Kholat Reviews

Kholat is ranked in the 19th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
5 / 10.0
Oct 27, 2020

I don’t know how it’s possible, but I love and hate this game all at once.

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Mixed
Sep 23, 2020

While the graphics and sound are something to behold. Kholat ends up being more of a frustrating walk in the wilderness than a memorable horror experience. If you love your horror and you don’t mind the slow pace of a walking simulator this is worth experiencing. I will say though the game really did make me miss taking long walks in the mountains. Haven’t done that in a while.

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7.9 / 10.0
May 26, 2020

Undoubtedly, a stimulating work, with ups and downs in its plot development, but with a slow, slow tone that will delight those who want to have a good time of tension without fear of the free scare.

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7 / 10.0
May 14, 2020

Among the genres that are the toughest to evaluate in gaming and may be the most divisive are those that are "walking simulators" at their core...

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4.5 / 10.0
May 12, 2020

The Dyatlov Pass Incident might have been a fascinating story that could have inspired a superb horror game if fallen into the right hands, but Kholat misses the mark. The boring gameplay, graphical downgrades, poor framerate and complete lack of “horror” resulted in an unsatisfying experience.

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7.2 / 10.0
Jul 2, 2017

Kholat succeeded where many failed: to create a superb horror mood for a game, mixing great visual settings and a soundscape that is bewitching. In terms of gameplay, however, the game is limited by simple interaction and no jump system, plus frustrating death and errors with no reasons or explanation, which might test even the most patient players.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 26, 2017

So, a beautiful looking game that has an amazing soundtrack and is based on a still unexplained real life event. I will now do quite a bit of reading about The Dyatlov Pass Incident and try to see how good the game related to it.

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Jun 22, 2017

Horror and walking sims are my two favorite genres in the medium, but Kholat serves as another unfortunate reminder that they don't belong together.

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Jun 14, 2017

The design, looks and sound are superb, mixing the deeply disturbing and realistic settings of this true disaster from 1959.

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8 / 10.0
Jul 4, 2016

This thrilling story will keep you at the edge of your seat and will leave you wanting to know more about these events. Kholat won't disappoint the fans of the genre and is worth a try.

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Fextralife
Lanzen
Top Critic
8 / 10
Apr 25, 2016

Enormously atmospheric, highly intriguing, but falls just a little short of its narrative ambition. A compelling real life historical mystery. Well told, though the pay-off may frustrate some. A great control innovation effectively supports the overall atmosphere of isolation and exposure.

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Sirus Gaming
Feliciano Mondigo
7 / 10.0
Apr 25, 2016

Don't get me wrong, KHOLAT is a good example for next-generation walking simulators. But the unhinged story and lackluster gameplay makes the game feel stressful at times. The graphics, once again, are impressive. The 4 or so hours I've spent are oftentimes stressful when walking back and forth and don't even get me started with the game's disappointing ending.

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Apr 21, 2016

Though there's less direct threat when compared to more mainstream horror titles, there's an intensity to that environment that helps to create a wonderfully sinister atmosphere. It's not an essential horror game, but it's a genuinely ripping yarn.

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45 / 100
Apr 2, 2016

It's a disappointment to see something squander such potential.

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4 / 10
Mar 30, 2016

It's a shame because Kholat has one of the best horror game set-ups we've seen for quite some time. Not only that, the team at IMGN.PRO has clearly put effort into sculpting an spooky collection of vistas each dripping in atmosphere. Sadly, wedged between these tense moments is way too much filler. The mind-numbing map reading and navigation would have been easy to overlook if that only made up a small portion of the game. Instead, it forms this drab and unappealing bedrock that threatens to drag Kholat down whenever there isn't something scripted happening on-screen.

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Mar 29, 2016

IMGN.PRO's indie survial horror game encourages profound contemplation, specifically about living with death.

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5 / 10.0
Mar 23, 2016

Kholat does a fantastic job at creating a tense, moody atmosphere in which you're completely alone in an unforgiving landscape. However for everything the game does right there is an equal flaw to break player immersion. The grizzly tail of a real life a real life incident immediately draws you in, but the narrative is often perplexing leaving you with a lot of unanswered questions. The open-world environment is realistic, beautiful and calls on your adventurous side, but the gameplay is overly simplistic and exploration is tediously long.

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6 / 10
Mar 20, 2016

Kholat may be daunting to approach at first with its massive scale, but its eerie setting is worth exploring for its intentionally perplexing narrative and unsettling visual and aural atmosphere. The simplistic gameplay may turn some off with how tedious exploration can become with few scares and long stretches of nothing, but if you choose to remain steadfast on this trail, the sights, sounds, and story may very well be worth your effort.

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Mar 19, 2016

Kholat had a lot of potential, but is unfortunately hard to enjoy, due to frustrating gameplay and hard to decipher orienteering mechanics. It will appeal to the odd soul, who will fall in love with its disturbing and maze-like mountaintop setting, but most will come away annoyed.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 18, 2016

Kholat is a very interesting first person survival horror game that sadly fails to deliver on all of its promises due to an unfocused storytelling style, which doesn't take full advantage of its mysterious premise. A tighter storytelling would have served the game greatly, as its survival mechanics are among the more interesting of recent times. A quality title, without a doubt, but definitely polarizing and not for everyone.

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