Kunai Reviews

KUNAI is a platforming video game that is quite interesting. Early on as you go through this side-scrolling game with its certain minimalistic flourish, one of the tools you obtain is a katana. You’d be forgiven for thinking this would be just a bog-standard weapon, but in KUNAI, you can use it to deflect bullets.

Kunai is a crazy fun mixture of parkour platforming and intense combat!

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.

Swinging fast and loose.

Kunai does plenty of things right, but doesn't really try to stand out from the crowd in any way.

Kunai is a cutesy Metroidvania title with lots of action, enjoyable gameplay and is a hell of a fun time. Sadly, the game ends way too soon, as I found myself lusting for more. A solid attempt by Turtleblaze and I’ll be looking forward to their next project.

Kunai is an expressive, stylish and retro-tinged metroidvania that kept me engaged the entire time I played it. The feeling of slowly mastering the rope-kunai and being able to flawlessly swing around environments and flank enemies was incredibly satisfying. I only wish the rest of your abilities in the game had the same kind of skill ceiling to reach, because without any cool reasons to deflect bullets, why bother having the ability to do so in the first place?

Maybe it's a little unfair to propose that Kunai's weaker spots are a result of the high bar games preceding it have set. There's commendation to offer with the way TurtleBlaze manage to build off of their stripped-back visual aesthetic. Providing a sense of movement that, while not deep, does the job in making one's route satisfying to control, even experiment with should you feel daring. Confident you won't underestimate the importance of keeping your character's health in check. When the combat gets to that point particularly -- and the move-set works in tandem with the well-designed bosses and more-linear sections to traverse, even struggle through -- it's a fun, if brief, adventure to trudge through. The game may stumble on occasion from a lack of earlier detailing, with narrative and backdrop never feeling best-served to those looking for a bit more story. But the free-flowing confidence and care-free nature baked into Kunai above all still marks this down as a good (not great) starting point for Metroidvania fans going forth into the new decade.

Get into the swing of things with this ninja-flavored indie.

Classic components come together to form a stellar slashing platformer, with the titular kunai providing a particularly high note.