Some games grab you with spectacle. Kejora doesn’t.
Instead, it invites you to sit down, breathe, and quietly notice that something is wrong.
Developed by Indonesian studio Berangin Creative, Kejora is a hand-drawn narrative puzzle platformer that blends childhood innocence with creeping unease. On the surface, it’s a story about a small village and a girl named Kejora. Underneath, it’s about memory, routine, and the discomfort of realizing that familiar things don’t always stay safe.
The story and how it plays
The core hook is simple and effective: Kejora’s village is stuck in a time loop, endlessly repeating the same day. At first, it feels cozy, people go about their lives, the scenery is warm and inviting, and nothing appears overtly hostile. This changes very quickly.
As you revisit the same places, small details start to feel off. Characters subtly change. Environments reveal hidden layers. The loop becomes less of a mechanic and more of a mood, reinforcing the sense that the village is trapped not just in time, but in denial.
Players take control of Kejora along her two friends Guntur and Jaka. While Kejora is the leader of the pack both friends have useful traits to help along the journey. As players uncover the village mystery across the beautifully drawn 2D landscapes, they will use their friends to move boulders, jump up to high platforms and break barricades.
Visuals are Kejora’s strongest point
Visually, Kejora is its strongest asset. Every environment is hand-drawn, with soft colours, expressive animations, and a warmth that recalls Ghibli animations. There’s a distinct Southeast Asian influence in architecture, clothing, and village life that gives the game a strong sense of identity.
The contrast between the art style and the darker undertones of the story works beautifully. The world looks inviting, even as it quietly unsettles you. It’s the kind of game where you’ll stop moving just to take in a background scene. Sound design complements this well. Music is gentle and sparingly used, allowing silence and ambient sounds to do a lot of emotional heavy lifting.
A short meaningful story
Kejora is a short, focused experience, and that works in its favour. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and it doesn’t pad itself with unnecessary mechanics. The pacing mirrors the narrative, slow, reflective, and occasionally tense.
That said, players looking for high replay value or deep mechanical complexity may find it a bit light. This is a game meant to be a one time journey.
My conclusion
Kejora isn’t loud. It isn’t flashy. And it isn’t trying to impress you with scale. What it does instead is quietly tell a story about change, fear, and the comfort — and danger — of staying the same.
I do have to say however that although the game’s visuals are fantastic and story meaningful. Kejora is very short. Also compared to other Indie titles I have covered it’s price tag is unfair for ~3 hours of gameplay with no replay value.
