Karma: The Dark World Reviews
"Atmospheric dread with emotional depth" Karma: The Dark World stands out as a powerful, artistic horror game, blending surreal visuals with immersive audio to deliver a unique psychological experience. Despite some technical flaws and repetitive gameplay, the game touches on profound human themes in a poignant way. It's not for everyone, but fans of symbolic and artistic stories will appreciate it.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Overall, Karma: The Dark World was an enjoyable experience that managed to keep me on my toes with the gameplay loop as well as have me questioning everything that was going on as I explored some of the most haunting locations both in reality and mind.
KARMA: The Dark World delivers a mind-bending, unsettling, and utterly heartbreaking experience, the likes of which are rarely seen in the realm of walking sims. Once I started it, I couldn’t put it down. With a runtime of about six hours, it’s perfect for one or two sessions to see everything it has to offer. With a narrative full of twists, compelling mysteries, and a host of well fleshed-out, complex characters, KARMA: The Dark World will have you hooked until the final screen and pondering it long after it’s over.
KARMA: The Dark World is one of the best walking simulators I've played in recent times, purely because of its visual identity, its themes and the way it builds its universe.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Its slow-burn narrative, challenging puzzles, and surreal visuals create a haunting atmosphere that keeps you questioning reality.
KARMA: The Dark World builds fear through disorientation, uncertainty, and mental manipulation. It’s a game that forces you to piece together a reality that refuses to stay still, all while questioning whether you are uncovering the truth, or simply losing your mind. KARMA delivers gripping psychological horror through mind-dives, oppressive world-building, and a haunting soundscape. While occasional technical hiccups detract slightly, they don’t overshadow the game’s unsettling atmosphere and strong narrative ambition.
Karma: The Dark World is less about what you do and more about what it makes you feel. It’s a game built on mood, metaphor, and meaning—not on combat or action. And for those willing to let it pull them under, it delivers a rich, unsettling experience that lingers long after the credits roll. This isn’t horror by convention. It’s horror by erosion—of self, of memory, of trust in the systems around you. And that makes it far more chilling than anything with a shotgun or a monster in a hallway.
KARMA: The Dark World is a high-quality horror title that will please all fans of the genre and is one of the best horror games that has come out in recent years.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Karma: The Dark World is a narrative thriller set in a 1984-inspired dystopia. In it, the player takes on the role of an agent investigating deviant minds amidst fragmented memories and the occult. Despite the simple gameplay, the engaging story, stunning visuals, and immersive audio stand out. Ideal for those seeking an intense, narrative-driven experience with a dark and thought-provoking atmosphere.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Karma: The Dark World could be regarded as a little gem that managed to give me some great moments, but unfortunately something bounced around and failed to capture me. I would have liked a title that was a little less linear and a little more exploratory, but that's okay too.
Review in Italian | Read full review
KARMA: The Dark World is a love letter to David Lynch. While its framing narrative is a little too straightforward, its dream sequences craft nightmarish spaces that linger in the player’s imagination. KARMA won’t be for everybody, but neither are its inspirations. I hope to replay the game soon, revisiting the textual and puzzle box collectibles for additional hints at the future story that Pollard Studio seemingly wants to tell.
Despite its limited gameplay mechanics, Karma: The Dark World manages to elevate its experience with its atmospheric storytelling and stunning visuals. It is a thought-provoking journey that challenges perceptions and leaves a lasting impression. For fans of psychological horror and dystopian narratives, Karma: The Dark World is a must-play.
Karma: The Dark World is a game where action is almost nonexistent. On the other hand, it offers a surprising and disturbing journey through the psyche of an individual and the system that pulverises them to the ground. If you enjoy games like SOMA or Observer, look no further — this game is for you!
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Karma: The Dark World exhibits impressive world design with an unrivalled Orwellian setting that is layered with intrigue. It explores the darker machinations of a totalitarian regime with an iron grip on a helplessly captive society. However, Karma: The Dark World disappointingly fails to deliver on its initial premise and potential by neglecting to expand upon the engrossing themes, setting, and narrative showcased during its opening hours. The unnerving world and atmosphere that Pollard Studio has created in Karma serve as the backdrop for an artistic masterpiece that never fully forms on the canvas, as Karma inexplicably elects to all but abandon any dystopian focus during its second half, instead replacing its ostensibly marvellous setup with new characters and narrative threads that squander the game’s incipient masterclass in world-building and sowing intrigue. While Karma easily could have been a masterpiece, as evidenced by all of the chilling artistry of its opening act, it results in a mess of a game that lacks sufficient design cohesion or narrative focus. Karma: The Dark World is ultimately an amalgamation of richly intriguing and uncannily evocative ideas that never mesh together in a cohesive narrative or consummate gameplay experience.
In the end, Karma: The Dark World is a visually stunning psychological thriller that pays homage to classic horror games, but ultimately falls short due to its lack of engaging gameplay and a weak second half.
Promising start for Pollard Studio? Judging by the results of Karma: The Dark World, the answer is yes. Daniel's adventure hits the mark with engaging writing and an intriguing, oppressively dark game world. While the story captivates, it falters a bit near the end. The gameplay, though simplistic and predictable, flows well with the progression. Visually and in terms of direction, the debut from the Chinese studio shows potential despite some signs of inexperience. The foundation laid is promising for future projects.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Karma: The Dark World is a fascinating psychological horror that offers some great puzzles, an interesting story, and an uncomfortable atmosphere.
KARMA: The Dark World is a compelling experience with a strong narrative. Do I think it belongs among the horror greats? No. Do I think it’s an impressive feat for an indie studio? Absolutely. If you love dystopian themed psychological horror, this is one to add to the collection. If you’re new to the genre, this is a great entry point. The gameplay is straightforward, and since the collectable puzzles are optional, most players should find it easy enough to pick up and enjoy. Perhaps my hopes were set too high for this game as whilst enjoyable it simply left me wanting more.
Karma: The Dark World has a lot of interesting ideas, but it tells them in such a vague way that will leave many dissatisfied. Couple that with limited gameplay sections, cheap horror moments, a story that feels like huge gaps were cut for the sake of building mystery, and it’s hard to not be a little disappointed. However, that being said, Karma does have standout moments sprinkled throughout that elevates the game past its mediocrity. It’s graphically outstanding, the soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, and even though the game’s story is full of smoke and mirrors it does occasionally provide you with an incredibly well crafted scene or two.
The Karma Dark World is a well-optimized and visually stunning horror game that still fails to sufficiently distance itself from its influences.
Review in Unknown | Read full review