Kiln
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Kiln
Kiln is the latest example of one of gaming’s most creative studios executing well on a fresh idea. There may be a couple of aspects that could’ve used more time in the oven, but Double Fine’s Kiln is a cool and quirky addition to Xbox’s 2026 lineup.
A genuinely different kind of team multiplayer game, with exactly the sort of thoughtful weirdness you’d expect from Double Fine.
It wasn’t all a flowery trip to Pottery Barn though; at launch there was some issues with matchmaking, but it was corrected pretty quick. Kiln actually performs quite well, aside from some longer loading times; I had really no issues with the gameplay or anything. In fact, my only real gripe is the lone game mode that is currently available. Not that there is anything wrong with quench because it is a lot of fun, but there is no variety outside of it and we all know that gamers get bored of things quicker than a babysitter’s boyfriend when a car pulls up. And even though the Kiln is on Game Pass I worry about the longevity of the game, especially since it’s multiplayer only. But I guess that’s tomorrow’s problem, for today we smash pots.
Although the developers have promised new maps, stickers and other items, Kiln launches with only a single mode called Quench. It’s fun as far as it goes and the game’s mechanics and premise are clever, but it doesn’t take long for matches to grow familiar. It’s not always easy to fill in the ranks for a full team.
Kiln is a concept of a decent game that was, for some reason, released in a raw state, sent to its certain death. Despite its interesting aesthetics, the gameplay core needs extensive polishing, but Double Fine simply doesn't have the time for that.
Review in Russian | Read full review
I appreciate that Double Fine tries something unique with Kiln. We need more of that. But one cannot simply reward originality. It must also execute. Kiln is a scarcely functional and excruciatingly amateurish multiplayer game. This is an anomaly for Double Fine and, as such, it should be left in a furnace until it's burned out of existence.
Kiln is rather special. When I hear that a game is online-only, I'm normally turned off, and, let's be honest, it's not really the sort...
As far as premises go, Kiln follows the standard Double Fine formula by being completely unlike anything else out there. It's just a shame that it doesn't lead to a compelling pseudo-MOBA, party brawler or anything else in between.
