Penkura

About

Penkura is a single player role playing game. It was developed by LionsArt and was released on December 19, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

"Penkura is a single-player Role Playing game with a good plot and fabulous visuals. It features a top-down real-time strategy system and first-person exploration, with classic death mechanics that require you to construct your own robotic companions for protection and resource gathering. The game encourages players to choose their own approach, offering a variety of buildings, machines, bots, and items to construct using the Molecular Matter Converter or Command Control Communication."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 152 reviews

story35 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game features impressive polish and graphics, surpassing many AAA titles, and offers a unique blend of survival, crafting, and exploration mechanics.
The developer is highly responsive to community feedback and actively engages with players, fostering a supportive environment for ongoing development.
The storyline is intriguing and well-crafted, with a rich lore that keeps players invested and eager to uncover more as the game evolves.

The game is still in early access and lacks substantial content, with many features and areas yet to be developed, leading to a feeling of incompleteness.
There are frequent bugs and performance issues, including crashes and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, which is concerning for a title that has been in development for several years.
The learning curve can be steep, with a lack of clear direction and tutorials, making it challenging for new players to navigate the game's mechanics and objectives.

story
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
60%
3%
The story in this game is widely praised for its depth, intrigue, and engaging world-building, drawing players into a mysterious narrative that unfolds as they explore. However, many reviewers note that the game is still in early access, with a significant portion of the story yet to be developed, leading to a sense of frustration over incomplete quests and limited content. Overall, while the existing storyline captivates players, there is a strong desire for further updates to fully realize its potential.
- “The story, lore, and world building in this game is a definite highlight, and I find myself after each session wanting more and more!”
- “Penkura is a great survival crafter with a very deep and engaging story being developed at its core.”
- “The game draws you in quickly with its story line and the atmosphere that is created and is very addictive.”
- “The story isn't even half finished; I hope that's just the beginning, anyway, no more than 1/3rd of the way surely.”
- “Just don't be surprised if you get soft-locked out of progressing the story because the quests are too confusing to figure out without searching them on Google.”
- “After more than 6 years in Steam early access development, more than 90% of the game's planetary map storyline remains undeveloped and inaccessible to the early access customer.”
gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
9%
Gameplay in this early access title is characterized by a slow start that rewards players as they master its crafting mechanics, though some find it tedious and lacking in gratifying elements. While the game features interesting mechanics and a solid storyline, it currently suffers from limited content and some frustrating gameplay elements, such as energy mechanics and lock minigames. However, frequent updates and the promise of future enhancements, including automation and expanded gameplay options, suggest potential for improvement and deeper engagement.
- “It is a slow burn when you get started, but rewarding once you get the feel of how the crafting mechanics work.”
- “The existing state of the game allows for a comfortable 20-25 hours of engaging gameplay, guided by quite an immersive storyline.”
- “The building mechanics are intelligently designed, with straightforward recipes and visible material requirements for constructions.”
- “The gameplay itself, however, is extremely tedious, using some pretty unique ideas but not really doing so in a manner that is gratifying.”
- “The energy mechanics and the poorly designed lock minigames are the most amateurish elements from any survival game; they ruin the game so much that I would absolutely refund it over this if I could.”
- “Not sure how they plan to make the core gameplay any better without at least completely overhauling enemies and balancing base-building.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
39%
13%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful and immersive aesthetic, blending futuristic and ancient elements effectively. While some users note that the graphics are not AAA quality, they still find them impressive and suitable for the game's atmosphere, with particular highlights on the stunning sky effects and smooth performance on modern hardware. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the gameplay experience despite some minor issues related to performance and lighting.
- “The futuristic aesthetic mixed with the ancient alien world and technology/artifacts is a nice juxtaposition of primitive and cutting-edge worlds.”
- “The graphics, environments, and weather effects are all very good.”
- “Absolutely love this game, it is very well made and I am in love with the graphics and style.”
- “I have a 4080 graphics card and fast rig, but my fans come on when I scroll the map.”
- “Graphically it's decent, so any computer built within the last 4 years should be able to run it, albeit with certain bugs - which is expected of an early version.”
- “Some levels are fairly dark; I'm unsure if it's intentionally designed as part of the aesthetics or just wrong screen settings on my part.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting solid performance and smooth frame rates between 60-80 fps on mid-range systems. However, some users feel that the map could use further optimization, and while the game is polished with minimal bugs, the base-building mechanics may not be fully rewarding or developed.
- “Game performance was much better than most games these days, so I will upvote it just for that already :-)”
- “Though not complete, as far as performance, this game is solid, polished, and I didn't find any noticeable bugs or glitches.”
- “Good optimization and performance.”
- “I don't think the map is optimized yet.”
- “It's essentially a base-builder game with elements of optimization in it, but you really don't build that many bases or really get any rewards from base-building, which just feels strange.”
- “Though not complete, as far as performance, this game is solid, polished and I didn't find any noticeable bugs or glitches.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the lack of excessive grind and find the gameplay engaging, others describe it as extremely grindy, albeit in a satisfying way. The game features unique ideas and a compelling story, but also includes tedious tasks like running back and forth, which may be alleviated by future updates. Overall, it appeals to fans of survival crafting games who enjoy a balance of grind and engaging gameplay.
- “The gameplay itself, however, is extremely tedious, using some pretty unique ideas but not really doing so in a manner that is gratifying.”
- “This game is great if you just want to veg...mostly because it's one of the most grindy games I've ever played.”
- “It has a really good story and nice gameplay (except for some running back and forth - but it's a given in survival games and there are plans to add some other means of travel in the future as well as ways to program drones so they perform tedious tasks themselves).”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, drawing players in with a captivating storyline and a rich, living environment. Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound and lighting to create tension and anxiety, while the cohesive design enhances the overall experience. The base building mechanics and pacing further contribute to a beautifully crafted atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- “The game draws you in quickly with its storyline and the atmosphere that is created and is very addictive.”
- “Extremely atmospheric game, spent way too much time clenching around every corner while appreciating that this game takes the chance to play with lighting, sound, and story to give some serious tense anxiety - alongside a lot more living alien environment all around.”
- “Everything feels like it belongs together, from the atmosphere to the UI to the way you interact with the world.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid and polished, with most players reporting minimal bugs and glitches. However, some users have noted occasional terrain issues and save file problems, particularly in its early alpha state. Despite these concerns, many find the gameplay enjoyable and believe there is potential for improvement.
- “The gameplay is very polished, good looking, and surprisingly bug-free, with around 30-40 hours of content available as of May 8, 2024.”
- “The game has a few glitches, but overall it is an interesting indie game.”
- “Graphically it's decent, so any computer built within the last 4 years should be able to run it, albeit with certain bugs in the game - which is expected of an early version.”
- “The game is still, in my opinion, in early alpha and has some terrain glitches and bugs that break save files.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its seamless integration with the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack complements the visuals and smooth controls, contributing to a stunning performance without taxing system resources.
- “The soundtrack really works well with it.”
- “The controls are smooth, the sound and music are great, it looks stunning, and with everything maxed out, my PC barely warms up while playing it.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from increased publicity and advertising, as the current success has been largely driven by minimal promotion from a small influencer.