Karma: The Dark World Review – Gothic Fantasy Awaits [2025]
Karma: The Dark World is not a game that tries to entertain with fast action or familiar horror tropes. Instead, it quietly unsettles you, pulling you into a slow descent through memory, guilt, and psychological decay. It is a disturbing, visually intense experience that trades jump scares for emotional tension and abstract storytelling. If you come into it expecting combat or traditional survival elements, you may be surprised by just how different it is from most horror titles.
Story & Atmosphere - A Deep Dive
Taking place in a dystopian version of East Germany in the year 1984, under the control of a shadowy corporate regime known as Leviathan The narrative places you into the shoes of Daniel McGovern, a special investigator with the strange ability to enter the minds of others. These so-called memory dives are where most of the game happens. You are not just reviewing crime scenes or solving clear mysteries. Instead, you are exploring fractured memories filled with hidden meanings and emotional trauma. It is a game that wants you to interpret its story, not just observe.
Visually, Karma makes a strong first impression. The game is built with Unreal Engine 5, and it uses that power to craft environments that feel alive yet decayed. Office buildings crumble under flickering lights, long corridors twist and repeat themselves, and dreamlike spaces float through the air in ways that ignore normal logic. The design draws from dystopian fiction and surrealist cinema, with bold colour shifts and unsettling imagery that stay in your mind even after you stop playing.
Gameplay & Mechanics
As for gameplay, it leans heavily toward exploration and storytelling. Most of your time is spent walking through environments, interacting with objects, collecting pieces of memories, and solving puzzles that often rely on context rather than logic. There is no combat, no weapons, and no direct threat chasing you. The tension comes from the atmosphere and the slow, deliberate pace that creates a sense of isolation. The puzzles are mostly manageable, though a few can be unclear or open to multiple interpretations, which may frustrate players looking for structure.
Sound design is one of the strongest parts of the experience. Every noise - whether it is a soft footstep, a whisper from somewhere unseen, or the low hum of a broken light - adds to the discomfort. The soundtrack is used sparingly, but when it comes in, it hits with weight and purpose. Most of the time, the game uses silence and ambient sounds to build a constant sense of unease. The voice acting is also strong, especially from the main character. Daniel sounds worn down and detached, which fits the game’s themes perfectly. Some of the side characters are less convincing, but the performances overall help keep the immersion intact.
Themes & Length
The narrative explores heavy themes like surveillance, repression, personal guilt, and identity loss. It does not offer a clear path forward or obvious answers. The game is filled with metaphorical scenes, symbolic environments, and cryptic documents that require players to pay attention and think deeply about what they are seeing. The final section of the game leans especially hard into abstract storytelling, and while it delivers some powerful imagery, it may leave players feeling lost or unsure of what it all means. That may be intentional, but it will not appeal to everyone.
In terms of length, Karma is relatively short. Most players will finish it in about six to eight hours, depending on how thorough they are with exploration and puzzle solving. There are optional collectibles and secrets hidden in the world, but the overall experience does not change much on a second playthrough. It is the kind of game that wants to make a strong impact once rather than offer repeated sessions.
Verdict - Is Karma: The Dark World Worth Playing?
Overall, despite its limited replay value and sometimes vague storytelling, Karma: The Dark World stands out because of its confident style and unique voice. It is the kind of horror game that lingers with you - not because it scared you, but because it made you uncomfortable in a deeper way. It is strange, patient, and sometimes confusing, but also bold and thoughtful. If you enjoy psychological horror that focuses more on mood than action, and if you are comfortable with stories that do not explain everything, this is a game worth trying. It may not provide all the answers, but it will definitely leave you with questions. And in a game like this, that might be the whole point.
Rating: 9/10 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
A PC code was kindly provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
If you love dark gothic realms, check out our Hawkmoon: The Black Jewel review for more magical brutality.
