Kunai Reviews
KUNAI is absolutely kinetic. Momentum, traversal, and combat are the key pillars. They all work in tandem to produce a game that moves at a frenetic pace, and one you’ve not known in a Metroidvania-style of game. TurtleBlaze have something special here, and it’s in your best interest not to miss it. KUNAI is a refreshing take on the genre, and an exciting one at that.
Kunai is a thoroughly fantastic game, taking some of the best elements of the genre and putting them into one parkouring package. It’s apparent that a lot of care went into fine-tuning weapons and Kunai to make your actions feel as instinctual as they are fun.
On the one hand, I feel like Kunai kind of missed its mark. The game is definitely trying to be something different and set itself apart, but there are just enough pain points that it’s hard to think it really works. There’s a lot of effort to keep you engaged and offer a slight twist on the formula, but most of those twists come off as broadly neutral.
Kunai is, for most part, a wonderfully complex Metroidvania. The colourful artwork, smooth movement, and clever level design are some of the greatest the genre has seen, but the high difficulty of the boss encounters will prevent some players from fully enjoying this vibrant world.
Kunai is a wonderful game and another stern reminder as to why I keep kicking myself for avoiding the Metroidvania genre for as long as I’ve had. Clearly this is a genre still in it’s renaissance period with new, inventive play styles still coming out at a decent pace and kunai is no exception to that rule. TLDR: It’s a good game. Buy it.
Kunai was a title that left me excited but a bit uncertain from its PAX demo last year...
KUNAI is a fast paced metroidvania, full of action and explosions, but it's hard to find in those pixel something new and fresh.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Thanks to some great controls and a diverse and satisfying set of weapons and tools, Kunai overcomes its weaknesses in level design to become a solid, fun platformer.
Kunai throws a grappling hook and a fair amount of style into the Metroidvania genre for a solid if not stellar example of the form.
Kunai is a heck of an experience that’s an easy recommendation especially during this slow part of the year.
In summation, I still rather enjoyed KUNAI. I just wish it was a longer experience with a more coherent plot. That said, there’s tons of charm and humor here, and plenty of challenging and satisfying gameplay. Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong for only $16.99. I admire TurtleBlaze for this first Metroidvania, and even though it’s not perfect, I think it could be the starting point to many other tremendous projects. If you’re a fan of the genre, I’d say you owe it to yourself to pick this up.
Kunai is a blast to play, and TurtleBlaze smartly set it apart from its competition thanks to a fairly unique art style and an interesting world.
A competent Metroidvania with some attractive visuals and fun gimmicks, but they can't hide the fact that the game underneath is far less inspired than it first seems.
The novelty of traversal doesn't last, leaving you with a generic adventure inspired by Metroid
Kunai is a short and sweet metroidvania with an exciting premise. In this era of rapid technological change, however, Kunai ultimately doesn't do enough to separate itself from the pack.
Kunai is a bite-sized Metroidvania that's well worth the pick-up for the fast, frenetic action alone. Once all the foes have been fought and the bosses have been bested, the Kunai content well has run empty.
If you are a fan of robot ninja action or you're just looking for the next Neo-classic Metroivania title with a hint of Bionic Commando thrown in for good measure, KUNAI delivers a very satisfying experience.
A great metroidvania game amazingly combining exploration and combat, with frenetic action, original graphics and compelling sounds.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Kunai does so much with so little. From the minimalist art style to the polished grappling mechanic, it's hard not to recommend this entry to fans of the metroidvania genre, or anyone looking for a fresh offering on the Nintendo Switch.