Like a child sneaking under a circus tent, I got a cheeky peak at KARMA: The Dark World ahead of next week's Steam Next Fest. Pollard Studio and Wired Production's (Gori: Cuddly Carnage) upcoming psychological thriller is high on my wishlist. However, I'll be in the same queue as you on the release date as I won't get a review version. I can vouch for this demo, however - it's stunning.
Set in an alternate 1984 in East Germany, you play Roam Agent Daniel McGovern - a Leviathan Corporation employee who can invade suspects' minds and unravel their actions to solve an alleged crime. As the year might allude to, and the word 'corporation', this is a dystopian reality where Leviathan rules, commanding mass surveillance, administering mind-altering drugs, and promising those who yield will gain access to the gates of Utopia, which, of course, we know is fiction.
Considering his role, one might assume that Daniel is pretty savvy as a Roam Agent, yet he's an utter mess when he's introduced. He's awoken in a hospital bed, and it looks like he's been binge-watching all seasons of Lost in one marathon and on a diet of Monster and Cheetos dust. He's not in good shape physically, and mentally, he's a lot worse. That confusion and assumed amnesia aren't being helped by apparent glitches in front of him, and as can be surmised, things are not what they seem.
KARMA: The Dark World is a demo that will drive anticipation for the ambiguous narrative but also showcase the graphical magnitude that games can now reach. I initially played this on the Steam Deck, and ignoring the cyclone for a fan that was also questioning reality, it ran beautifully and looked even better. It was so impressive that I had to unplug myself and replay on my gaming laptop for an even better experience.
Source: Steam
There's a risk that the game can be all style and no substance, and it does share some similarities to games like Shift 87, Subliminal, and perhaps a little We Happy Few. Initially, the experience is finding your feet and uncovering an area called Transition. Inside, there are a few hints at what's going on, but nothing too revealing. Then, you're given a WalkMan spin-off and some orange foam headphones (I had the same pair!) to get into the zone, delving deep into the mind of a 'perp'.
It's a little like Philip K. Dick to some extent. KARMA: The Dark World's setting, while heavily 80s-influenced, is reminiscent of most walking simulators that look pretty, have some 3D objects to spin around and the odd document that might allude to an underlying narrative. Then, some Lovecraft-like sanity checks kick in, and Daniel starts hallucinating. Or is he? Everything is conducted in a lucid, hellish nightmare where we question what level of control he has. The walls close in, the floor folds underneath, and then we're in Silent Hill - perhaps even Death Stranding territory. To say it's atmospheric is underselling it.
Without spoiling anything, though it's not like you can conclude everything in this 20-30 minute playthrough, you must play the demo this Steam Next Fest. Weirdly, I also have to draw your attention to the end credits, too. Words escape me, but the song and accompanying artwork and teasers are amazing.
KARMA: The Dark World is part of the Steam Next Fest from the 14th of October 2024.
