Katanaut Review – Space Horror & Blades in Dark Sci-Fi Action
The indie scene has been thriving on Steam lately, and Katanaut is one of those titles that immediately jumps out from the crowd. Developed by Voidmaw, this roguelite action game blends challenging combat, exploration-heavy design, and an eerie sci-fi atmosphere that makes every run feel dangerous and unpredictable. On top of that, it carries the legacy of a surprising publisher: Acclaim. Yes, the same Acclaim that dominated arcades and consoles back in the ’90s has been revived, and Katanaut is one of the showcase titles helping to reintroduce the brand to modern players.
First Impressions
Booting up Katanaut for the first time, you know you’re in for something different. The game doesn’t waste much time with heavy exposition and instead it drops you into the cold, haunted corridors of a derelict space station and lets the atmosphere sink in. The pixel art visuals are gritty and full of personality, setting the tone without needing flashy cutscenes. Combined with the moody sound design and unsettling soundtrack, the first moments immediately hook you into its world.
What really stands out early is how deliberate everything feels. Movement isn’t floaty or overly loose; instead, it has weight, making your character feel grounded in the environment. The same goes for the swordplay, which is fast and responsive but still requires careful timing. Right away, the game establishes itself as one of those experiences where you can’t just button mash your way to victory.
Combat That Rewards Precision
At the core of Katanaut is its combat system, which takes inspiration from both roguelites and soulslike titles. Every encounter demands attention, as enemies have attack patterns you need to recognize and respond to. Dodging, blocking, and timing your strikes are essential to survival. The swordplay feels especially satisfying because of its weight. Attacks land with impact, and the animations sell the idea that your weapon is both powerful and dangerous to wield. As mentioned already, This isn’t a game where you can thoughtlessly swing and expect results. Instead combat is about rhythm and control, which keeps encounters tense and engaging.
Boss fights crank this formula up a notch, with each introducing larger enemies with multi-phase attacks that test everything you’ve learned. These battles can be brutal at first, but they’re also some of the most rewarding moments in the game. Taking down a massive cosmic beast, or out of control security droid
after several failed attempts is exactly the kind of adrenaline rush that makes roguelites so addictive.
Exploration and Replay Value
Another one of Katanaut’s strengths is how it mixes structured design with procedural elements. The space station you explore has handcrafted sections filled with detail, but the layouts and enemy spawns shift between runs. This means you’ll never experience the same run twice, and it keeps exploration from feeling repetitive.
The standard roguelite progression system also adds plenty of replayability. As you explore, you’ll collect fragments and unlock new weapons, abilities, and upgrades. Over time, you be able to start to experimenting with different builds that all come with their own risks and rewards. Maybe one run will see you focusing on mobility, while the next then allows you to lean into heavy damage with a much riskier play style in the next. This flexibility makes Katanaut feel fresh even after dozens of attempts, which is key for any roguelite aiming to keep players hooked.
What’s particularly interesting is how progression ties into the narrative tone. Each fragment and unlock feels like you’re piecing together more of the station’s mysteries, and even though the story isn’t spoon-fed, the lore reveals themselves through exploration, item descriptions, and environmental storytelling. It rewards curiosity without dragging the pacing down with excessive dialogue.
The Atmosphere of Cosmic Horror
The presentation is where Katanaut really shines. Its retro pixel art style has been used countless times in indie games, but here it feels uniquely unsettling. The environments are designed to be claustrophobic and eerie, filled with shadows and details that hint at horrors lurking just out of sight. Sound design is equally important. Ambient noises echo through corridors, enemies screech in unsettling ways, and the soundtrack alternates between moody tension and fast-paced tracks during combat. Together, these elements create a sense of unease that keeps you on edge throughout your run.
As you push deeper into the game, the environments grow stranger and more corrupted, almost as if the station itself is warping into something alien. It’s a subtle but effective way of making progression feel meaningful, not just mechanically but thematically as well.
The Acclaim Connection
Of course the most surprising aspects of Katanaut is its connection to Acclaim. For players who grew up in the ’90s, Acclaim was a household name, publishing everything from arcade hits to console classics. The company eventually folded in the early 2000s, but the brand has been revived, and Katanaut is one of the first new titles under its banner.
This affiliation gives Katanaut a unique edge. Indie developers often struggle to gain visibility, but having Acclaim’s name attached puts the game in front of more eyes and lends it a sense of heritage. It also signals that Acclaim’s revival isn’t just about trading on nostalgia, they’re willing to back modern, challenging, and ambitious projects. If Katanaut is any indication, Acclaim’s return could be an exciting development for the indie scene. It shows the publisher is interested in curating distinctive titles that stand apart, rather than chasing trends. That’s a promising sign for players looking for fresh experiences.
Where Katanaut Stumbles
As much as there is to praise, Katanaut isn’t without its rough edges. The most obvious challenge is its steep difficulty curve. While veterans of roguelites and soulslike games will probably thrive on the challenge, newcomers may find the difficulty spikes discouraging. Some enemies don’t telegraph their attacks as clearly as they could, which can feel unfair in the heat of battle. Another issue comes down to visual clarity. During chaotic fights, especially when multiple enemies crowd the screen with particle effects and projectiles, it can sometimes be difficult to track what’s happening. This can lead to frustrating deaths that feel more like the result of cluttered visuals than player error.
Final Verdict
Overall, Katanaut is a striking debut for Voidmaw and a bold choice for Acclaim’s revival. It blends sharp combat, replayable design, and unsettling atmosphere into a package that feels both familiar and fresh. While the difficulty and occasional visual clutter may frustrate some, the game’s strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
For fans of roguelites, sci-fi horror, or games that demand precision and patience, Katanaut is an easy recommendation. Its connection to Acclaim adds an extra layer of intrigue, making it not just a great indie release but also a symbol of a classic publisher’s return to relevance.
Score: 8.5/10
A tough but rewarding roguelite that nails atmosphere and combat, while hinting at bigger things to come from Acclaim’s new chapter.
A code was kindly supplied for this review
