Read our review of Karma the Dark World – A disturbing dive into surveillance, memory, and fractured truth
Karma the Dark World is a psychological horror title that wears its inspirations proudly while trying to carve its own unsettling identity. Developed by Pollard Studio and published by Wired Productions, the game released in March 2025 for PC and PlayStation 5, with other platforms planned later. At its core, this is a narrative driven experience set in a bleak alternate version of 1984, where authoritarian control, corporate surveillance, and invasive technology define everyday life. From the moment you step into its world, it is clear that this game is less interested in reflex based challenge and more focused on atmosphere, ideas, and slow burning dread.
What makes Karma the Dark World immediately intriguing is its concept. You play as an agent of a powerful regime that has the ability to dive into people’s minds, reliving memories and uncovering truths that the state considers necessary. This idea alone places the game firmly among modern psychological horror games with cyberpunk themes, where fear comes not from monsters chasing you, but from the gradual realization of how broken the world truly is.
A world shaped by Orwellian dread
The influence of George Orwell’s 1984 is impossible to miss, and honestly, the game does not try to hide it. Surveillance is everywhere. Authority is unquestionable. Individual identity feels fragile and expendable. A corporation named Leviathan alone has immense power and controls nearly everything. Karma the Dark World uses this 1984 inspiration effectively to show how dark and dehumanizing a dystopian society can become when control is absolute.
If you are someone who loves dystopian games, you should love Karma the Dark World as it leans heavily into psychological oppression rather than large scale action or rebellion. You are not leading a revolution. You play as Daniel McGovert, an agent working for the Thought Bureau, who is trying to find the culprit to a crime. However, you are part of the machine, whether you like it or not. That perspective makes the experience more uncomfortable, because instead of fighting the tyranny, you only slowly realize your role within it.
The environments reflect this tone well. Cold interiors, sterile offices, decaying mental landscapes, and distorted memory spaces all reinforce the idea that this world is rotting from the inside. While the visuals are not technically groundbreaking, they are effective and consistent. Nothing feels flashy for the sake of it, and that restraint works in the game’s favor.
Story and themes that aim high
Narratively, Karma the Dark World has a lot going for it. The core story is genuinely impressive in terms of ambition. It explores guilt, control, moral compromise, and the cost of obedience. Diving into fractured minds allows the game to touch on deeply personal stories while also commenting on the larger system that exploits them.
This is where the game truly earns its place among psychological horror games. The horror is subtle. It comes from realizing how easily memories can be shaped and manipulated, how truth can be reshaped, and how individuality is stripped away under authoritarian rule. There are moments that linger in your mind long after you stop playing, not because they are shocking, but because they are unsettlingly plausible.
However, this ambition also leads to the game’s biggest weakness.
Non linear storytelling and narrative confusing
The story in Karma the Dark World is told in a non linear way, jumping between memories, perspectives, and timelines. While this approach fits the theme of fractured minds, it also creates significant confusion. Important story beats sometimes feel disconnected, and players may struggle to piece together what is happening, when it is happening, and why it is happening.
This is not the kind of confusion that feels intentionally mysterious in a satisfying way. At times, it feels like the narrative needed tighter structure or clearer signposting. For a game that is not very long, this lack of clarity becomes more noticeable. Some players may finish the game feeling impressed by the ideas, but unsure if they fully understood the story being told.
Among dystopian games, a powerful message means little without a strong narrative to support it. Unfortunately, Karma the Dark World stumbles here; otherwise, it could have stood among the best dystopian detective games ever made.
Gameplay that prioritizes accessibility
From a gameplay perspective, Karma the Dark World is intentionally simple. This is not a mechanically demanding experience. There is no combat that requires precision, no high pressure skill checks, and no need for extreme player mastery. Instead, the gameplay revolves around exploration, light puzzle solving, and narrative interaction. However, there are moments where you need to escape and run- so don’t mistake it for a walking simulator!
At the same time, the game is highly accessible. Players who enjoy story driven experiences, walking simulators, or slower paced psychological horror games will feel comfortable here. The low skill barrier means that almost anyone can experience the story without frustration, which is a strength, not a flaw.
That said, players looking for deep mechanics, adrenaline rushes or constant gameplay variety may not enjoy it too much. The simple gameplay does help keep the focus on the story, but it also makes the experience feel closer to an interactive story than a traditional game.
Horror without excess fear and jumpscares
Despite being categorized among psychological horror games, Karma the Dark World is not especially scary in a conventional sense. There are no frequent jump scares, and the tension is more atmospheric than visceral. The fear comes from mood, implication, and slow realization rather than outright terror.
For some players, this will be a positive. The game never feels exhausting or overwhelming. But at the same time, for diehard horror fans seeking intense fear, Karma the Dark World may feel a bit restrained. The experience is unsettling rather than terrifying, thoughtful rather than shocking. I personally did find a bit eerie at times, but it was nothing unexpected from a horror game!
Length and pacing
The game’s length sits comfortably in the short to mid range. It does not overstay its welcome, but this also means that it does not explore all its ideas as deeply as it could have. Combined with the narrative confusion, this can leave players wishing for either a tighter story or a slightly longer runtime to fully develop its themes.
Still, the pacing is generally steady, and the absence of filler content helps you maintain focus on the core experience. Plus, the story is not really over, and we might see a sequel in the near future!
Final verdict- Should you play Karma the Dark World?
Karma the Dark World is a game driven by ideas more than mechanics. Its concept is strong, its depiction of a dystopian society is genuinely dark, and its themes are relevant and thought provoking. The story is impressive in ambition, the atmosphere is consistently oppressive, and the experience is accessible to a wide range of players.
Karma the Dark World had immense potential, but its fragmented, non linear structure holds it back. Instead of unfolding like a focused investigation, the game often feels like several short films stitched together, which weakens the impact of its message or its ideas. In dystopian games, a powerful message needs a clear narrative spine, and without it even strong themes struggle to land. Had the experience been more linear and tightly structured, the detective elements would have connected better and the world would have felt far more cohesive. With better narrative discipline, this could have been one of the strongest dystopian detective games of the year.
If a sequel does come anytime soon, let’s hope that it fixes this issue!
Rating – 6.5 out of 10 stars
