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The Dark World: Karma

The Dark World: Karma Game Cover
91%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
character development, grinding
91% User Score Based on 916 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxPlayStation
The Dark World: Karma Game Cover

About

The Dark World: Karma is a single player role playing shooter game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by POLLARD STUDIO LLC and was released on June 30, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

This is a first-person story-driven psychological horror game. Delve into this dark and strange world with an investigation officer from Roam to find traces of lost memories and fulfill your destiny.

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91%
Audience ScoreBased on 916 reviews
story280 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions

  • The game features stunning visuals and a captivating atmosphere that immerses players in a dystopian world.
  • The story is engaging and thought-provoking, with emotional depth that resonates with players.
  • The voice acting and sound design are top-notch, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with limited interactivity, which may not appeal to all players.
  • The narrative can be convoluted and confusing, leaving some players feeling lost by the end.
  • Certain puzzles lack clear hints, making them frustrating to solve without external help.
  • story
    684 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is a complex and often surreal narrative that captivates players with its emotional depth and psychological themes, though many find it confusing and difficult to follow. While the visuals, voice acting, and overall presentation are praised, some reviewers note that the plot suffers from inconsistencies and unresolved threads, leading to a disjointed experience. Despite these criticisms, the story is regarded as a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The story was gripping, even though I felt like I didn't fully understand all the details.”
    • “An incredibly beautiful and sad masterpiece, surpassed any expectations and delivered a fantastic story.”
    • “The atmosphere is haunting, the visuals are stunning, and the emotional weight of the story hit me harder than I expected.”
    • “The storyline was very confusing; it never explained half of the things that you were being shown, and eventually I just stopped caring.”
    • “Main issue would be the story is quite hard to follow and confusing without watching a 30-minute video after playing explaining the purpose behind most events that unfold in the game.”
    • “The reality is that the story is simply not cohesive or well-structured.”
  • graphics
    234 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, intricate detail, and artistic expression, often described as hauntingly beautiful and immersive. Players appreciate the surreal and atmospheric design that enhances the storytelling, with many noting the high quality of animations and overall presentation. While some minor graphical issues were mentioned, they are generally overshadowed by the game's impressive aesthetic and emotional impact.

    • “The atmosphere is haunting, the visuals are stunning, and the emotional weight of the story hit me harder than I expected.”
    • “The game presents an impressive array of jaw-dropping visuals, a great attention to detail, and overall spectacular creativity.”
    • “The graphics are top-tier, bringing the game’s unsettling world to life with intricate detail and an oppressive color palette that enhances the feeling of unease.”
    • “It's a mishmash of different visuals and styles from other games.”
    • “This was an appropriately priced game for the length of time and the meh graphics it has.”
    • “Most of your time is spent in enclosed spaces, so while the graphics are solid, the environments feel a bit repetitive after a while.”
  • gameplay
    180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its focus on atmosphere and narrative over mechanical depth. While some appreciate the immersive storytelling and visual design, others criticize the gameplay for being overly simplistic, linear, and heavily reliant on cutscenes, often feeling more like a walking simulator than a traditional game. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences but may disappoint players seeking challenging gameplay or action.

    • “Everything was perfect: gameplay, graphics, and the story.”
    • “The gameplay is well executed; I ran into no bugs or glitches, and it's a great looking game with varying art styles and environments.”
    • “Both the story and the gameplay were fantastic and left me feeling a sort of satisfaction that I like to feel when playing and completing a game.”
    • “Gameplay is lacking, featuring few puzzles, most of which are overly simple—except for the oddly challenging Chinese civil service examination-style pattern-recognition questions.”
    • “Of 6 hours of gameplay, I’d estimate it was about 5 hours of cutscenes and about 1 hour of real gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, there is almost nothing to talk about.”
  • music
    154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its haunting beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack is both immersive and impactful, effectively complementing the game's visuals and narrative. However, some players found that the music could occasionally be overshadowed by gameplay focus, and a few expressed concerns about certain tracks feeling overbearing or out of place.

    • “One of the most beautiful games I’ve played this year... with an even more incredible soundtrack.”
    • “The music is captivating to where it invokes an emotional response of sadness, fear, happiness, warmth, darkness, and love.”
    • “This visual masterpiece, paired with its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and sound design, creates an experience that is deeply emotional and immersive.”
    • “The music I had an issue with as well.”
    • “The way the emotional music was used felt overbearing.”
    • “There's just this one song in there where the dude that's singing it sounds like he's trying to whisper you a secret while trying to drop the biggest shit through the tiniest asshole after running a marathon and having a heart attack.”
  • emotional
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Karma: The Dark World" is a significant highlight, with many players praising its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from deep sadness to nostalgia. While some found the voice acting and emotional moments occasionally overdone or poorly paced, the overall narrative and immersive atmosphere left a lasting impact, often leading to tears and profound introspection. The game is described as a unique emotional experience, blending psychological themes with stunning visuals and a haunting soundtrack, making it a must-play for those seeking a deeply engaging story.

    • “The atmosphere is haunting, the visuals are stunning, and the emotional weight of the story hit me harder than I expected.”
    • “Playing through Karma: The Dark World was an emotional journey I won't forget.”
    • “The connection I built with Daniel only made the late-game reveals even more heartbreaking — discovering that you're just a copy, and realizing you took the family photo from the hospital scene, hit harder than I ever expected.”
  • atmosphere
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Karma: The Dark World" is widely praised for its haunting and immersive qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, meticulous sound design, and a compelling narrative. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke emotional resonance and psychological horror without relying heavily on jump scares, creating a captivating and introspective experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a meticulously crafted blend of dystopian elements and artistic storytelling, making it a standout feature.

    • “The atmosphere is haunting, the visuals are stunning, and the emotional weight of the story hit me harder than I expected.”
    • “Every frame looks like it belongs in an arthouse horror film—drenched in atmosphere, beautifully twisted, and full of hidden meaning.”
    • “However, an eerie atmosphere permeates the game from the very beginning, and it hits just the right note.”
    • “However, more than explicit terror, what truly captivated me was its dense and corrupted atmosphere, which kept me hooked until the very end—roughly seven hours of gameplay.”
    • “Karma: the dark world is a visually stunning dive into a dystopian nightmare, blending psychological horror with an eerie, almost hypnotic atmosphere.”
  • optimization
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for delivering solid performance and stunning visuals, even on older hardware. While most players report minimal performance issues and effective use of Unreal Engine 5, some users experienced the need for tweaks to achieve optimal performance. Despite a few criticisms regarding specific aspects, the game generally runs smoothly and impressively for a debut title.

    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great on quality settings and looks stunning.”
    • “Very little performance issues; they did very well with optimizing the game.”
    • “Technically, everything runs smoothly — even on my old computer, it performs well.”
    • “The optimization is not good, and the puzzles are not for me.”
    • “Visually the game is incredible, which some tweaking I had to do for the performance.”
    • “It had its issues with performance, but all in all a pretty solid UE5 game for a first-time game from the developers.”
  • replayability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the game's replayability to be limited, primarily due to a lack of substantial incentives beyond minor collectibles. Suggestions for improvement include enhancing interactivity during cut scenes, incorporating multiple choice dialogues, and allowing players to experience different character perspectives. Despite some enjoyment of the game, many feel that its short playtime and minimal replay value do not justify its price.

    • “ infinitely replayable”
    • “As much as I loved this game, given the zero replayability factor to it and generally short playtime, I feel $25 is a little bit asking of it.”
    • “Replayability is limited, with minor collectibles being the only incentive to revisit.”
  • character development
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game features some interesting aspects, with a few reviewers noting the ensemble's vividness and the overall resonance of the story. However, opinions are mixed, as some players felt a lack of attachment to the characters despite appreciating the design and narrative elements. Overall, while there are commendable moments, the character development may not fully satisfy all players.

    • “Character development - as I said, some aspects were interesting but overall I wasn't too fond of any of them.”
    • “Even though I liked the story, the character design, music, and graphics, the lack of controller dexterity and the frustration that comes from it negates the positives.”
    • “Yet for a debut indie title, even without leniency, it delivers a profoundly resonant story within its constraints, alongside remarkably vivid ensemble character development.”
  • grinding
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, often requiring significant time investment, with some noting a lack of options to skip repetitive scenes or speed up gameplay. While a few moments stand out as particularly laborious, many reviewers seem to overlook them in the broader context of their experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The lack of options to skip previously seen scenes or move faster can make these moments tedious.”
    • “There were a couple of moments that were a bit tedious, but I've honestly forgotten them already.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is subtle and often arises from its quirky elements, such as the novelty of a 2% sale, which players find amusing. While the game leans more towards body horror and mystery, players enjoy the lighthearted moments that emerge during challenging puzzles, fostering a sense of camaraderie as they navigate through the game together. Overall, the humor is not overt but adds a charming layer to the experience.

    • “Jokes aside, the only reason I even looked at this game was because it had a 2% sale, which seemed funny to me—since I’ve never seen a 2% sale on a game before.”
    • “The puzzles have been interesting so far; one of them stumped my entire chat for a while as it was late and our brains were like ooze. It was funny us guessing all the wrong combinations, but fun that we worked together and tried to figure it out while listening to each other's explanations.”
    • “The humor in this game is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making even the most challenging moments enjoyable.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly on high-quality settings without any reported bugs or glitches. Players appreciate its stunning visuals and well-executed gameplay across diverse art styles and environments.

    • “Performance-wise, the game runs great on quality settings and looks stunning.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as players feel it avoids being a mere cash grab and instead serves as a genuine tribute to classic mystery storytelling.

6h Median play time
7h Average play time
5-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Dark World: Karma is a role playing shooter game with horror and science fiction themes.

The Dark World: Karma is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 7 hours playing The Dark World: Karma.

The Dark World: Karma was released on June 30, 2023.

The Dark World: Karma was developed by POLLARD STUDIO LLC.

The Dark World: Karma has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its character development.

The Dark World: Karma is a single player game.

Similar games include KARMA: The Dark World, Stories Untold, Nether Gallery, The Hole, GET EVEN and others.