Kona Reviews
Kona offers a scary atmosphere and mysterious story that won't let you relax until it's finally over.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
From the point of view of the plot it offers an interesting adventure that it can engage with, thanks to an impeccable narrative and an appropriate set design. Nothing completely new, ok, but still well structured and successful. Other compliments should also be made to the sound sector that boasts great environmental sounds and a great narrative. Too bad for some flaws in optimization and level of gameplay.
Review in Italian | Read full review
I’ve deliberately been vague about the game’s story as some of what happens is much more interesting and mysterious the less you know about it. I appreciate the lore and the way revelations about what has happened reveal themselves to you, though at times it can also be disorienting as you try to understand what is going on. Though the ultimate finale to the game might not be as satisfying as I would have hoped KONA has a story to tell and uses a unique means to do so, making it a terrific addition to the diverse Switch indie library.
For me, I loved the story, the setting and the mystery, but the controls let the game down. Has it made me change my opinion on walking sims? Well, it's made me hate them less.
I'm very conscious of spoiling anything should you decide to hit the buy button on the PlayStation Store, but I can say without question that I highly recommend you giving Kona a chance should you own a PSVR. I'm not sure how it plays without the headset, but with it, this is one of the best experiences I've enjoyed to date.
Kona is a story based game worth telling, combining aspects such as narrative world-building and free-flowing gameplay. This title cannot be overlooked.
You will enjoy your time with Kona if you play Kona with a cup of coffee and experience the story. But I have to say, it's a wasted opportunity. Even if you won't pay full price for it, you should buy it on a sale.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Kona takes you on an atmospheric adventure where answers to the mysteries are always just around the corner. Although searching for items is a bit tedious, and side tasks muddle proceedings, it creates a frozen world that begs to be exposed.
Kona is a trip worth taking. It's a beautiful, moody showcase of the snowy wilds of northern Canada, and a slow-burning mystery steeped in atmosphere. Play it for the journey, not the destination.
Kona has a lot of potential, and with it being the first part of a series of games, hopefully its missteps won't squander its future potential. There's so much beauty dripping from every corner of this game that everything feels genuinely special. Kona only falls because of its technical issues, but it falls hard. With a bit of refinement, this could be a modern classic. Right now, though, it's a lot of potential that never quite cuts it.
Snow in general is underused in games, and you don't get to explore a small mining and logging community very often in this hobby. The supernatural elements in the game had me interested right away, but the interface issues and the tone of the narration kept pulling me out of the experience. Check it out if you're looking for something new and interesting, just be prepared for some rough edges.
We enjoyed our time with Kona Day One, even if the survival and combat elements often give the idea of being thrown into the mix without too much thought. When the game does what it's best at, which means telling a story, can make you forget about technical hiccups and a lackluster finale. A good beginning for a new series we're curious to see unravel.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There's a lot more going on in this “walking sim” than is apparent at the start, both naturally and supernaturally. This contradicts the fact that, aside from the animals and the ghosts of the past, you are alone. Kona works hard to create a sense of isolation, making the experience much more effective if you're not surrounded by people helping you solve the puzzles or arguing against using a crowbar to fend off wolves when you have a gun in your possession (although that it is very sound advice).
What's interesting about Kona is that it brings together two seemingly incompatible approaches, and uses them to motivate and explain one another. The survival systems work to keep you on a narrative path, while the adventure-type investigations and puzzle solving give shape and motivation to the survival aspects. In Kona, there's more to the world than just surviving; it's a means to an end.
Kona is a first person game focused on exploration and survival where the narrative is very relevant. Kona is an interesting title to the supernatural lovers with a very good OST and a perfect quality-price ratio.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Kona is an interactive thriller set in a cold, hostile and surreal place, but its interesting gameplay mechanics are limited by a linear progression.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kona is an excellent survival game. It knows how to stand out from the crowd with his mysterious and captivating story. Too bad it suffers some technical weaknesses that
Review in French | Read full review
Kona is a walking simulator that makes an admirable attempt to increase the usual level of interactivity and player agency. While not all of those attempts pay off, and it suffers from some disappointing technical issues, it remains a highly absorbing and atmospheric adventure-survival experience.
Kona offers a successful mix of Survival, Mystery and Crime elements and whets the appetite for the next parts of the series.
Review in German | Read full review
While the overarching story in KONA will no doubt leave you cold, the tense atmosphere at the centre of its snowstorm setting will warm your desire to see it all the way through to the end. It should also be applauded for trying to add a surprising number of mechanics to what's ostensibly an adventure game, and while the survival gameplay ultimately feels superfluous, it at least works well in service of developer Parabole's presentational aspirations – which is more than can be said for the pointless combat and distinctly average collection of puzzles.