NYKRA: Before
- September 27, 2021
- ENDESGA
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"NYKRA: Before" is a narrative platformer game with pixel art graphics, puzzle and RPG elements. As you travel through 7 planets with the help of a being named Keu, you'll unravel a complex story about a mysterious "dark virus" while engaging in alien literature and language deciphering. The game was developed by a single person, EDG, over the course of 8 years, making for a unique and personal gaming experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and a beautiful art style that captivates players.
- The narrative is intriguing and immersive, with a rich story that encourages exploration.
- The game is a labor of love from a single developer, showcasing impressive creativity and effort over eight years.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and crashes, making it frustrating and often unplayable.
- Many players have experienced save file corruption, leading to lost progress and a lack of reliable gameplay.
- The game feels incomplete and lacks polish, with some sections reportedly released in an unfinished state.
- story52 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Nykra" is described as rich and immersive, with intriguing themes of existence and mythology, but it suffers from pacing issues and a decline in writing quality as the game progresses. While the narrative adventure offers compelling character interactions and a beautifully crafted world, some players feel that the story lacks coherence and depth, leaving many plot points unresolved. Overall, it presents a mix of engaging storytelling and frustrating limitations, making it a polarizing experience for players.
“It's a meaty, lengthy story that I can tell has a lot of thought put into it.”
“What is being presented is not just a story, but a mythology and cosmology of which we are a part.”
“The story is immersive, the characters interesting, and the puzzles challenging enough to make me take my time, but one of the most amazing things about this game is the language Endesga created for it.”
“The mystery was intriguing, but the pacing feels rushed and the story never really coalesces into anything that makes sense.”
“The writing for the story began to diminish in quality by chapter 3.”
“Emotion, storytelling, and character are essential with text dialogue, which Nykra dropped the ball on.”
- music20 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its dynamic and ambient quality, seamlessly integrating with the narrative to enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight its smoothness and ability to signal gameplay direction, contributing to a rich sense of cohesion alongside the game's stunning visuals and sound design. Despite some sequences lacking music, the overall composition is considered among the best in video games, showcasing the game's artistic potential.
“There is a dynamic ambient soundtrack which ebbs and flows along with the narrative.”
“Subtle changes in the music signal which direction and action are necessary to continue.”
“All the while, the music helps to create a rich sense of cohesion.”
“There are a lot of sequences where you just run from left to right, have a nice picture in the background, some background noises (no music), and that's it.”
“Effects are fitting and sharp, music is smooth, whatever.”
“This game is beautiful, all the way from the environment to the music to the character's witty banter.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and impressive visual effects, contributing to an engaging presentation and storyline. However, some players have reported frustrating technical issues and glitches that detract from the overall experience, despite the strong art style and movement. Overall, while the visuals are a highlight, the presence of bugs has led to mixed feelings among users.
“From a visuals standpoint, it is amazing.”
“The graphics are beautiful, and I enjoyed the storyline thoroughly.”
“It lures you in with beautiful graphics, a story ready to set up, great presentation.”
“Like Monika has jack shit on this guy, no fake glitch aesthetic, no funny gifs, no fun values, it just actually does not work at all.”
“When I reloaded, my EO relic had changed and I am not sure whether this will impede my future progress or if it is merely a graphical glitch.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its ongoing stability issues, with users noting that it remains buggy since the last patch in December 2021. While some players appreciate the game's potential, they acknowledge that the lack of updates and controller support contribute to a frustrating experience.
“The last patch was in December 2021 and the game is still buggy.”
“Great game, albeit rather buggy.”
“No controller support, and the game is buggy.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Nykra is generally praised for its simple and well-rounded mechanics, along with appealing pixel-art visuals and compelling story elements. However, many players report significant bugs that hinder their ability to complete the game, detracting from the overall experience. Despite its positive aspects, the game's technical issues have left some players frustrated.
“Love the gameplay and the mechanics are simple and easy.”
“There are certainly positive components to Nykra: the overall gameplay mechanics are well-rounded, the vistas (especially for it being a pixel-art game) are impressively appealing, the story/dialog can be very compelling at times, and there are a few fun areas to explore.”
“There are certainly positive components to Nykra: the overall gameplay mechanics are well-rounded, the vistas (especially for it being a pixel-art game) are impressively appealing, the story/dialog can be very compelling at times, and there are a few fun areas to explore.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with users noting that it fails to deliver any engaging or amusing elements, such as glitch aesthetics or funny visuals. Instead, the game's supposed "crashes" are described as unintentional and not genuinely humorous, highlighting a disconnect between the intended comedic experience and the actual gameplay.
“The game 'crashes' after trying to get to the next part, but here's the funny part: the game doesn't crash.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for being intriguing and immersive, enhancing the overall experience. However, technical issues and bugs have detracted from the enjoyment for some players, impacting their ability to fully engage with the game.
“I'm three chapters in so far and absolutely loving this - very atmospheric and intriguing.”
“The game is unfortunately broken; the atmosphere is there and the gameplay is also not bad, but when I cannot even finish the game due to many bugs, it just is not fun to play.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is significantly hindered by its lack of polish and playability, with some users noting that even early access titles offer a more engaging experience at a similar price.
