stealth mechanics, enhanced by parkour elements that reflect the agility of a cat. While the level design is praised for its beauty and detail, some players note that the mechanics are somewhat standard and could benefit from more variety in enemy attacks. Despite being in early access, the game shows promise with polished graphics and engaging gameplay, though issues like frame drops and input lag have been reported.
- “The gameplay is an interesting combination of mechanics, and the levels are bigger and more populated than what I expected for an indie project. Combat is fast and requires precision, but it is not too hard for the casual player.”
- “Incredible graphics, awesome cat warriors, and incredible combat inspired by Sekiro. Stealth and acrobatics inspired by Assassin’s Creed. Overall, the game’s art style and gameplay are stunning and satisfying, with environments crafted with tons of detail and enemies with interesting designs.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and inventive, using a souls-like style with Assassin's Creed-like stealth mechanics.”
- “There are tons of action games with similar gameplay mechanics; people will simply turn to them.”
- “Fyi, any kind of boss/enemy that has a 1-shot mechanic/combo is bad design.”
- “More variety in enemy mechanics would really spice things up, as most enemies either just do a simple 1-2 or 1-2-3-4 attack variation.”
graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
31%
6%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, vibrant visuals, and detailed environments that evoke a AAA feel for an indie title. However, players also report significant optimization issues, including lag and frame rate drops, particularly on lower settings, which detracts from the overall experience. While the aesthetic and animations are generally well-received, some users feel that the graphics are outdated and in need of improvement to meet modern standards.
- “Just started playing the game and wow, the artwork is gorgeous.”
- “The game sports promising mechanics, packaged in vibrant graphics.”
- “Incredible graphics, awesome cat warriors, and a level of polish that is commendable for an indie early access title.”
- “There are constant lags and freezes, while we are talking about graphics, which appearance is 10 years behind the modern one!”
- “I assume the optimization can be fixed, the enemy’s AI can be improved, but the visuals and dynamics are too far behind expectations, while it is the only thing that could make this game competitive with other products.”
- “Intense stuttering on the recommended graphics card and other gear according to Steam.”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
64%
29%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and low frame rates, even on recommended hardware. While some users note that the game is still in early access and may improve with future updates, the current state requires players to lower graphics settings to achieve playable performance. Overall, there is a consensus that substantial work is needed to enhance optimization and address the visual and dynamic shortcomings.
- “Optimization still needs some work, but it's definitely playable.”
- “It's still in the very early stages of early access, and it shows clearly in places such as optimization and interface issues, but the underlying framework -- the magic, combat, balance bar, and stealth mechanics -- looks to provide a solid foundation for something that could be really great.”
- “Highly recommend dialing settings down to keep the frame rate up; optimization tends to come late in development.”
- “I think there is still a lot of work needed on optimization; I have to run on basically the lowest graphics to play at around 30 fps.”
- “This game has a lot of promise, but it lacks some serious optimizations, to the point where controlling the character is hindered by loading, caching, and other background actions.”
- “At the top of the visual problems, the game has very poor optimization.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The story in Kristala is engaging and well-crafted, with a solid plot and interesting characters that leave players wanting more, despite its current limitations as an early access title. The game effectively utilizes quest tracking and dynamic level design to enhance storytelling, although some voice acting may feel inconsistent. Overall, players appreciate the narrative depth and are eager for the full release to explore the story further.
- “It's definitely worth getting Kristala for the story alone.”
- “This is an early access game, obviously as the Steam page displays it, but for the overall gameplay and storyline that is included in this release, this feels like the first chapter of a fully developed and fully realized game.”
- “The story is still developing for me, and some of the voice acting is a little wonky, but enjoyable.”
- “The characters we've met so far and the plot kept me wanting more.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its quality and how it enhances the atmosphere of the beautifully designed world. However, some users noted that the music can be overly loud, suggesting a need to adjust the volume. Despite occasional technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, the overall sentiment is that the music contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “The world is beautifully designed and the music complements the feel of the world around you.”
- “Let's talk about the music... it's a bit loud so I definitely recommend you turn it down, but it's actually good and I really enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
- “Music - the music is honestly pretty good.”
- “Textures disappearing, lag spikes when walking by specific things (wooden hut at the beginning), hell even the character creation screen - when I was looking through the skins and classes, the music would cut out and the game would freeze while attempting to load the textures in. I really wanted to play and enjoy the game; however, I am simply unable to.”
- “Let's talk about the music... it's a bit loud, so I definitely recommend you turn it down, but it's actually good and I enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
- “Let's talk about the music... it's a bit loud, so I definitely recommend you turn it down, but it's actually good and I enjoy it. Normally, I just turn music off in games.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent lags, 1-2 second freezes, and numerous bugs, which are particularly pronounced in the menus and graphics that feel outdated. While it is acknowledged as an early access indie title, the extent of glitches and poor framerates detracts from the overall experience, leading to a frustrating gameplay environment.
- “There are constant lags and freezes, while we are talking about graphics, which appearance is 10 years behind the modern one!”
- “Endless glitches and falling through water loops, constant freezes in menus, terrible framerates even at lowest settings, and a camera that makes me motion sick in ways no other game ever has.”
- “Bugs - the major con currently is that the game is very buggy.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive character design and improved voice acting, contributing to an aesthetically pleasing experience. However, players express a desire for more depth and variety in NPC personalities, suggesting that while the foundation is strong, further enhancements are needed to enrich the overall character interactions.
- “The character designs, classes, gameplay components, and voice acting all appear to have been substantially improved, which is nice to see.”
- “With a fast-paced and unforgiving combat system similar to typical souls-like games, the artwork, music, and character design are beautiful.”
- “Character design is really awesome, but I hope there's more that gets put into the NPCs because they are a little short of being interesting personality-wise.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautiful graphics, engaging music, and immersive dark fantasy lore, creating an epic ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Players feel that the game successfully captures the essence of a AAA title, particularly appealing to cat lovers who enjoy the unique setting. However, the enjoyment can be hindered by bugs, which some players hope to avoid for a smoother experience.
- “I really love many things about Kristala; I love that it is an RPG with very cool lore, a dark fantasy world, and atmosphere!”
- “This game is a cat lover's dream, allowing players to fight in such an epic atmosphere and ambiance that it feels as if we are playing in a AAA game.”
- “The game feels good overall; the atmosphere is great, the music is nice, and the graphics look beautiful, allowing you to really enjoy this game.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, distinguishing it from others in the genre. Despite being in early access and having potential bugs, the developers maintain open and supportive communication, enhancing the overall emotional experience.
- “This game made me feel a deep emotional connection that I rarely experience in other games.”
- “The story and characters really resonated with me, evoking feelings I didn't expect.”
- “I found myself genuinely moved by the narrative and the choices I had to make.”