KUNAI

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 187 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
KUNAI Game Cover
From the opening moments to the end credits, everything about Kunai just oozes charm and its movement mechanics make it a joy to play. An absolute must-play.
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"KUNAI is a single-player open-world game featuring marvelous mechanics and stellar visuals. Take control of Tabby, a robot imbued with an ancient warrior's soul, and navigate through a world filled with secrets and hidden passages. With ninja mobility and a deadly arsenal of weapons, fight against evil machines and increase your strength by killing enemy robots to unlock abilities and kick-ass tricks."

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 187 reviews
gameplay23 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game features smooth and responsive controls, making movement and combat enjoyable.
  • The art style is charming and visually appealing, with a unique monochromatic palette that enhances the overall experience.
  • The kunai mechanics provide a fun and engaging way to traverse the environment, adding a layer of excitement to platforming.
  • The game lacks a fast travel system, leading to tedious backtracking that can detract from the overall experience.
  • Some players found the level design to be linear and uninspired, with areas feeling repetitive and lacking distinctiveness.
  • The final boss and some enemy encounters can be frustratingly difficult, leading to a spike in challenge that feels unbalanced compared to earlier gameplay.
  • gameplay58 mentions

    The gameplay of "Kunai" is characterized by its unique kunai mechanic, which serves as both a weapon and a grappling hook, providing engaging movement and traversal. While the game features enjoyable platforming and a vibrant art style, some mechanics, like the hat collection and combat, are criticized for being less impactful or intuitive, leading to a mixed overall experience. Despite its flaws, many players appreciate the fast-paced action and metroidvania elements, making it a fun, albeit short, title in the genre.

    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and delightful, the kunai grapple feels wonderful when traversing, and the game is packed to the brim with metroidvania secrets.”
    • “Kunai is a seriously fun metroidvania/platformer hybrid with unique gameplay and music that sets it apart from its peers.”
    • “From the opening moments to the end credits, everything about Kunai just oozes charm and its movement mechanics make it a joy to play.”
    • “The gameplay experience is sadly very different from what the trailer promised.”
    • “The charge attack takes all the gameplay away from you by auto-aiming at every enemy.”
    • “The only thing to do in the game is the main storyline, so your gameplay is very linear.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its catchy and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of old 16-bit soundtracks. While some tracks stand out and enhance the atmosphere, others are noted for being repetitive, particularly during boss encounters. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing to the game's enjoyable presentation and gameplay experience.

    • “The soundtrack is the standout for me; the controls are buttery smooth like you wouldn't believe.”
    • “The music was lovely and enhanced the atmosphere of the environments.”
    • “The soundtrack is excellent and really helps set the mood.”
    • “The music wasn't bad but not very memorable.”
    • “However, I was pretty surprised to find the final boss music was... the same as every other boss.”
    • “The combat music is one and the same throughout the entire game.”
  • graphics38 mentions

    The graphics of "Kunai" are widely praised for their unique and beautiful pixel art style, which enhances the game's aesthetic appeal and complements its fast-paced gameplay. While some reviewers noted that the visuals can become repetitive due to a similar color palette, the overall execution is considered above average, with smooth animations and a distinct artistic flair that contributes positively to the gaming experience. Despite minor design flaws, the game's visuals are a standout feature, making it an attractive choice for fans of the metroidvania genre.

    • “The graphics are crisp, music is solid, combat and movement are super smooth.”
    • “Very beautiful graphics and music.”
    • “Beautiful pixel art style, satisfying and smooth movement, and great combat.”
    • “Visuals get tiring, because of the off-color theme where, although environments have different textures, they still look kind of the same.”
    • “The trailer hooked me, both with its art style and gameplay premise, but the gameplay experience is sadly very different.”
    • “Graphics are above average.”
  • story31 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered unremarkable and often feels shallow, with many reviewers noting its straightforward and predictable nature. While some appreciate the quirky humor and charm, others criticize the lack of depth and engagement, leading to a narrative that feels more like an afterthought rather than a driving force. Overall, the story serves as a light backdrop to the gameplay, which is often more enjoyable than the plot itself.

    • “Great style, tight controls, and a story that's fun and non-intrusive.”
    • “It's short but it's fun, the story is charming and pretty hilarious at times.”
    • “The theme of an apocalyptic future with a tablet robot (that is extremely expressive) that acts like a 1980s kung-fu action hero when wielding his weapons is hilarious, and while the story felt arcade-like more so than deep, I still went away appreciating it as it stayed consistent.”
    • “The story is very boring and doesn't build up excitement, so that you want to see what comes next. Every single monologue of NPCs is completely useless and doesn't tell any lore.”
    • “The ending is as boring as the story itself; basically, the credits just roll.”
    • “Kunai's story is fairly straightforward and one you've heard before.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by quirky, playful dialogue and a blend of cringe and charm, often drawing laughs through its absurd scenarios and expressive characters. While the story may lack depth, it delivers consistent hilarity, particularly in its boss battles and the portrayal of a tablet robot reminiscent of a 1980s action hero. Overall, players appreciate the lighthearted tone and comedic elements that enhance the gaming experience.

    • “The style and dialogue are so playful with a strong sense of humor throughout.”
    • “It's short but it's fun, the story is charming and pretty hilarious at times.”
    • “The theme of an apocalyptic future with a tablet robot (that is extremely expressive) that acts like a 1980s kung-fu action hero when wielding his weapons is hilarious.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is seen as limited, with players enjoying their initial playthrough but questioning the longevity due to repetitive level design. While unique weapon combinations offer some variation, the lack of substantial endgame content may hinder long-term engagement.

    • “This would add some replayability or end game content to the game.”
    • “It's good but doesn't really have all that much replayability.”
    • “I really enjoyed my 9-10 hours playing this, but I'm not sure how much replayability it has.”
    • “The unique weapon combinations can make each run different and interesting, but the repetitive nature of each level means that the game's replayability could be in doubt.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the lack of fast travel and the expansive, empty environments that require extensive traversal. While the variety of enemies adds some excitement, the search for hidden cosmetics can feel overly laborious due to insufficient guidance.

    • “The whole world is big empty spaces, and the lack of fast travel makes traversing the environments tedious.”
    • “Even then, finding those cosmetics is more tedious than anything else since there's rarely any indications pointing towards hidden rooms.”
    • “The enemies are nice and varied to keep you on your toes, but sometimes can be a tad bit tedious in my eyes.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game evokes a mix of nostalgia and frustration, with players feeling a connection to classic gaming elements while also experiencing disappointment from abrupt endings. Despite these mixed feelings, the game is ultimately recommended for its wholesome and enjoyable experience.

    • “The extremely sudden credits roll with the reused track made me feel like I was giving too long of a speech at the Oscars.”
    • “I would highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a wholesome good time.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is polarizing; while some users report a smooth experience with consistent 60fps and no crashes, others highlight significant bugs and poor design that detract from the overall experience.

    • “This game is too buggy and not designed thoughtfully.”
    • “Very buggy but a very good game.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, offering smooth performance without any bugs reported by players. Additionally, it features an in-game store for purchasing performance enhancements and upgrades for weapons, contributing to a polished overall experience.

    • “Performance is great, and there are no bugs that I encountered, so it's a well-polished game.”
    • “I had no issues with the performance at all.”
    • “Aside from all that, there’s also an in-game store where players can use in-game currency (also dropped by enemies) to buy performance enhancements for all of Tabby's weapons, as well as a smithy bot that can upgrade the katana’s base damage output.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is highlighted by solid and distinct character designs, featuring charming pixel art that enhances their appeal. The use of tweening and physics for animations, particularly in clothing and hand movements, adds a dynamic quality to the characters, making them more engaging and identifiable.

    • “The character designs are pretty solid, with distinct and easy-to-identify characters to meet.”
    • “Some of the character designs indeed seem to be using pixel art, but the objects such as cloth and hand movements appear to be using tweening and physics quite nicely.”
    • “+ Lovely pixel art and adorable character designs.”
    • “The character designs are pretty solid, though the character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
    • “Some of the character designs indeed seem to be using pixel art, but the overall character development is lacking and fails to engage the player.”
    • “While the visuals are appealing, the characters themselves do not evolve or grow throughout the game, making it hard to connect with them.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere is generally enhanced by the lovely music, which complements the environments effectively. However, some users feel that while the music contributes positively, it lacks standout moments that could elevate the overall experience.

    • “The music was lovely and enhanced the atmosphere of the environments.”
    • “The accompanying music and occasional lack thereof certainly help the atmosphere.”
    • “The accompanying music and occasional lack thereof certainly help the atmosphere, but I can't really find anything that stands out, whether good or bad.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
7-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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