Kristala Review Summary

Fun and engaging gameplay: The gameplay is frequently described as fun, entertaining, and addictive. Players enjoy the combat mechanics, which are fluid and challenging.

Fast-paced and satisfying combat: The combat is noted for being fast-paced, responsive, and satisfying. Players enjoy the strategic and fluid nature of the combat mechanics.

Beautiful visuals and graphics: The game's visuals are highly praised for being gorgeous, thematic, and detailed. Players appreciate the artwork and overall graphical quality.

Unique appeal of playing as a cat: A distinctive feature that players find appealing is the ability to play as a cat, which adds a unique and enjoyable element to the game.

High-quality voice acting: The voice acting is praised for being top-notch, charming, and of high quality, enhancing the game's appeal.

Game plagued by bugs: The game is reported to have a significant number of bugs, ranging from minor issues to game-breaking problems. Players frequently encounter bugs that hinder gameplay and overall experience.

Poor optimization and performance: Many players report that the game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues. This includes inconsistent FPS rates, stutters, freezes, and long load times.

Combat system issues: The combat system is criticized for feeling unfair, clunky, and unrewarding. Players also report issues with combat mechanics, such as dodging and parrying, which feel unresponsive or confusing.

Clunky and uncomfortable controls: Controls are described as clunky, uncomfortable, and odd. Players find the controls less fluid and sometimes problematic, especially in tight spaces.

Game feels unfinished: Many players feel that the game is unfinished and needs more work before its official release. This includes issues with gameplay, content, and overall polish.

Soulslike gameplay and mechanics: The game features gameplay and mechanics similar to the Souls series, including combat, controls, and a dark fantasy world. It also incorporates parkour elements and a Sekiro-like combat system.

Combat mechanics and enemy AI: Combat is precision-based and strategic, involving mechanics like parrying, executions, and a stamina system. Enemy AI and behavior are also noted as important aspects of the combat experience.

Parkour and movement system: The game includes a robust parkour system that integrates with combat, allowing for acrobatic movements and traversal. This system is highlighted as a significant part of the gameplay experience.

Accessible Soulslike experience: The game is designed to be more accessible to players new to the Soulsborne genre, offering a Souls-lite experience with smoother gameplay and a minimalistic interface.

Exploration and level design: Exploration is a key feature, with a focus on vertical level design and navigation mechanics that encourage players to discover the game world.

Frame rate and performance issues: Many players report frequent frame drops, stutters, freezes, and inconsistent FPS rates. These issues significantly impact the gameplay experience.

Frequent crashes and bugs: Players experience frequent game crashes, freezing, and game-breaking bugs. These issues disrupt the gameplay and can make the game unplayable at times.

Loading time and texture issues: Long loading times and texture loading problems are common. Players report slow loading, loading delays, and issues with assets and maps loading correctly.

Optimization and graphics problems: The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to various performance issues. Players note that the game is not well-optimized for certain hardware, particularly AMD.

Specific hardware and settings issues: Some players report specific issues related to hardware and settings, such as problems with windowed full-screen mode, DLSS settings, and performance on specific hardware configurations.

Highly recommended game: Many players highly recommend the game despite its flaws, suggesting it is worth trying for most people.

Recommended for Souls fans: The game is particularly recommended for fans of Souls-like games, including Sekiro and other similar titles.

Game completion: 6.0h.

Story completion: 4.0h.

Session length: 2.0h.

The game has a slow start due to control and pacing issues, but becomes fun once players master the controls and complete the tutorial.

Reported time to anchor: 1h.

Friction: Odd controls; Slow pacing; Technical issues.

Unlock drivers: Fluid controls; Tutorial completion; Character build customization.

Cat-Loving Souls Enthusiast: Engages with the game for its unique combination of cute cat characters and challenging combat. Motivation: Enjoyment of cat-themed Souls-like gameplay. Stance: buy.

Cautious Critic: Prefers to wait for game improvements and bug fixes before fully engaging. Motivation: Seeking a polished and bug-free gaming experience. Stance: deep sale.

Casual Souls Explorer: Engages with the game for its casual-friendly combat and exploration. Motivation: Enjoyment of accessible and forgiving Souls-like gameplay. Stance: sale.

Steam Deck: The game has notable stability issues, particularly with crashes and graphical glitches when enabling certain settings. However, it also features strong controller support, making it accessible on the Steam Deck. Loading speeds are slightly long but not a major issue. Control fluidity is noted to be less smooth, which can impact the gaming experience.

Desire for customizable character colors: Players have expressed a desire for more customization options, specifically the ability to choose non-natural colors for their characters. This would allow for more personalization and creativity in character design.

Early backers of the game: Some players mentioned that they bought the game during its early development phase on Backerkit. This indicates a dedicated fanbase that has been following the game's progress.