
Karma: The Dark World
Release Date: March 27, 2025
Adventure, FPP, science fiction, dystopia, indie games, alternative history, singleplayer
Karma: The Dark World is a psychological thriller adventure game, inspired by the productions of Hideo Kojima(Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding), as well as the works of David Lynch(Twin Peaks) and Christopher Nolan(Inception, Interstellar). The title was developed by Shanghai-based independent Chinese team Pollard Studio.
Gameplay
In Karma: The Dark World, the action is viewed from a first-person perspective (FPP). The driving force of the game is the exploration of the thoughts of the suspects we interrogate. They are presented in the form of "warped", surreal locations reflecting not only their experiences, but also their emotions and desires.
By traversing these locations, exploring their nooks and crannies, solving puzzles and facing other challenges lurking in them, we learn more about the people we interrogate, as well as their relationship to the cases we investigate. In this way, we also learn more about the course of each crime.
The discoveries we make should be reported to the chief. Complicating matters is the fact that the longer the main character stays away from reality, the more his perception of the boundary between it and the imaginary world begins to weaken, so that his sanity is put to the test over time.
The plot of
Karma: The Dark World spreads before us an alternative vision of history, in which the Leviathan corporation rules with a firm hand in the East Germany of 1984. Like in Orwell, the country's citizens are subjected to mass surveillance. In addition, East German society is based on a class system, while one of the few forms of escape here are drugs and the promise of a stay in the enigmatic Utopia as a reward for obedience.
The game's main protagonist is Daniel McGovern of the Leviathan Thought Bureau, who is equipped with technology that allows him to penetrate the minds of suspects and defendants. Over time, the protagonist becomes embroiled in a high-caliber spy intrigue; in addition, the story spun by the creat?rc?w touches on such themes as betrayal, family, love and loss.
Graphics
Karma: The Dark World runs on Unreal Engine 5, and the title uses the flagship technologies developed by Epic Games, namely Lumen (lighting and reflections) and Nanite (geometry).
Videos and Screens
[0:54] Karma: The Dark World - Dreamcore Demo Trailer
[3:13] Karma: The Dark World - Release Date Trailer
Karma: The Dark World Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Developer: Pollard Studio
Publisher: Wired Productions
Age restrictions: 16+
Karma: The Dark World System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i7-6700K / AMD Ryzen 5 2600X, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1660 / 8 GB Radeon RX Vega 56, 30 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit