Kona

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 54
  3. Negative: 7 out of 54

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  1. fubenalvo
    Jun 6, 2017
    7
    The whole game has a thrilling atmosphere. For an indie company this is rly good game. The ending wasnt that good as I expected, but it's Ok. Something was missed at the end, this was too simple.
  2. SuperkenGaming
    Mar 25, 2017
    8
    KONA
    A chilling Adventure
    Kona is a first person survival mystery... The game takes place in a village located in northern Canada in 1970 And this village has its secrets You play as detective Carl in this mini open world trying to solve the murders and disappearance of this villages residents The pacing of this game is near perfect, lasting about 5 to 6 hours, you’re here to explore    KONA
    A chilling Adventure
    Kona is a first person survival mystery...
    The game takes place in a village located in northern Canada in 1970
    And this village has its secrets
    You play as detective Carl in this mini open world trying to solve the murders and disappearance of this villages residents
    The pacing of this game is near perfect, lasting about 5 to 6 hours, you’re here to explore and discover…
    uncover clues, figure out ways to get into building and deal with the environment..
    There is really only one puzzle here, which is near the beginning of the game when you have to figure out how to get the generator running to get gas into your truck to drive around the world…
    The rest of the game is you exploring the homes and searching for the frozen bodies of the missing people… all while trying not to become frozen yourself…
    which is where the survival portion of the game kicks in…
    There are wolves you have to deal with in the world…
    And you can do so with guns you find in the world…
    But for the most part you’re dealing with the cold…
    You have to gather materials around cabins and homes to light fires to save the game and keep your warmth meter up…
    You also have to keep your health up and your stress levels down from med kits and alcohol for example
    Thankfully this system is never annoying..
    I had some close encounters during the final stretch of the game because materials were practically nonexistent during the stretch… but I still managed to make it through…
    I never died in the game from cold once…
    Explore, investigate, collect…
    This is the game...
    Theres a story to uncover in a beautiful frozen world…
    My only issue with this game is that it runs like a ps2 game…
    it constantly stops to load the next area…
    it’s a slight annoyance…
    But not annoying enough to skip this title for mystery fans…
    Because this game is so open and so free after the initial puzzle…you feel like a true detective as you try to uncover all this village has to hide…
    I give KONA
    An 8/10    … Expand
  3. pfear83
    Jul 14, 2022
    2
    This game started off strong with an interesting premise then ended off turning into a walking sim towards the end with no pay off.
  4. tomason
    Apr 17, 2023
    7
    Interesting story, setting and characters. Also I liked the light survival elements in a narrative game like this, although they could have been more deep. In PS5 it runs better than PS4 since there's no loading screens. The fighting/gun control isn't very good and feels wonky but it doesn't ruin an overall good experience.
  5. BITESCREEN
    Jun 21, 2017
    8
    m Auftrag eines ansässigen Industriellen geht Schnüffler Carl Faubert in der französisch-kanadischen Wildnis der 70er-Jahre Fällen von Vandalismus nach. Was er findet, ist ein fast völlig verlassenes Dorf, ein nicht enden wollender Blizzard – und ein mausetoter Klient. Die Suche nach Antworten gestaltet der Quebecer Indie-Entwickler Parabole abwechslungsreich wie atmosphärisch: Ähnlich wiem Auftrag eines ansässigen Industriellen geht Schnüffler Carl Faubert in der französisch-kanadischen Wildnis der 70er-Jahre Fällen von Vandalismus nach. Was er findet, ist ein fast völlig verlassenes Dorf, ein nicht enden wollender Blizzard – und ein mausetoter Klient. Die Suche nach Antworten gestaltet der Quebecer Indie-Entwickler Parabole abwechslungsreich wie atmosphärisch: Ähnlich wie Campo Santos Firewatch profitiert Kona enorm vom unverbrauchten Provinz-Setting und einer packenden, behutsam erzählten Geschichte – bleibt jedoch kein reiner Walking-Simulator. Die offene Welt erkundet der Spieler mit einem stotternden Kleinwagen völlig frei, während er simple, aber motivierende Kombinationsrätsel löst und die Haupthandlung in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter-inspirierten Schnitzeljagd-Visionen vorantreibt. Seichte Survival-Elemente wie das Aufwärmen am Feuer oder der gelegentliche Snack ergänzen die bunte, aber stimmige Mischung. Zwar zeugen die eher zweckmäßige Grafik, loopende Sounds und ein behäbiges Fahrverhalten noch vom kleinen Budget des Spiels – doch genau diese Bescheidenheit macht Kona letztlich erfolgreich.… Expand
  6. Tellus12
    Aug 25, 2017
    4
    A very intruiging mystery game that boasts a strong story that you piece together through documents, Bioshock style. It's first person and has elements of scares and strange goings on in the 1970s Canadian town. Due to its setting, the whole thing is set in the snow and this adds to the atmosphere.

    However, I bought this game on sale price, and that was a good thing! Being a fan of    A very intruiging mystery game that boasts a strong story that you piece together through documents, Bioshock style. It's first person and has elements of scares and strange goings on in the 1970s Canadian town. Due to its setting, the whole thing is set in the snow and this adds to the atmosphere.

    However, I bought this game on sale price, and that was a good thing! Being a fan of these types of games you natrually compare it to others and quickly find a wealth of flaws.

    The controls are clunky and slow and it takes you an age to get around. The vehicle controls are quite realistic but the sounds are like broken hoovers that the 64 bit consoles had.

    The graphics lack in places, and although atmospheric, they are not great. The PS3 would have easily ran it.

    The length of the game is maybe around 6-7 hours. Maybe a bit more if you get stuck on trying to find parts for one of the frustrating puzzles.

    It's empty. Something of a trend with these games that shouldn't be happening. Aside from the odd dead body, one guy sits in a chair who you can interact with, some wolves and a mysterious ice creature, it's just you and your narrator the whole way.

    Not being able to hold a torch and something else at once should have been sorted out way before the point that it lets you. Play Alan Wake for a better all round experience.

    It's very much in the same vein as 'The Vanishing of Ethan Carter' but doesn't brush up so well. I've learned that it is the first part of a series after completing it and i'm afraid the next part will have to step up considerably to entice me to go further. Bit of a shame as it does have some real potential. It comes out as bang average after considering all.    … Expand
  7. VincentBlackk
    Feb 21, 2018
    7
    I actually grew to really like this game. After initially being thrown off by the slightly shonky anti-aliasing.

    The narrator's voice acting is a nice touch. I enjoyed the use of vehicles in a title of this genre. At first, it felt like a chore but it actually made the game feel more real. The only real survival element is the need to stay warm. It’s much more of an exploration and    I actually grew to really like this game. After initially being thrown off by the slightly shonky anti-aliasing.

    The narrator's voice acting is a nice touch. I enjoyed the use of vehicles in a title of this genre. At first, it felt like a chore but it actually made the game feel more real.

    The only real survival element is the need to stay warm. It’s much more of an exploration and investigation game. More akin to SOMA than the Long dark. There are puzzles but they mostly involve finding stuff scattered around the map. Which is one of my main gripes with the game. This kind of item scattering works in smaller environments but in a larger one like this, it means that if you miss an item earlier and then need it later, it can literally be anywhere from right next to you to a 10-minute drive away. I’m ashamed to admit it lead to me using a walkthrough for one or two items.

    The story is my other gripe, the overall premise I found interesting. I just felt it could have been executed much better. The story feels disjointed, it starts narratives it never finishes and the conclusion felt rushed. As though the developers were being pressured to wrap it up.

    Graphics are pretty good considering it was done by an indie.
    In conclusion, if you like games like SOMA and the vanishing of Ethan Carter. I would give this one a chance you may enjoy it like me....just maybe wait for a sale    … Expand
  8. MidniteMadness
    May 13, 2018
    8
    When scrolling through the PS Store a couple of weeks ago, Kona caught my attention - since it only costed around €8 then. I wanted something else from all the multiplayer games I play, something refreshing and singleplayer focused. This is exactly what you get with Kona.

    When first playing the game, the visuals didn't throw me off at all. I read online that some people found it to be    When scrolling through the PS Store a couple of weeks ago, Kona caught my attention - since it only costed around €8 then. I wanted something else from all the multiplayer games I play, something refreshing and singleplayer focused. This is exactly what you get with Kona.

    When first playing the game, the visuals didn't throw me off at all. I read online that some people found it to be 'unacceptable' for a 2017 game. But even without taking in account that this is made by an indie team, I thought the graphics were good. The fog makes it feel mysterious, wind and snow make the trees sway in the air and it isn't just a 'boring' winter landscape. Sure, there were some minor mistakes and the antialiasing is lacking, but for this price, I couldn't really complain. It fits the style of the game.

    The style of the game is great. Everything you do or you're supposed to be thinking, is narrated by this warm and calm voice, which is the game's strong point in my opinion. It just gives it that extra touch that differentiates it from games with the same style. You have to complete some puzzles and search for documents and clues in order to find out what happened to this 70's Canadian village. While those are incredibly easy to find and solve, it sometimes required you an item that you accidentally left behind miles back, because you thought it wasn't important. There is no real guidance at all - except for the narrator, at some times - which can leave you frustrated. The survival aspect is so minimal, it didn't bother me even once while playing. The ending was okay. Not perfect, but certainly not bad either. That's why Kona deserves a 8/10 in my opinion.    … Expand
  9. Mindurbidniss
    Jun 28, 2021
    4
    Sooo boring, and this is from someone who appreciates slow burns like the Frogware Sherlock games or LA Noire. This game is a boring clunky mess. Vehicles are clunky, the puzzles make no sense, and the combat, the little bit there is, is terrible. I wanted to like this game but it just takes too much
  10. tolkkipelto
    Mar 21, 2020
    7
    .entertaining but graphic PS3. good narrative and story. lonely map but good atmosphere.
  11. inmh
    Sep 27, 2019
    8
    Intriguing story, with an eerie, frightening atmosphere. And that last, you know... Battle, that you have to do? Terrifying. Nearly had a heart-attack.

    Pretty good game. Wouldn't mind seeing something else with this Carl Flaubert guy as the lead.
  12. TheShooterKing
    May 27, 2020
    8
    The game is very good, i like the adventure and the other things. By the way it is not for all players so if you like to investigate and venture this game is for you.
  13. bergcamp101
    Aug 24, 2020
    9
    One of the best indie games! The ambience is adorable, gameplay is very catchy and plot is very mysterious! I wish it were a AAA project in the same world, with the same mechanics...
  14. Stratos2000
    Feb 8, 2021
    5
    I liked the snowy atmosphere. Too bad the controls were so clumsy and the general feeling while playing was confusion: "what I should be doing?" "where do I need to go?"
    Worst part was the end where environment was dark and you wander in forest with a flashlight.
  15. Zombieundead212
    Oct 4, 2022
    8
    I didn't have too many expectations from this game when I saw it on offer for just two pounds in one of the xbox sales but thought I would give it a bash. Five or six hours of play time later and I am more than satisfied and would have happily parted with the full price that I think at the time is 11.99. The atmosphere, graphics and feel of the game are all spot on and you feel investedI didn't have too many expectations from this game when I saw it on offer for just two pounds in one of the xbox sales but thought I would give it a bash. Five or six hours of play time later and I am more than satisfied and would have happily parted with the full price that I think at the time is 11.99. The atmosphere, graphics and feel of the game are all spot on and you feel invested pretty quickly. If anything I could say the game could do with being longer and a little more in depth as far as the characters go to pull you in even more but I truly enjoyed my time with this game. Love the fact it has small survival elements too.… Expand
  16. Fyxhcl
    Mar 20, 2023
    6
    Kona is an indie adventure game set up in northen Canada.

    You're a private investigator and are called in a little settlement in order to investigate vandalism towards the general store. Except that when you arrive, the city is empty, the general store manager has been killed and a snow storm is happening. In a first person view, you'll need to drive your car and explore all the town    Kona is an indie adventure game set up in northen Canada.

    You're a private investigator and are called in a little settlement in order to investigate vandalism towards the general store. Except that when you arrive, the city is empty, the general store manager has been killed and a snow storm is happening.

    In a first person view, you'll need to drive your car and explore all the town places (mostly houses), read documents and observe the environments, in order to understand what happened in the community. While doing this, you're also required to manage three indicators (heat, stress and health) in order to not die; luckily, this survival aspect is never annoying and just requires you to start a fire every time you arrive at a new place, and collect all the objects in order to have enough medikits in the rare cases your health is bad. You'll also encounter a few puzzle during the exploration, but they're pretty easy and sporadic.

    Exploring the city is interesting, and the atmosphere that is created by driving the car in the middle of the storm, listening to evocative music from the car radio, is truly great. The mystery will fascinate you but due to the shortness of the game, you'll quickly realize what happened, and in my opinion the ending feels a bit rushed and disappointing.

    In conclusion, Kona is a little adventure that has a truly great atmosphere and an amazing exploration, but is pretty short, very easy and ends a bit too abruptly, so I can't suggest it with ease, but if you like exploration/mystery games, can be okay for the time it lasts.    … Expand
  17. DangerDave1409
    Dec 11, 2022
    6
    I started it, as it was free for PS Plus Extra. After 30 minutes I quit. Not appealing but rather strange for me personally. But others may like it.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. GameCritics
    May 15, 2017
    85
    Kona certainly doesn’t rewrite the book on them, but it fills that nosy friend niche nicely. Looking through every cupboard in strangers’ houses scratched a strange itch I didn’t know I had… But wait, does that make me the creepy friend now?
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  2. Digitally Downloaded
    Apr 18, 2017
    70
    That ending notwithstanding, 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.
    Read full review
  3. GameGrin
    Apr 13, 2017
    100
    Kona is a story based game worth telling, combining aspects such as narrative world-building and free-flowing gameplay. This title cannot be overlooked.
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