Kenshi, or How to Fail Upward
Kenshi is a 2018 game published and produced by Lo-Fi Games. Steam tags Kenshi as an open-world sandbox RPG with survival and strategy elements.
Kenshi is a 2018 game published and produced by Lo-Fi Games. Steam tags Kenshi as an open-world sandbox RPG with survival and strategy elements. Imagine Classical Fallout with a bit of Sims and Morrowind mechanics set in a world that doesn’t care about you.
Starting first as the passion project of Chris Hunt, Kenshi now sits as an indie standard and cult classic. There is little synopsis when the most direct story is “don’t die.” However, there is a rich history and exceptional opportunities to develop your own future.
What Kenshi Creates
Kenshi doesn’t hesitate in showing you that you are the weakest person in a world too desperate to coddle you. Weak and desperate bandits will beat you for the fish in your bag. You pick yourself up, mend your wounds, and limp away to heal for another future beating.
While this game is hard, you don’t typically need to worry about death through combat. Bandits simply can’t spare the effort to kill you. Hunger, however, will break you.
Every decision is a desperate calculation, especially in the beginning, unique to Kenshi alone.
Finally, if one finds that the game is missing some essential element, Lo-Fi Games opens its code for indefinite editing to suit your needs. Near-illiterate in coding, I can say that the coding can be mastered by those who want to learn it.
Some Points to Consider
Kenshi is not a direct horror game but does what most fail to do for me, make my heart pound. However, for those seeking the horror focus of Phasmophobia in an open world, Kenshi will disappoint.
The graphics are dated, and the mechanics are clunky. There is no other way around these facts, so they must be stated. Mods and editing can help, but this requires extra work on the buyer’s end. While not broken, it is buggy and messy. This was a small indie team with grand ambitions, and it feels exactly like that.
Final Thoughts
Where Kenshi decides to focus attention is where it excels: an open indifferent world. Kenshi has few contenders because none have crafted a game like it. For a unique experience of complete anxiety, give Kenshi a play. However, this game is not a direct horror and is far from a polished product.
(4 / 5)
Gaming
Lovecraft Meets Junji Ito in WORLD OF HORROR
WORLD OF HORROR is a cosmic horror roguelite game developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games.
WORLD OF HORROR is a cosmic horror roguelite game developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games. The game is available on macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. This review will cover the Steam (Windows) version of the game.
You must explore the strange goings on around Shiokawa, Japan. It appears that eldritch forces have influenced the town in incomprehensible ways. So, attempt to comprehend these forces and maintain your sanity to save the town. Plan your investigations, choose between cases, and fight for your life.
There are a few game modes but three difficulty spikes. The easiest is a specific case with some random events. This mode teaches you the basic mechanics of the game. The harder difficulties give you access to an apartment and choices on which case you investigate. Completing objectives earns you customization options for the customized mode.
What I Like About WORLD OF HORROR
Running on GameMaker Studios, the pixelated aesthetic shows influences from Lovecraft and Junji Ito, though the latter more so than the former. WORLD OF HORROR haunts its viewers with its aesthetic, allowing the pixels to evoke those horror legends.
Random generation remains a key feature of the game, with various options and choices giving a massive variety. Your character also has some limited customization to access perks and further development. I will bring up some weaknesses later, but it is surprisingly vast. Adding to this variety, WORLD OF HORROR provides mod accessibility.
The combat allows for a great deal of thought and planning. You select your character’s actions within an action bar and perform the tasks (or combos) to beat an opponent. This JRPG style provides variety in action that makes it engaging and unique.
- Hardcover Book
- Ito, Junji (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-01-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The random generation and variety make each playthrough different. You might acquire a devastating katana in one playthrough only to bleed out unceremoniously in another.
While not a terrifying gaming experience, WORLD OF HORROR strives to provide an eerie and intense experience. At this, the game is a success. The weird and unnerving collide to invest the player in this strange world.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
Body horror deserves a mention, but the aesthetic and pixels doesn’t particularly evoke realism. Regardless, many designs evoke body horror.
Aside from this, here are some points of consideration. First, WORLD OF HORROR uses JRPG turn-based combat, which seems a point of division among some gamers. However, there are enough interesting mechanics and complexities beyond clicking an action and waiting your turn.
- Hardcover Book
- Ito, Junji (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-01-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Second, WORLD OF HORROR isn’t a cult detective. You’re experiencing events and choosing how your character responds. Some sage wisdom I heard for WORLD OF HORROR is to focus on the whole campaign instead of a single case. Failing a case isn’t a game over, so prioritize your character’s longevity.
What I Dislike About WORLD OF HORROR
Only a few issues hindered my experience. Some scenarios replay on a single case, let alone a playthrough, which becomes repetitive. Some scenarios have multiple solutions to add variety or require perks to access new options, but that’s not always true. This issue makes the randomization taxing at times.
This next issue is likely a bug or an oversight. After losing my reason (sanity), I found myself still able to investigate despite the game claiming that means death. An unrelated event finished me off, but I can’t help but assume this is a bug.
Final Thoughts
WORLD OF HORROR has its quirks but earns massive replay value and surprising depth. It’s a unique and ambitious indie title worth the price. If Junji Ito’s style or cosmic horror is your particular brand of horror, WORLD OF HORROR delivers an experience you’ll likely enjoy. Though this combination synergizes well, few games combine these elements successfully.
(4.5 / 5)
Step into the mind-bending world of Eldritch Automata as we sit down with Game Designer Nick Francia at GenCon 2024!
Uncover the secrets behind this Lovecraftian mecha-masterpiece and get a glimpse of what’s to come.
In this exclusive interview, Nick Francia shares:
• The intricate game development process • Inspirations behind the eerie Lovecraftian elements
• Unique mecha-infused gameplay mechanics Calling all Lovecraft fans! Dive into a world where eldritch horrors meet steam-powered marvels.
Eldritch Automata promises an unforgettable gaming experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
👉 Ready to embrace the madness? Check out our playable demo at a con near you! #EldritchAutomata #GenCon2024 #LovecraftianGaming #IndieGameDev
Prepare for a spine-chilling experience as Jim Phoenix delves into the shadows with Trick or Treat Studios at GenCon 2024!
In this exclusive interview, we uncover the terrifying secrets behind their latest bone-chilling creations: “House of 1000 Corpses” and “Halloween II” board games.
These games aren’t just about rolling dice – they’re about immersing yourself in the blood-curdling atmosphere of beloved horror films. With unique survival (and kill!) horror mechanics and cooperative gameplay, you’ll feel the terror coursing through your veins with every move!
But wait, there’s more! With the Kickstarter to House of 1000 Corpses shipping soon, we have an in-depth review coming up for that game, Halloween II–AND…Chucky. BOOMMM!!!
-
Movies n TV5 days agoGoosebumps The Vanishing, Back on Track With The Haunted Car
-
Book Reviews3 days ago
The Midnight Feast: Come for a romp in the Woods.
-
Book Reviews21 hours ago
Let’s Do Lunch Review – A Witchy, Whimsical Recipe for Chaos
-
Original Series4 days ago
Nightmarish Nature: Invisibles Among Us
