KRUNCH
- March 19, 2014
- LeGrudge & Rugged
Get on SteamKrunch is a quick-reflex game about escaping, survival and the fear of being closed-in where you play as one of six Krons (mechanical orb-like entities) trapped in a seemingly abandoned fortress. Escape more than 100 claustrophobic levels spread across 4 zones, survive 3 challenging boss chases, conquer one frantic race to freedom! Krunch demands concentration, delivers fast gameplay and will test…
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a charming retro aesthetic and a great soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- Levels are short and designed for quick play sessions, making it a good time-waster that encourages replayability and speed-running.
- Despite its challenges, the game provides a rewarding experience for players who enjoy precision-based gameplay and overcoming difficult obstacles.
- Controls are imprecise and floaty, making it difficult to navigate levels accurately, which can lead to frustrating deaths.
- The game suffers from bugs, including broken achievements and hitboxes that can result in unfair deaths.
- The lack of checkpoints and the repetitive nature of gameplay can make the experience feel tedious and overly punishing.
- graphics22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a mix of praise and criticism, with many users appreciating the nostalgic pixel art and retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic games. While some highlight the effort put into the visuals and the appealing soundtrack, others feel that the character design and monochromatic elements detract from the overall experience, leading to confusion and frustration. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point for some, but not universally well-received due to issues with clarity and control.
“The art style is great, the levels are great, the music is great, and it plays very well!”
“The soundtrack and visuals add greatly to the game's appeal.”
“Overall, there was a lot of work put into the graphics for this game, and it's one of those games that just looks good irrespective of the visual style.”
“The graphics give the impression that they didn't put too much effort into the character design, and the monochromatic abuse just underlines this lack of savoir-faire.”
“The graphics style is basically if you take a Game Boy game and apply different color filters to it.”
“Krunch visuals combined with the poor controls just make me want to never play the game again.”
- music22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise, with many reviewers highlighting its quality and how well it complements the gameplay and visuals. The soundtrack is described as memorable, with standout tracks that evoke a nostalgic 16-bit feel, enhancing the overall appeal of the game despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, contributing positively to the gaming experience.
“The art style is great, the levels are great, the music is great, and it plays very well!”
“Cracking music throughout, and it suits the game perfectly.”
“The soundtrack and visuals add greatly to the game's appeal.”
“6/10 (+2 soundtrack, -1 price, -3 controls) = 4/10”
“Sound: pretty much just music here, and I've gotta say that the music is pretty rad.”
“A couple of standout tracks are the boiler track (ignition) and the last track of the soundtrack (escape).”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, relying on basic controls that allow for precision but can lead to frustration due to repetitive elements and occasional deadlocks. While some players appreciate the retro graphics and soundtrack, others criticize the lack of depth and the irritating visual effects upon death. Overall, the experience is mixed, with some finding it fun and challenging, while others deem it lacking compared to better-polished alternatives.
“The game only requires the use of the arrow keys and one button, but in this simple control system lies a game of great depth and precision gameplay.”
“The gameplay, though frustrating, is still fun; I found the retro graphics quite nice, and the soundtrack is great.”
“This game took me a little over an hour of gameplay to complete, but it was really fun and challenging while it lasted.”
“The core gameplay quickly becomes frustrating, and the red splashes splattering the whole screen at every death can get a tad irritating on the eyes.”
“For $10, you can buy a much better polished game with a lot less repetitive gameplay (especially during some sale).”
“Stupid gimmick to artificially lengthen gameplay ruins the pacing of the game.”
- story3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The story is widely criticized as lacking depth and coherence, with many reviewers noting it feels like a minimal effort that fails to engage players. While the digital collector's edition includes a comic that some found appealing, the overall narrative experience is deemed unsatisfactory and unworthy of attention for those seeking a compelling storyline.
“Very lame attempt at a story; there's not even text to explain it, which is ridiculous.”
“Story: there really isn't much here, but the comic included with the digital collector's edition is quite nice.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight strong replayability and speedrunning potential, indicating that the game offers multiple opportunities for players to revisit and engage with its content.
“Overall, I can see a lot of both replay value and speedrunning potential for this game.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be somewhat ironic, as players find the pricing of $10 for an indie title to be laughable, especially in light of the presence of frustrating bugs. Overall, while the game has its merits, the comedic elements largely stem from its shortcomings.
“The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, with clever writing that had me laughing out loud.”
“I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious moments that keep you entertained.”
“The witty dialogue and funny character interactions make this game a joy to play.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development suffers from a lack of effort in design, with monochromatic visuals detracting from the overall depth and appeal of the characters.
“The graphics give the impression that they didn't put much effort into the character design, and the monochromatic palette only underscores this lack of skill.”
“Character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists.”
“The lack of meaningful choices in character progression leaves the experience feeling flat and unengaging.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by frustrating mechanics, such as misleading hitboxes that can lead to unexpected deaths, causing players to feel unfairly punished and diminishing their overall enjoyment.
