Karambola – A Free Surreal Point-and-Click Puzzle Adventure!

“What is happening to me happens to all fruits that grow ripe. It is the honey in my veins that makes my blood thicker, and my soul quieter.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Overview

Karambola is a surreal point-and-click puzzle adventure. Players take on the role of the titular fruit and embark on a quest to help his emotional fruit-people friends!

Narrative

The game begins with Karambola drinking an infinite time-freezing smoothie. However, upon losing this he realises his inner peace was only an illusion. He recalls the tragic events that occurred when a pack of evil bird-thoughts attacked a village of peaceful fruit people. They were separated and sent to different seasons to focus on their loneliness in an internal landscape of suffering. It is up to Karambola to rescue them! The various thoughts and micro-narrative of the different fruit people are emotional and thought-provoking and add a level of depth to the overall experience.

Gameplay

Karambola features familiar point-and-click gameplay interspersing simple puzzles with comic book style bits of narrative. The puzzles are mostly casual with a couple that are more challenging. There is no inventory and the puzzles are mostly logic-based with clues hidden in the different scenes. Players can choose which order they rescue the fruit-folks in, selecting each one from a grid.

Styling

The charming 2D art is a highlight of Karambola, the black and white, hand-drawn illustrations contrast beautifully with the vibrant watercolour backgrounds. The soundtrack is varied and each new character and puzzle features a different piece of music and a different instrument. Tracks range from eerie droning with twinkling piano to calming guitar numbers. There are also a number of strange but delightful; sound effects such as the ginger chuckling to itself and the Kiwano playing music with a glass and spoon. All of this brings the game to life and really adds to the enjoyment.

Summary

Overall, Karambola is a wonderfully abstract point-and-click puzzle adventure that will entertain players for 20-30 minutes. It boasts fantastic artwork, a diverse and enjoyable soundtrack, relaxing gameplay and a thought-provoking narrative. I highly recommend this short, free game to anyone looking for a fun way to fill half an hour.

Playthrough

You can also find my full playthrough of Karambola on the Indie Hive YouTube:

For more point-and-click puzzle games, why not take a look at:
Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery – Artistic & Emotive Puzzle Game! – Pants Quest – Puzzles and Struggles in this Everyday Adventure – Slice of Sea: A Pretty, Pixel-Hunting Point-and-Click Puzzle!

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