Review - Karma: The Dark World

Nikolas Tolgyesi
2 hours ago
5 min read

Developer: POLLARD STUDIO LLC

Publishers: Wired Productions, Gamera Games

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5

This needs to be said at the very beginning of my review. Karma: The Dark World is one of the best games I have ever played and is the best psychological game I have ever had the honor of experiencing. Every item on my head game checklist was crafted and implemented to absolute perfection here, and I want to sincerely thank Pollard for putting together such a work of art. With that, did someone say psychological thriller? More twists and turns than Inception? A game that will make you think, make you choose, and give you nightmares all in one? Sign me up! You know I was on this one like white on rice. May as well have put my name and picture on the cover.

What is this all about, you ask?

Karma: The Dark World features the protagonist Daniel McGovern, a Roam Agent with the Thought Bureau, which, in and of itself, is pretty damn cool if you ask me. Your journey begins as you wake up covered in blood, delirious and bruised, with very little information to go on. The information you do have is that you are investigating the memories of not only yourself but others. Usually suspects in federal investigations. One of my favourite things about this title, almost from the beginning, was not only that the idea of investigating minds is wicked sweet, but there is a believable aspect to it. You drive a regular car, walk through regular buildings, talk to ”regular” people, and later on, end up in a regular house. That relatability has always been a key selling point in my favorite games. If you like your games with a side of plausibility, take my hand, friend, you’re going to need it!

Let’s Touch on Controls

As I’ve gone along, I have decided that before any game, I have a look at the controls, as I’m sure you know by now, I need to. While not usually a deal breaker, which I’ll get back to, oftentimes with games that aren’t accessible or the controls feel awkward, I try to think about what kinds of things the developers would consider when making their button choices. Karma: The Dark World, while not perfect from an accessibility perspective, had the foresight to ensure every button was in a location that made practical and functional sense. While I would have liked some of the action controls switched to the front-facing buttons, only one or two had to be moved around using PlayStation’s remapping function, so I want to make sure I shout out Pollard for their controller decisions. If they wanted to go a step further in the future (sequel, hint, hint!), the only thing I would love to put forth for consideration is custom button mapping in-game. Otherwise, this gets a home run from this extremity-challenged fellow.

The Visuals Alone Can Keep You Up At Night

What a stunningly creepy masterpiece. Not to give too much away, as I truly believe every psychological fan should stop what they are doing immediately and pick up Karma, but earlier in the game, you find yourself in a laboratory, and what is in said area are stacks of bodies, of course! On the floor, in piles, on the operating table, and in nearby gurneys, it was an ominous delight. What a way to rattle and capture the attention of the players instantly. One of the places you frequent is a sort of lobby before you enter someone’s mind, where two hands rise from the nighttime, sending a cold chill all the way up and back down your spine.

My personal favourite part about Karma: The Dark World is the house I touched on at the start. It will later become pivotal to your story, but for now, let’s just say it was magnificent to see a house quite literally come to life and really live up to the expectations of something that feels like a centerpiece of this terrifying tale. But don't get too complacent, that house will eat you up and spit you right back out with what lies within, in a constantly changing, or lack thereof, environment.

Although a Nightmare, Karma Plays Like a Sweet Dream

Sometimes, psychological games unfortunately miss the mark when it comes to manipulating the player’s brain. It isn’t always something that was missing; simply, the idea did not translate well. The thing about playing with the audience’s collective minds is you have to really get inside their heads, which is a mountainous task when you can’t directly communicate feelings like you could in a book, for example. When the heads of the characters in-game are literally television screens, I feel like that gets the message across loud and clear. Each part of the narrative is clear, extremely clever, and well-written, and in my opinion, one of the most important parts of any game, allowing for exploration. What I mean by exploration is that if you want a break from the nightmare, I mean adventure, you can explore your surroundings and discover collectibles and Easter eggs. Items that are just as important as the story itself, adding complexity and variety.

Not Just Horrifying

If you only read what was above and stopped here, you’d think this game played out like the Slender Man computer game from back in the day. Not only was Karma: The Dark World a mind-bending trip into the psyches of many, but you also had to think, adding an additional dimension to the playthrough. If it were just haunting, most would have gotten bored and likely never returned. But the deceiving interactions, or the surprisingly calm ones where you thought there should have been fear, followed by puzzles and decisions that can cost you your life, will keep you glued to the screen right until the very end. Karma again found that sweet spot between too many annoying small puzzles and not enough, which would leave the game as a whole feeling bland and one-dimensional. The tone struck by Pollard gracefully lands right on the bullseye for that ideal balance.

The Verdict Is In

Drop what you are doing right now and head over to Karma: The Dark World if you haven't already done so. Whether you are crawling over bodies in the lab, trying to escape a house that is out for blood, or fighting for your life in a subconscious realm guarded by a giant soldier trying to eliminate you, danger lurks around every corner, and just when you thought you could exhale, Boo!