Runa & the Chaikurú Legacy

About

Runa & the Chaikurú Legacy is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Fanny Pack Studios and was released on January 29, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Runa & the Chaikurú Legacy is a classic 3D adventure platformer set in a mysterious fantasy world inspired by the ancient Chaikurú civilization. Players explore diverse areas, solve puzzles, and face various threats while uncovering hidden secrets in an engaging story. The game combines action, exploration, and family-friendly gameplay for a captivating experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story4 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Runa and the Chaikurú Legacy is rich in cultural references, particularly showcasing Argentinian culture, which adds charm and depth to the gameplay experience.
The game features vibrant visuals and engaging level design, making exploration enjoyable and rewarding, especially with cleverly hidden artifacts.
The soundtrack is immersive and enhances the overall atmosphere, contributing to a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic 3D platformers.

The game suffers from a poorly developed physics engine, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences such as inaccurate jumps and awkward combat mechanics.
Certain mission types, like escorting and rolling puzzles, are tedious and poorly designed, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
Performance issues, including frame drops and camera problems, hinder the gameplay experience, making it feel less polished than expected.

gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay of "Runa & the Chaikurú Legacy" is characterized by classic 3D platforming elements, including exploration, puzzle-solving, and precise controls, which evoke nostalgia for titles like Crash Bandicoot and Banjo-Kazooie. While many players appreciate the charm and progressive unlocking of mechanics, some have reported bugs and tedious sequences that detract from the overall experience. However, the game is praised for its variety and attention to detail, ensuring that levels remain engaging and visually distinct.
- “From the artifacts you can find throughout your adventure to even the saving and health recovery mechanics, you can tell they tried to put as much charm into them as they could.”
- “Classic 3D platforming gameplay: explore, solve puzzles, and take on challenges with precise controls.”
- “It gives me all the good nostalgic vibes of the classic 3D collectible platformers of old like Crash Bandicoot and Banjo-Kazooie, but updated with modern quality of life gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is buggy and doesn't feel thoroughly tested.”
- “The gameplay is generally okay, but I’ve spent around 60% of my time stuck repeating tedious sequences, the snake chase, and the spider chase.”
- “They reuse a mechanic where there's a ball on the ground and you have to guide it into a hole somewhere by walking into it, or using your boleadoras weapons, and this type of puzzle is really making me debate on whether I will finish the game.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The game's story is set against the backdrop of early Latin American civilizations, offering a unique and engaging narrative that immerses players in the mysteries of the chaikurú civilization. While some missions can be tedious, the overall atmosphere and charm of the story, along with its fresh South American inspiration, have garnered positive feedback, though some players feel the campaign is a bit short for its price. Enthusiasm for future developments in the story is evident among players.
- “A good ol' collectathon set apart by its unique setting in the early Latin American civilizations, a theme rarely explored that brings a distinctive story and environments.”
- “[*] [b]Engaging story:[/b] immerse yourself in the mystery of the Chaikurú civilization and uncover its secrets.”
- “I don't usually play this type of game, but I loved the story and the Argentinian references!”
- “Nevertheless, there is a significant part of the campaign dedicated to some of the most annoying types of missions: escorting and rolling.”
- “The story and campaign is fine, but a little short for the price.”
- “Simple yet charming story.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality and ability to enhance the overall ambiance, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature. Players appreciate how the music evolves as they progress through puzzles, adding depth to the experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a key element that complements the game's aesthetics and level design.
- “The best thing about the game is probably the music, which adds nicely to the ambiance.”
- “I recommend it :), I love the puzzles and the music sounds beautiful; it's great that as you solve the puzzles, the melody of the music completes.”
- “The aesthetics are so good and polished, the music is fun to listen to while playing and the level design (and game design too!) is fantastic.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The graphics of the game feature stunning visuals and a unique aesthetic inspired by South American culture, complemented by charming character designs and vibrant environments. While some users noted that the graphics require optimization on the Steam Deck and that the camera work could use refinement, the overall art style evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of PS2 graphics, enhanced by modern details that reflect the developers' dedication.
- “It has an amazing set of controls and stunning visuals.”
- “The South American inspiration for the setting and aesthetics is a fresh welcome world to explore and quest in.”
- “On the Steam Deck, the graphics need to be optimized.”
- “Although the aesthetic is reminiscent of PS2, very modern visual details can be seen on the back, speaking of the love and care of those who made the game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers suggest that while the game's current state may be hindered by engine issues or glitches, there is potential for improved replayability in the future if these problems are addressed through patches.
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replaying it feel like a chore rather than an adventure.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels repetitive and uninspired.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling a sense of warmth and fulfillment when discovering cleverly hidden artifacts. This sense of achievement enhances their overall experience, contributing to a fuzzy, nostalgic feeling.
- “In fact, as a local, I got most of them, and it made me feel fuzzy upon encountering them.”
- “Furthermore, the way the artifacts were cleverly hidden made me feel more fulfilled once I figured out where they were, and there are a lot of them.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized due to numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a perception that it lacks thorough testing. While some users believe that future patches could improve its playability, the current state is seen as problematic.
- “The gameplay is buggy and doesn't feel thoroughly tested.”
- “Were the engine or some glitches the problem, one could argue that the game could eventually be in a more playable state through patches.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is criticized for performance issues and bugs, which detract from its potential, particularly in combat and platforming mechanics. Players feel that a fully realized third-person perspective would enhance the experience, especially when navigating the environment and engaging with enemies, but the current semi-topdown view limits enjoyment. Additionally, graphics on the Steam Deck require further optimization to improve performance.
- “Other than performance problems and bugs, this is a huge waste of potential. It's like a game that would be perfect for a fully 3rd person perspective to admire the ruins better, have more precise platforming, and improve combat. Instead, you can only partially admire the ruins, the platforming feels mediocre—not difficult, just unengaging—and the perspective becomes abominable when fighting enemies, especially the flying ones. It really seems designed for a 3rd person experience, but instead, we get an approximate semi-top-down perspective.”
- “On the Steam Deck, the graphics need to be optimized.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is well-received, with players finding the item pick-ups amusing and the overall experience both fun and funny. Additionally, the cultural references resonate particularly well with Argentine players, enhancing the comedic appeal.
- “The game itself is fun and funny at the same time, and as an Argentinian myself, the references are spot on.”
- “It's really pretty, and the item pick-ups are funny.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with a significant portion of their time spent repeating monotonous sequences, such as the snake and spider chases. While the puzzles are not overly difficult, the repetitive nature of these tasks detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- “I don't hate puzzles in games; I'm not saying they're all that hard in this game, they are just tedious.”
- “The gameplay is generally okay, but I’ve spent around 60% of my time stuck repeating tedious sequences, like the snake chase and the spider chase.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its immersive qualities that enhance the storytelling experience.
- “That said, I did enjoy the story and atmosphere.”