KUNAI

My first hour with KUNAI was basically just me ignoring enemies and swinging around like a caffeinated Spider-Man. That dual-kunai grapple system - one hook on each shoulder button, auto-targeting whatever wall surface is nearby - is the kind of mechanic that makes you forget you were supposed to be progressing the story. It clicks almost instantly on a controller, and once it clicks, you will be genuinely sad when the credits roll. This is a metroidvania built around movement first and exploration second. You start as Tabby, a tablet-faced robot warrior with nothing but a starting area and attitude, then spend the next five to eight hours unlocking a katana (which heals on hit and deflects bullets), a pair of SMGs that double as a jetpack when aimed downward, a rocket launcher that enables rocket jumps, and a few other bits of kit that keep things from going stale. Each boss is designed around your current loadout, so you are not just memorising patterns - you are actually applying the weapon you just found. That design choice keeps the difficulty curve honest and the bosses feeling like genuine milestones rather than brick walls. The linearity of that progression is a strength, not a weakness. Where KUNAI earns its "Mixed" Steam tag rather than a cleaner score is in its backtracking problem. There is no fast travel, and the map does not always make it obvious where you need to go next. Returning through old zones with your shiny new abilities is supposed to be a Metroidvania reward loop, but the lack of shortcut density means it sometimes just feels like retracing your steps. A handful of reviewers flagged this at launch, and it has not been patched away. If you are the type who maps everything and pushes 100% completion, build in some patience for the traversal tedium between the fun bits. Visually, TurtleBlaze went with a strict pastel pixel palette that reserves deep red almost exclusively for threats - enemy screens, danger zones, boss health bars. It is a smart accessibility choice that reads cleanly even on a small screen, and the limited colour per zone gives every area a distinct identity without needing elaborate art assets. Tabby's face animates with surprising expressiveness given the hardware-era aesthetic, and the 16-bit-leaning soundtrack earns its own OST bundle listing. Presentation is polished well above what a three-person studio has any right to deliver. Is it worth your time right now? For a solo session, absolutely - especially if your metroidvania backlog has already consumed Hollow Knight and you want something shorter and less punishing. The movement alone justifies the playthrough. Just do not expect a sprawling map with interconnected secrets around every corner, and go in knowing there is no New Game Plus or challenge mode waiting on the other side of the credits. What is here is tight, charming, and over too soon - which, honestly, beats the alternative.

Riley · Scout Team

Sports & racing

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