Kromaia

About

Kromaia is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Kraken Empire and was released on October 23, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Kromaia is a 360° shoot-'em-up game that combines classic arcade action with modern technology, allowing players to explore and battle in three-dimensional space. The game features adaptive AI, with enemies getting tougher as the player improves, and true 360° movement and shooting that tests high-speed flying and sharpshooting skills."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+17

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 90 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Fast-paced gameplay with a unique 6DOF movement system that allows for complete freedom of movement.
Stunning audiovisual landscape with a vibrant art style and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Challenging and rewarding gameplay with diverse ship mechanics and boss fights that keep players engaged.

Controls can feel unresponsive and frustrating, particularly with mouse input and sensitivity issues.
Repetitive gameplay structure requiring players to replay levels multiple times with different ships, which can lead to boredom.
Visual clutter and poor depth perception can make it difficult to navigate and identify threats during intense combat.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
60%
10%
The gameplay of Kromaia is a mixed bag, featuring enjoyable mechanics and a visually stunning presentation that appeals to arcade enthusiasts. While some players find it relaxing and fun, others criticize the controls and lack of clarity in mechanics, leading to a chaotic experience. Overall, the game excels in fast-paced, physics-based action, but it still requires refinement to enhance the overall experience.
- “All in all, Kromaia is a pretty neat exploration of the concept of a fast-paced 3D shoot-em-up, with great presentation and fun gameplay.”
- “Kromaia may look abstract and alien, but the gameplay is pure arcade action.”
- “Put these features together with the game's adaptive enemy AI, and the result is exciting (and challenging!) shmup gameplay.”
- “Well, the controls are wonky (probably fixable), but the gameplay itself is a mess.”
- “This game is basically a game with bad controls, with unexplained mechanics, with an ugly and cluttered screen none of which is clear what things are, with a bad save system, and a bunch of filler added in.”
- “Confusing gameplay; before going into this game, I didn't know what it was about.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
62%
13%
The graphics of the game are a polarizing aspect, with many praising its retro, Tron-like aesthetic and vibrant, abstract visuals that create a unique atmosphere. However, some players found the graphics to be poorly executed, with issues like blurriness detracting from the experience. Overall, while the art style is appreciated for its creativity and color, it may not appeal to everyone, and the lack of extensive graphical settings limits customization.
- “Kromaia is an aesthetic marvel: it creates an atmosphere of wonder that few games manage to capture.”
- “The art style is an explosion of colors and weird design, simple but complex at the same time.”
- “It's a 6dof arcade shooter with a lovely aesthetic.”
- “Played for about half an hour before my eyes hurt from the bad graphics and my brain hurt from boredom.”
- “I find it particularly misleading that the artwork of this game shows some clear and crisp geometry with lots of style and sometimes an extra outline, while in-game everything is badly blurred.”
- “No real graphical settings other than post-processing, including bloom, depth of field, and optional scanline/pixel filters.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a diverse soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience with atmospheric tracks during exploration and more intense themes during combat. While most levels boast impressive music, the boss themes are noted to be less impactful, leading to some repetitiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is described as immersive and fitting, contributing significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere, despite occasional technical issues with sound quality.
- “The player is given a great range of control of the ship, allowing you to zip around and take ridiculous paths through the environments. The music has a pretty good range between calm, atmospheric tracks when first entering a stage before combat starts, to ramping it up a few notches when blasting your way around.”
- “The heavy and ominous electronic dronings of the soundtrack fit the abstract surroundings and hazy retro-future feel as it builds up towards the climactic final boss encounter of each expansive and open stage.”
- “The fitting music, the tight controls, and the 360° freedom is what makes the game so immersive.”
- “The music and sound effects I felt were suitable, but nothing in particular stood out to me.”
- “Occasionally the sound would dissolve into bizarre static, or a single note in the soundtrack would drag, as if my sound card were receiving improper commands from the game.”
- “I love the soundtrack, but since all the boss fights use the same music, it starts to grate after the 10th time.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The story in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it boring and unoriginal, while others appreciate its mythological themes and environmental storytelling reminiscent of titles like "Shadow of the Colossus." The narrative revolves around a son seeking revenge against four gods, conveyed through sparse dialogue and a mysterious atmosphere, though many agree that gameplay takes precedence over a deep story. Overall, while the storytelling may be confusing at times, it offers an engaging backdrop to the action-oriented gameplay.
- “I enjoyed the timeless, ominous, and mysterious feel to the story.”
- “There is a sparsely told story about a son getting revenge against four gods who are responsible for some sort of catastrophe, the narrator is the father, reaching out to the son via his thoughts.”
- “You play as a lost soul trapped in a spacecraft, woken up by a mysterious voice and sent on a mission to destroy four ancient gods in the false universes they rule.”
- “The story is boring and unoriginal and at times confusing.”
- “There is a sparsely told story about a son getting revenge against 4 gods who are responsible for some sort of catastrophe, the narrator is the father, reaching out to the son via his thoughts.”
- “Last thing, the story is pure babble (but at least this shouldn't matter in a bullet hell game).”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its captivating blend of moody, atmospheric music and visually stunning environments, creating a sense of wonder and nostalgia. Players appreciate the dynamic range of control over the ship, which enhances the immersive experience as they navigate through beautifully crafted stages. Overall, the game successfully evokes a unique and engaging ambiance that draws players into its world.
- “The action is solid and its moody atmosphere intrigued me into learning more about this world.”
- “Kromaia is an aesthetic marvel: it creates an atmosphere of wonder that few games manage to capture.”
- “The whole atmosphere is thick with otherworldly wonder and a familiar neon warmth, giving me a feeling of nostalgic bliss not felt since that initial excitement of discovering the world of arcade gaming long ago.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering issues. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be satisfactory for most players, but there are areas that could benefit from further refinement.
- “The game's performance is abysmal, with frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “I was really disappointed with the optimization; it feels like the game was rushed and not properly tested.”
- “Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which ruins the overall experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly noting that boss encounters lack challenge and primarily serve to extend playtime rather than provide engaging difficulty.
- “The bosses aren't that hard; they just feel tedious to defeat.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated to play.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Players highlight the significant replayability of the game, attributing it to its challenging gameplay, score attack mode, and customizable configurations. Many express optimism for future expansions that could further enhance the game's longevity.
- “I have had this game since the first day it appeared on Steam and never once have I been disappointed in the way it plays. Sure, the game is hard but not impossible, and Kromaia does have an enormous amount of replayability.”
- “The score attack mode and editable configs the engine uses may be its saving grace and where the replay value resides, and hopefully official expansions are also a possibility.”
- “However, the score attack mode and editable configs the engine uses may be its saving grace and where the replay value resides, and hopefully official expansions are also a possibility.”