Karma: The Dark World – A Dystopian Psychological Thriller

“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” – George Orwell

Overview

Karma: The Dark World is a cinematic walking simulator and psychological thriller. Set in a dystopian East Germany where the authoritarian and omnipresent Leviathan Corporation oversees everything, players take on the role of one of the Thought Bureau’s Roam Agents to investigate crimes.

Narrative

Karma: The Dark World has a multi-faceted narrative with a lot of depth and plenty of twists. It is a psychological sci-fi thriller and follows Daniel McGovern as he attempts to investigate crimes for the Thought Bureau. This is part of the Leviathan Corporation, a utilitarian organisation that runs East Germany with strict class-based rules, servitude, intrusive surveillance, mind-altering drugs, and an iron fist. The narrative focuses on the societal aspects as well as the concerning scientific research being conducted by Leviathan and the consequences of both. The overall effect is that the narrative is both unsettling and thought-provoking.

The engaging and often surreal narrative is told through the gameplay via scenery, collectables, dialogue, documents, and photos but also through extensive cinematic cut-scenes, which are incredibly engrossing, despite their passive nature.

Gameplay

Primarily a walking simulator, Karma: The Dark World has a fairly slow pace in terms of story development, but also in a more literal sense. The walking speed is unhurried, even when running, which is more like a brisk powe-walk. This may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it allows players to explore and observe the various scenes in detail,l and while very little of the environment can be interacted with, there are documents, photos, and such things dotted around that will enhance the story. The experience is quite linear, and the player is kept on rails throughout as the focus is on the layered narrative as opposed to interactions, however, it is quite ominous, and certain scenes will be sure to spike the adrenaline.

In addition to the walking simulator mechanics, the game has players solve a number of, sometimes quite complex or tricky, puzzles as well as engage in a few chase scenes and boss ‘fights’ that are more akin to gameplay in a horror game, these break things up and provide a more enhanced sense of engagement. The protagonist must also ‘brain dive’ as a way of interrogating suspects, which is a unique and exciting mechanic. Some of the puzzles are optional in that they do not progress the story but instead award collectable figurines.

Overall, the gameplay is rather satisfying despite its relative simplicity. This is partly a result of the excellent narrative design but also of the rhythmic switching between the interactive elements and the more passive cutscenes. Players new to walking simulators may find the overall experience a bit slow, but genre veterans are sure to enjoy themselves.

Styling

Karma: The Dark World uses a realistic 3D art style that is highly detailed with dramatic and atmospheric lighting, resulting in very captivating visuals despite the surreal nature of many of the locations. The more visceral scenes presented are brilliantly jarring but have value beyond simple shock factor.

The soundtrack by Geng Li is a definite stand-out feature of the game and features a variety of songs that use prominent strings, piano and some fantastic vocals. The crescendos, slow tempo, and eerie undertones help create a melancholy and incredibly evocative OST that also builds tension and instills a sense of unease in the player. Teamed with the immersive sound effects and believable, emotive voice acting, the game boasts outstanding sound design that really brings the experience to life and connects the player to the narrative.

Summary

Karma: The Dark World is a fantastic example of a walking simulator and a wonderful addition to the genre. It boasts stunning, realistic visuals, exceptional sound design, particularly with the evocative OST, challenging puzzles, thrilling enemy encounters that will raise the heart rate, and above all, an unsettling and immersive psychological narrative that draws on a range of genres, including dystopia, sci-fi, and horror. It will take around 8 hours to complete and entirely justifies its price tag with both playtime and quality. I thoroughly enjoyed this game and would consider it a must-play for all walking simulator fans.

Looking for similar games? You might also enjoy these reviews:
Dear Esther: The OG Walking-Simulator – Still Wakes the Deep – Lovecraftian Terror on a North Sea Oil Rig – Martha is Dead – Disturbing New Psychological Horror

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