Published and Developed by Alawar, Karate Survivor is a martial arts-based Vampire survivor-esqe roguelike.
In the art of video game development, there is a well-known trend of following the leader. Once a blue moon, a new idea, a fresh auteur-driven concept that takes the world by storm. This new thing is followed by an endless cycle of games trying to take the concept to new unexplored heights and then there are the copy-cats trying to piggy-back on the success.
Karate Survivor in all its martial art’s glory, is the latter.
A flawed Idea
As you’ve probably already guessed, the gameplay of Karate Survivor is essentially Vampire Survivors with the Vampire Gothic themes and weapons swapped out for martial arts.
And by martial arts, I mean something that feels more like someone binge-watched a bunch of 90s Jackie Chan films and thought, “Hey, this would make a fun game.” Instead of intricate combat or unique moves. It’s like a half-baked idea, trying to cash in on the martial arts nostalgia without offering anything remotely compelling.
At first glance, it looked fun, especially for someone who once had Vampire Survivors being pumped into his soul a while ago, but the whole world falls apart when you realise the big difference between magical throwables with kicks and fists.
Karate Survivor is all close combat and I don’t mean sword swipes. You use punches and kicks from a distance of half an inch from the enemy.
Alright in the beginning, but when the numbers of enemies expand, it just becomes a countdown to death.
Unlike Vampire Survivor, where you feel stronger each round, Karate Survivor just feels like you are playing the same thing over and over again.
Forever on Repeat
I won’t lie, there are unlockable and permanent upgrades—an overwhelming amount, in fact, but they still don’t give the game the much-needed spark it desperately requires. Instead of adding excitement or depth, they feel like empty distractions. In the end, there was just nothing enjoyable about the experience.
The game includes a bar that gradually fills up with moves as you progress, featuring both blue and red moves, the difference between them is so unclear and poorly explained that it completely went over my head. It’s as if the game assumes you’ll somehow figure it out, but honestly, it doesn’t even matter.
There’s a special system where you can link moves of the same colour together. Once again, I have no idea what this does. It’s one of those features that sounds interesting on paper, but in practice, it’s completely baffling and adds absolutely nothing meaningful to the gameplay. Maybe it made the character stronger but in the end, it did not matter at all.
That’s a fun way to describe this game, isn’t it… Karate Survivor… It did not matter.
A Swing and a Miss
Karate Survivor is a waste of time. It tries so hard to imitate the addictive formula of Vampire Survivors, but instead of innovating or adding anything worthwhile, it’s just a lazy knockoff with a martial arts coat.
The combat is as shallow as it gets, punches and kicks barely scratch the surface, and when the enemies flood the screen, you quickly realize you’re just counting down the minutes until you die. Unlike Vampire Survivors, where every round feels like a progression, Karate Survivor offers nothing new. Sure, there are upgrades, but they’re as hollow as the rest of the experience.
It’s the kind of game you’ll forget as soon as you hit the “quit” button. If you’re looking for a fun, engaging roguelike, look elsewhere. This one is nothing but a cash grab in martial arts clothing. It’s a swing and a miss, and it’s best left ignored.
