Welcome to Kowloon

About

Welcome to Kowloon is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by Admia and was released on August 1, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Welcome to Kowloon" is a first-person indie horror game that takes place in the densely populated city of Kowloon, China. The game follows a young student seeking affordable housing, who finds himself drawn into a mysterious and ominous reality in his new home. With a playing time of approximately 50 minutes, players will uncover hidden stories and face the darkness that lurks in the heart of this city.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 593 reviews

atmosphere109 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features an unsettling atmosphere with impressive graphics and sound design that enhance the horror experience.
Jump scares are well-placed and effective, providing genuine moments of fright throughout the gameplay.
The flashlight mechanics are innovative and add to the immersion, making exploration feel more engaging.

The game is very short, typically taking only about 40-60 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
The reliance on cheap jump scares can detract from the overall horror experience, making it feel less original.
The story lacks depth and coherence, with many players feeling that it doesn't fully utilize the potential of the Kowloon setting.

atmosphere
178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
37%
2%
The atmosphere in "Welcome to Kowloon" is widely praised for its immersive and unsettling qualities, effectively creating a claustrophobic and eerie environment that enhances the horror experience. Players commend the game's stunning graphics and sound design, which contribute to a pervasive sense of dread, although some feel that the reliance on jump scares detracts from the overall tension. Despite its short length, the game successfully captivates players with its atmospheric depth and unique setting, making it a memorable entry in the indie horror genre.
- “The atmosphere is incredible, from the sound design to the visuals it is incredible, it makes you feel on edge and scared from start to finish, the jumpscares are terrifying and the story is pretty good!”
- “Welcome to Kowloon offers an immersive and atmospheric journey through labyrinthine streets, blending intricate storytelling with captivating visuals to create a unique gaming experience.”
- “The atmosphere is heavy, tense, and scary.”
- “The game doesn't have much story; it's almost purely atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere made me want to leave the game and never finish it because every second I thought someone was going to jumpscare me or run after me.”
- “The horror part of Kowloon is not working as intended; the game has a tense atmosphere, but it is not frightening at all: screamers are too obvious; sound design (whispers, creaks, etc.) could be a lot better.”
graphics
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
3%
The graphics in "Welcome to Kowloon" are widely praised for their stunning detail, realistic lighting, and immersive atmosphere, contributing significantly to the game's horror experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a chilling environment through its visuals and sound design, with some even comparing its quality to that of AAA titles. However, a few users noted minor graphical glitches and the need for better optimization, but overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature of the game.
- “Technically, Welcome to Kowloon impresses with its detailed graphics, realistic lighting, and immersive soundscapes that together create a believable and chilling environment.”
- “The graphics are stunning, and even the atmosphere is pretty good.”
- “The graphics immediately set a bar that the horror aspect doesn't live up to.”
- “1- some graphics glitches.”
- “Graphics are serviceable, so much room for detail to be added especially with cut scenes and animations.”
- “very outdated visuals.”
story
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
63%
9%
The game's story is often criticized for being minimal and lacking coherence, with many players feeling it fails to provide sufficient context or depth to engage with the characters or environment meaningfully. While some appreciate the atmospheric tension and the potential for a compelling narrative, the execution is seen as disjointed, leaving players wanting more substance and clarity. Overall, the storytelling is described as simplistic, with a mix of intriguing elements overshadowed by a reliance on jump scares and a vague plot.
- “Developed collaboratively by a1esska, notex, n4ba, and admia, the game offers a deeply immersive experience that expertly combines environmental storytelling with psychological horror.”
- “This story, though straightforward on the surface, unfolds through subtle environmental cues and cryptic interactions, encouraging players to piece together fragments of the unsettling mystery themselves.”
- “The game's lore and storyline are genuinely impressive, offering plenty of unexpected twists that keep you engaged right until the end.”
- “There's also a lack of story here that makes it hard to care about the environment or the character we play as.”
- “The game is littered with jump scares and contains very little story to help explain why any of this is happening.”
- “In terms of lore/story, you gather a number of clues regarding the strange happenings within the walled city, but ultimately results in a non-cohesive morsel of a narrative.”
gameplay
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The gameplay of "Welcome to Kowloon" is primarily a walking simulator, lasting about an hour and focusing on exploration and atmospheric immersion rather than complex mechanics or puzzles. Players navigate through maze-like streets, encountering a few jump scares and interactable objects, but many reviews note the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, the overall gameplay experience is considered mediocre, with a desire for more content and variety in future iterations.
- “Gameplay is largely focused on exploration and atmospheric immersion, with players encouraged to carefully traverse the maze-like streets and alleys, uncovering clues and encountering strange inhabitants along the way.”
- “The tension is often unbearable, the graphics are amazing and the gameplay dynamics are flawless.”
- “Solid scares, atmosphere rules, gameplay is really cool, and the game looks great.”
- “Clocking in at just one hour, the gameplay consists of walking around and clicking on only a few interactable doors and objects.”
- “Gameplay-wise, the game is a classic walking simulator with a simple player controller and a few puzzles: quite mediocre, nothing too fancy.”
- “The gameplay itself is pretty lackluster; walk to the end of a hall, read a note.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to create a spooky and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall tension and fear throughout the experience. Users appreciate the well-chosen background tracks and ambient sounds, which contribute significantly to the game's terrifying ambiance. Some players even express a desire for a more relaxed version of the game featuring lofi music, highlighting the versatility of the sound design.
- “The background music is well chosen and sets a spooky mood throughout the game.”
- “Combined with the superbly atmospheric music, it creates a truly immersive and claustrophobic experience.”
- “Also, the ambient noise and music made it much more terrifying. I highly recommend this game if you want to get the pants scared right off of you!”
- “The lighting and music just send fear through you at all times.”
- “Just filling noises/no music.”
- “Apart from some ambient music, I felt they helped elevate the tension a bit.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting issues such as stuttering, sluggish performance, and a lack of graphical options. Many feel that the game suffers from poor optimization, which detracts from the overall experience despite its atmospheric qualities. Overall, players are calling for significant improvements in optimization and customization options.
- “And nice optimization.”
- “It has a really nice atmosphere, but poor optimization and very few options, including no resolution options, and the view is weird because the FOV is set pretty high.”
- “Clunky performance: the game's performance felt sluggish at times, which was frustrating and distracting.”
- “It has a really nice atmosphere, but poor optimization and very few options, no resolution options, and the view is weird because the FOV is set pretty high.”
- “Lastly, this desperately needs graphic options and optimization.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game offers limited replayability, with most players completing it in under an hour. It may be worth experiencing, but it's recommended to wait for a sale due to its short duration and minimal replay value.
- “Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
- “This game has great replay value.”
- “If you're interested in this game, I'd strongly recommend waiting for it to be on sale - it's a less than 1 hour experience with little to no replayability.”
- “Completed it in under an hour, and while it has little replay value, it's worth it if you can get it on sale.”
- “It has no replay value.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively explores deep emotional themes such as isolation and alienation, particularly within its urban setting, creating a chilling atmosphere that resonates with players. Its impactful storytelling and relatable moments, like caring for a pet, leave a lasting emotional impression, making it a memorable experience for fans of indie horror. Overall, the game successfully balances thrills with poignant emotional depth, eliciting strong reactions from players.
- “This psychological approach also allows for a more nuanced exploration of themes like isolation, desperation, and the alienation felt within overcrowded urban environments, adding emotional weight to the chilling atmosphere.”
- “Nonetheless, the game manages to pack a significant emotional and atmospheric punch within its limited runtime, making it a memorable experience for fans of indie horror.”
- “Beyond the thrills and chills, the story even manages to touch the emotional chords.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with users reporting minimal issues such as occasional graphics and sound glitches. Players noted that the game runs well on Linux using Proton Experimental, and while there are some minor stability concerns, they do not significantly detract from the gameplay experience.
- “The game runs great on Linux using Proton Experimental, with impressive graphics and decent sound. I experienced no crashes or major bugs during my playthrough.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, and I appreciated that when I failed a sequence, the game simply reset me to the start of that part without any frustrating game over screen.”
- “Overall, the stability of the game is commendable, allowing for an uninterrupted experience while exploring and completing objectives.”
- “There were some graphics glitches.”
- “The only negative things I can think of were that some areas of the game felt very dark and there were also sound glitches in parts of the game.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the game humorous, with one user noting that it was enjoyable enough to engage even their mother. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that contributes to the game's appeal.
- “Got my mum to play it, and we both found it hilarious.”
- “This game is genuinely funny and kept me laughing throughout.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch and adds so much to the experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic amount of effort, akin to needing a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
"Welcome to Kowloon" is praised for its exceptional character development, highlighting the depth and growth of its characters throughout the game. Players appreciate how the narrative intricately weaves personal stories, making the characters feel relatable and engaging.
- “What truly stands out in 'Welcome to Kowloon' is its exceptional character development.”
- “The depth and complexity of the characters make the story incredibly engaging.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel authentic and relatable.”