Katanaut Review

Katanaut has a lot going for it, especially in terms of atmosphere and style, but loses itself with a disconnect in gameplay. The story drops you right into a quiet, cursed space station, and from the first steps, there’s this sense that something truly terrible has happened with mutated monsters that used to be the station’s crew, and corridors that pulse with a cosmic dread. The strong atmosphere rarely goes deeper, which is unfortunate as it is by far the strongest part of the package. There’s a cool story here, but most of it is just hinted at, rather than explored in satisfying detail.

The visuals set the mood with a general foreboding atmosphere and scary monsters. The pixel art that leans heavily on blood and shadow, with synthwave music that’s both stylish and a little unsettling, makes Katanaut feel fresh whether you’re slicing monsters or just wandering through another ruined hall. It does a great at job making you want to learn more about what happened, even if the actual narrative feels a touch thin for a story-driven cosmic horror game. Some of these points detract from what is its strength.

When it comes to gameplay, Katanaut is all about speed and action. Purely looking at the combat, it is fast and responsive, swapping between sword slashes and gunfire is smooth, and the upgrades change the feeling of each run. However, there’s no denying that this pace comes at a cost. With enemies constantly throwing themselves at the player by the hundreds, the tension and horror teased by the story rarely get a chance to breathe. It’s fun and sometimes exhilarating, but it’s so frantic that it’s hard to ever feel truly scared.

That last point really needs repeating. Even the first sword in the game literally propels the character forward in an incredibly fast dive the clears about half the screen. The character can move so fast it becomes hard to even see what is happening. Between slow start-up attacks from enemies, players can pretty effortlessly slash and dash their way through entire levels. Other than some minor currency that is dropped, there is little reason to fight the vast majority of foes.

Katanaut is eerie and creepy, but rarely is this played up, which is to its determent. Instead, this game rarely lets up with the bloody carnage. The endless horde of hundreds of monsters means they turn from horrifying to just another thing to chop up. Some roguelikes manage a sense of dread among the chaos, but here, everything feels just a little too rushed for genuine horror to set in.

There is replay value from permanent upgrades, randomised abilities, and new weapons that keep things interesting for a while—and the solo developer deserves a lot of credit for making everything run so smoothly. After a few hours, though, with tension replaced by pure adrenaline and the story’s mysteries never really fleshed out, it starts to become hard to avoid wishing the game would slow down and let itself be scary. The cosmic horror setting is good, but it deserves more time in the spotlight.

All in all, Katanaut comes in at slightly above average. Great style, promising backstory, and satisfying (if exhausting) combat, but it never gives enough space for real terror or tension to grow. If the next update or sequel slows things down and explores the lore more, this would easily raise the recommendation, but as it stands, it’s best for action roguelite fans who don’t mind missing out on the actual chills.