Karma: The Dark World Preview

With a cinematic presentation and first-person point of view that immerses you in its dystopian world, Karma: The Dark World has an intriguing premise. Karma, developed by Pollard Studio and published by Wired Productions, is a psychological horror set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. It doesn’t have a concrete release date just yet, but I’m assuming (or hoping) we’ll get one soon.

I recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with a preview build of Karma: The Dark World. The preview lasted just over an hour, so I didn’t experience enough of the story to really comment on it too much. It did, however, provide a clear idea of what to expect when it is released – specifically how an investigation works and the general gameplay.

 

So, What Is Karma: The Dark World About?

Broadly speaking, Karma: The Dark World is set in a dystopian East Germany in 1984. From what I’ve played, the inspiration drawn from Orwell’s novel is clear. The Leviathan Corporation controls the population through surveillance and mind-altering drugs. The workers even have TV heads, which ties into the Orwellian theme of constant surveillance, which seems to be a theme that will be prevalent throughout the game. It certainly adds to the gloomy, dystopian aesthetic.

Playing as Daniel McGovern, a Roam agent with the Thought Bureau, our job is to investigate crimes and acts of defiance against the Leviathan Corporation by delving into the minds of suspects in a non-linear story spanning the years 1966 and 1984.

The case in the preview build requires you to investigate Sean Mehndez, a mail clerk for the Leviathan Corporation accused of workplace theft. You explore the crime scene, solve puzzles (mostly involving lock combinations), and review evidence to deduce what happened before reporting back to Leviathan. A lot of these puzzles required multiple steps to solve. They weren’t particularly difficult – I’m hoping to see more difficult puzzles in the full release – but they required you to look around for clues or use items you found in other areas.

The preview concludes as you find evidence of theft in the suspect’s desk and follow what appears to be a spectre or memory of him into a recreation of his home, featuring eerie mannequin family members that moved when I turned away. This, a small jumpscare at the beginning, and the general sense of unease that accompanies exploring a dark, empty building, gave me a taste of the psychological horror to expect in the full release.

 

Final Thoughts

While I’d have liked more content, the preview succeeded in getting me excited for what’s to come. There’s work to be done —the graphics are good, but some of the textures need polish, and additional sound effects could enhance the atmosphere — but it has plenty of potential, and I’m sure that these things will be ironed out before the full release.

It felt like I only experienced a small part of the investigation process, so I’m eager to see how in-depth this mechanic, particularly the mind-diving aspect, is in the full release. I’m also eager to learn more about the Leviathan Corporation, Daniel, and the world they inhabit too, as these weren’t fully explored in the preview either.

I’m not sure when we’ll see the full release of Karma: The Dark World, but I’ll be keeping an eye out so I can play it when it does release. Hopefully, it’ll be soon, because if I’m being honest, I’m really itching for more.

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