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- Agetec
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- Agetec
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- Agetec
Kuon
PlayStation 2
Released On: Dec 7, 2004
57
7.9
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
57
10% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
80% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
10% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 20 Critic Reviews
57
10% Positive
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
80% Mixed
16 Reviews
16 Reviews
10% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
It’s creepy, scary, dark, disturbing, gory and it oozes of atmosphere!... Unfortunately it lacks in gameplay. Everything is too simple, too easy.
Add in the different characters, the language options and the reliance on magic rather than weaponry; this is a chilling experience in horror gaming.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 26 User Ratings
7.9
65% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
27% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 26 User Ratings
7.9
65% Positive
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
27% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
8% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
This is the most underrated PS2 horror game I can think of. It's got a weird, fascinating story, great art direction, creepy enemies, varied weapons, above average graphics for the PS2 era, and a very well done translation. The only issues are clunky combat, limited saves, and three campaigns with only minor differences between. The pros outweigh the cons and yet, it got a bunch of six out of ten ****. I said the enemies are creepy and I meant it! While the basic Gaki aren't too impressive, there are a few enemies and bosses that are SERIOUSLY imaginative. Some have complained that this game is too easy, well frankly, the auto-heal button is really convenient and a bit of an anti-frustration feature considering how quickly you lose health in battle. The fact that finding the time to use it in battle is tricky prevents it from become game-breaking. It's actually nice to see an old-school survival horror title that has some level of forgiveness. This is more like a 9/10, but really, I'm giving it a solid 10/10 because this game just deserves some love because in spite of it's flaws, it does so many things right.
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PlayStation 2
A beautiful game in many ways. The atmosphere and aesthetic is second to none and the story telling/lore is, in typical From Software fashion, masterful. The sprint mechanic that can induce severe tempests, thus resulting in vertigo is a genius mechanic that almost forces players to take a slower and more methodical approach, allowing for dread and fear to slowly build up. The combat is a bit rough round the edges and unrefined but didn't particularly bother me, but I can understand how that'd be an issue for some.
It's wishful thinking, but I hope this game gets a well deserved sequel on modern hardware, and under the reigns of a modern From Software.
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PlayStation 2
It's inhibited by ponderous combat controls, its repetitious nature, and an overall lack of depth.
It's atmospheric, creepy, and sloooooow, even by survival horror standards. [Nov 2004, p.158]
The plot is intriguing, but a poor translation drags it down. Compared to the likes of "Silent Hill 4," though, Kuon feels as ancient as its setting. [Holiday 2004, p.115]
The moments of inspiration are there to be found, but they're much less common than the moments of wanting to throw your controller in disgust. [Dec 2004, p.114]
Oh yeah, if you can motivate yourself enough to finish both characters' stories, a secret, you unlock a chess game and secret character. Whoop-dee-doo.
If it isn't already obvious, this game has aged well for Playstation 2 era hardware and not only that, but provides some insight into the workings of famous developer "FROM SOFTWARE." The game is perfectly paced, features one grandiose location and a mystery worthy of any player to solve. The visuals are gorgeous, the attention to detail on the character models are exemplary given the age of the game, and the animation cycle of the Kimono demon-ass-kicking Japanese ladies is quite lovely. Much like Fatal Frame, players will be battling ghosts, demons and other Japanese lore oddities. The standards controls and timing take some getting used to, but overall they are really well done and make you feel like you could easily be in danger from every perilous ghost or Gaki that wanders this Feudal Japanese manor house. With a really simple spell card magic system, that works a lot like most survival horror games, you will want to conserve your spells and do most damage with your basic sword or fan weapon. This puts an interesting twist on the fight-or-flee mechanics as well since you could roast some Gaki alive with a flame spell card or make a mad dash for the next room after a few quick slices from your basic weapon to stun it. Though appearing to be a slow combat based third person horror title, people often forget that even the Fatal Frame series was built on tension and delivered it very well by building up encounters between yourself and the spooky ghosts. Puzzles all have a relatively decent learning curve and I never found anything too difficult. They made sense within the context of the world of the game and were pretty darn interesting and creepy. Here its obvious things went terribly wrong, theirs a curse running amok wherever you go, and the grisly nightmarish noises of something far more sinister waiting for you. I am utterly confused by the reception to this game though, and even if it isn't as popular as Fatal Frame or Silent Hill, its equally worthy of being played and enjoyed as a solid enjoyable feudal-Japanese take on the horror game genre as a whole.
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PlayStation 2
kuon has considerely survival-horror mechanics. the atmosphere, loneliness and the vertigo **** (it scares me everytime) that does fit for atmosphere.from the 1st stage to 2nd stage it creeps me out but 3nd stage is the time of revenge. maybe the gamemaybe the game is could've been maybe 5th-6th stage.
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PlayStation 2
I think this game is given a "cult-like" status for its rarity and price, and makes people think it is this revolutionary amazing hidden gem. In reality it is a relatively mediocre game with some great scares. The jumpscares in this game are well-designed and punish players for running through without a care, and has some genuinely tense and creepy moments, but the story is a mess that makes it hard to follow. The two phases follow different protagonists and go for different tones which makes it awkward. The Yin Phase is closer to Silent Hill compared to the Yang Phase which is more like Resident Evil. The gameplay is, well, meh. The melee combat is absolutely terrible for all of the characters and the spells, while interesting, don't really do enough. You have basically two attacks: variances of a fireball attack and variances of a minion summon attack. But it has little depth and doesn't really pace how much stuff it gives you so you really end up with way too many spells by the end. The story again, is a mess, and it makes it really hard to follow if you consider both characters to be one-hundred percent canon which the game implies, unlike Resident Evil. Overall, I'd recommend watching a playthrough if you're curious but it generally isn't worth trying to play yourself, at least on official hardware.
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PlayStation 2
horrible game, the gameplay is slow the game is without action and the ghosts are not scary
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PlayStation 2
Summary The tune of Japanese Taiko Drums and the Dark Hymns of children are heard throughout the night. Residents wander like ghosts, and hungry demons creep in the darkness. The Heian-kyo Period of Ancient Japan where mysticism and magic will require you to reach deep within your soul to uncover the mysteries of the undead. A dark 3D adventure ...
Rated M
for Mature
Platforms:
- PlayStation 2
Initial Release Date: Dec 7, 2004
Developer:
- From Software
Publisher: Agetec
Genres:
