Kunai

Fairly average, the movement style take a bit getting used to but is fairly fun but would have been more fun in bigger maps where the swinging around really could have gotten going. The story and the world is there but it feels like at least the story could have been more fleshed out.

KUNAI, developed by TurtleBlaze and published by The Arcade Crew and Gamirror Games, is a fast-paced 2D action platformer that fuses the acrobatics of ninja combat with the exploratory freedom of a Metroidvania. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been nearly wiped out by an artificial intelligence uprising, the game casts the player as Tabby—a sentient tablet infused with the soul of a warrior. From this quirky premise unfolds a stylish and energetic adventure that embraces its absurdity while delivering one of the most fluid and satisfying movement systems in the genre. Rather than relying on narrative depth, KUNAI thrives on its mechanical precision and kinetic design, turning traversal into an art form and combat into a seamless extension of motion.
The heart of the experience lies in Tabby’s dual kunai, which serve as both weapons and tools for movement. These grappling hooks allow players to swing through environments with astonishing grace, chaining momentum-based leaps, wall runs, and vertical climbs in one continuous flow. The controls are tight and intuitive, making each swing feel deliberate and weighty while still allowing for creative improvisation. Few games manage to capture such a tangible sense of speed and agility without sacrificing control. Every area feels like a playground built around the kunai system, with wide chasms, vertical corridors, and hidden alcoves encouraging experimentation. The result is a traversal system that remains consistently thrilling throughout the game, striking a perfect balance between accessibility and mastery.
Combat in KUNAI is simple but sharp, emphasizing precision over complexity. Tabby wields a katana as the main weapon, complemented by ranged tools like shurikens and firearms that are gradually introduced as the game progresses. Each encounter demands awareness of positioning, with the player constantly juggling offensive momentum and evasive movement. The grappling kunai are just as useful in battle as they are in traversal—letting you swing over enemies, launch aerial attacks, or zip across the screen to avoid damage. While the basic enemy types pose little threat, boss fights stand out for their creativity, forcing players to use every ability at their disposal. They often test reflexes and adaptability rather than brute strength, rewarding those who have mastered the game’s movement language.
Visually, KUNAI strikes a distinct tone that sets it apart from other indie action games. The world is rendered in a minimalist pixel-art style that evokes nostalgia while maintaining a modern sense of polish. Each area uses limited color palettes—muted blues, bright yellows, and harsh reds—to establish its atmosphere, creating strong visual contrast and a crisp readability that makes navigation intuitive. Character animations are expressive despite their simplicity, and Tabby’s little emotive face adds a surprising amount of charm to a robotic protagonist. The soundtrack complements this visual style perfectly with its blend of futuristic synths and driving percussion, creating a rhythm that matches the fluidity of the gameplay. The sound design reinforces feedback elegantly—each sword slash, grapple swing, and explosion lands with just enough punch to feel satisfying without overwhelming the senses.
Narratively, the game keeps things light and humorous. Rather than burdening players with dense lore or long cutscenes, KUNAI sprinkles in quirky dialogue and moments of comedic absurdity that lend the world personality. The story of an AI uprising is mostly background flavor, with much of the focus placed on Tabby’s interactions with eccentric robot characters. These moments provide levity and contrast the intensity of the action. The humor lands in a way that never breaks immersion; instead, it adds to the charm of a world that feels both desolate and oddly cheerful. The storytelling approach fits the game’s pace perfectly—short, snappy, and never in the way of the core gameplay loop.
Exploration follows the familiar rhythm of a Metroidvania: new abilities unlock previously inaccessible areas, encouraging backtracking and discovery. While the map design is functional and well-structured, it doesn’t quite reach the intricate interconnectedness of genre standouts like Hollow Knight or Ori. Some players may find the backtracking slightly repetitive due to the limited environmental diversity, though the sheer enjoyment of movement helps mitigate this issue. The world is peppered with collectibles, primarily cosmetic hats that give Tabby different appearances. These serve as playful rewards rather than substantial upgrades but reinforce the game’s irreverent tone. Despite its compact scale, the adventure offers enough hidden paths and optional challenges to reward curiosity.
KUNAI’s greatest achievement is its sense of flow. It captures the feeling of constant motion—of being perfectly in sync with your character and environment. Even during intense combat or platforming sequences, the game rarely loses its rhythm. Every input feels immediate, every movement intentional, and the momentum-driven gameplay delivers a sense of exhilaration that few platformers manage to replicate. This precision ensures that frustration is rare, and when failure occurs, it’s almost always a matter of player error rather than mechanical fault. It’s a game that encourages mastery through play rather than punishment, and that philosophy permeates every design decision.
Despite its strengths, KUNAI is not without flaws. The experience is relatively short, lasting around six to ten hours depending on exploration habits, and the story ends before its world feels fully explored. Some later sections feel more linear than they should, and the difficulty curve fluctuates inconsistently—especially during boss encounters that can swing from too easy to abruptly punishing. These shortcomings, however, are minor compared to the consistent enjoyment delivered by the movement and combat systems. The game’s tight pacing ensures that it never overstays its welcome, leaving players with a sense of completion rather than exhaustion.
KUNAI stands as one of the most polished and inventive indie action games in recent memory, a showcase of how refined mechanics and personality can elevate even the simplest premise. It succeeds not through narrative ambition or complexity, but through the elegance of its design and the joy it finds in pure motion. Every swing, slash, and leap feels handcrafted to deliver satisfaction, and every moment reinforces the game’s identity as a celebration of agility and creativity. It’s a game that embraces its retro roots while feeling distinctly modern, one that rewards curiosity and precision without ever losing its sense of fun. For anyone who loves fast, fluid platforming wrapped in a layer of humor and charm, KUNAI is an experience worth savoring—a gleeful, high-flying adventure that reminds players why movement itself can be the most rewarding form of play.
Rating: 7/10

Game was great, loved the gameplay, my only complaint about it was that the game was so fucking short that i managed to get all the achievemtns in just 10 hours. I wish it could last a bit longer but it was a great experience nonetheless

The moveset where you swing around with the kunai is a lot of fun, and you can gain a lot of speed with some well planned jumps and hookshots. Alongside your katana and kunai, you gain a number of long-range weapons, each useful in facing off with the robotic enemies. The main character is very charming, and I love the detail that the tablet interface is used as the menus.

Pretty anticlimactic ending

Juegazo

Peak Fiction.