Karateka PC
User Score
5.7 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 8 out of 17

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  1. EDGE
    Dec 4, 2012
    1
    I just played the game through... took me 34:33 minutes.
    While the comic style character design (the princess looks like MULAN) looks good, I would have preferred something more "sincere" - as in the original.

    I must say, although Jordan Mechner himself was involved in its production, the game is utterly disappointing.
    While the 1984 original was won through tactics and using timed hi    gh mid and low punches / kicks, the 2012 version is a mere series of QTE (quick time events):
    First block the enemy's attacks - then attack.
    You just hit the punch/kick buttons - it does not really matter which.

    Funny how it seems advanced techniques hinder great game design & balance nowadays...    … Expand
  2. blandthrax
    Dec 4, 2012
    2
    I used to play this on Commodore 64 routinely. That version, like it's Apple II counterpart had heart and soul and the ending felt utterly satisfying. This new version ... meh, not so much. I would have like to have seen a little more to it than punch, kick, block (three buttons, that's it). In the original you could punch/kick high, middle, low. Also, for 2012, the graphics are woefully underwhelming. Add to that the fact that everything about the fighting is pretty much canned and it plays more like it wants to be Dragons Lair than the new Karateka. All that's all well and good except it costs $8.99 on Steam and while that seems like a paltry sum, for a game that only takes about a half an hour to play, you have to wonder if maybe they could have at least made it more challenging to say nothing of longer.… Expand
  3. Nile3
    Dec 31, 2012
    2
    I wasn't happy with this remake. It's mostly built for mobile phone I think. You don't control the character. He move forward on his own. Got to the last boss on first play, and quit. Boring fights.
  4. Apols
    Dec 7, 2012
    7
    It's quite different from the original Karateka but it is a nice product. The Atmosphere & music are great, gameplay is not so sophisticated but the difficulty curve is challenging. The old school is present in the scores, you will replay just to beat yourself or others (or to win with the first character). I will not write about the relation with its price, but if you think its expensive wait & try it later, you wont regret it.… Expand
  5. psydex
    May 18, 2013
    3
    I don't like it. It's boring simple (in a bad context) and it's not worth buying it. I personally deleted it after my 1st play-through took me a little more than 30 minutes and i wasn't impressed at all. I do not recommend.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
48 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 4 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. CD-Action
    Feb 6, 2013
    30
    Karateka is just a series of painfully repetitive QTE. The idea of combining a brawler with a rhythm game is cool but in my opinion it’s not enough for anything more than a minigame in some bigger title.[CD-Action 02/2013, p.63]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 4, 2013
    50
    Remake of an 80's classic arcade hit cannot prevail over modern competition. You can try to spend few moments in the fight but the results are unsatisfactory. [Jan 2013]
  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Jan 7, 2013
    50
    Karateka is a nice remake but it feels more like a mini-game than a full fledged product. The game lasts less than an hour and it is even less articulated than the original one.
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