Kunai Review

At first glance, Kunai seems like it is checking a lot of indie game boxes. Dystopia? Check. Throwback graphics? Check. Metroidvania? Double-check!

While the concepts are not super inventive, the actual gameplay is very unique. And the sheer fun of swinging around via the titular Kunai makes this a game worth checking out.

Robo Dystopia

The plot is not as important as the gameplay in a game such as Kunai. Accordingly, the actual plot you get is paper-thin.

Kunai is all about a dystopian future filled with evil robots. Humanity is long gone, but the resistance to the evil bots lives on in the form of robotic freedom fighters.

Unfortunately, they can’t take on these evil robots on their own. That’s why the good bots have woken you from your slumber. As a robot named Tabby, you must take on the robotic hordes with only your wits and the weapons you can find.

A Decent Metroidvania

What kind of game is Kunai? It fits best into the Metroidvania genre.

If the term is unfamiliar, this refers to games that are a lot like (you guessed it) Metroid and Castlevania. That means there is an emphasis on finding new weapons and upgrades that help you unlock parts of the map that were previously inaccessible.

Being part of this genre both helps and hurts Kunai. On one hand, it is a very fun example of why this genre is still so popular. At the same time, it never quite reaches the heights of the franchises that it is copying.