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A PC code was provided to GamingPizza for this review. KAKU: Ancient Seal will launch on PC via Steam on July 12, 2024. The game is also planned to be released on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at a later date.
If there’s one video game genre that I repeatedly come back to, it’s action-adventure. I think the all-in mentality started to crack my shell with the rebooted Tomb Raider trilogy, but fully scrambled me with A Plague Tale: Innocence. I’m not sure how I ended up in these egg-based analogies, either, but here we are.
When it came to seeing the trailer for KAKU: Ancient Seal, I was intrigued, but was certainly not expecting this “less mature” platforming-esque title to stand up to my beloved Tomb Raider trilogy, but, again… here we are.
KAKU: Ancient Seal, developed by Bingobell, a studio based in Shenzhen, China, has journeyed from its early access release in May 2023 to its full release on July 12, 2024. After winning the 2019 Big Indie Pitch, the team has crafted an engaging open-world action RPG that draws players into a beautifully rendered ancient fantasy realm.
Somehow providing a kind of Tomb Raider trilogy-lite experience, KAKU: Ancient Seal captivates with its vibrant visuals, engaging gameplay, and charming characters, promising an adventure that both young gamers and seasoned adventurers will enjoy.
A Tale of Myth and Mystery
Set in the early days of humanity, KAKU: Ancient Seal presents a world created by the elemental power of the Creator Saga. A catastrophic event from another realm scatters the elemental souls and fractures the world into four distinct continents, while the Creator Saga mysteriously vanishes. You step into the adventurous life of Kaku, a spirited young boy from the snowy mountains. Joined by his whimsical flying pig companion, Piggy, they embark on an epic quest to reclaim the lost elemental souls and restore balance to their world.
The narrative is rich with old-world legends and mythical elements, making it it surprisingly reminiscent of the rebooted Tomb Raider series from the get. Obviously, this comparison is a compliment, as KAKU: Ancient Seal feels like a more approachable and younger crowd-friendly entry into the action-adventure genre.
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One of the most engaging aspects of KAKU: Ancient Seal is its customizable combat system. Kaku starts with a club and a slingshot, but you can evolve your combat style through various skill branches, creating unique combos, and using elemental Rune Stones and pellets. Parrying becomes essential, adding a strategic layer to the fights. Additionally, Kaku can unlock the divine power of the Creator Saga, transforming into a more powerful version and adding even more depth to the combat experience (and helping with bosses)
Combat is fun and offers a lot of options for taking out enemies. However, it can feel a little clunky at times, especially when facing multiple enemies, which ultimately becomes button-mashing affairs. Sometimes attacks miss, and characters stumble around until one party gets stun-locked. Despite these occasional hiccups, the combat system remains engaging, particularly when leveraging parrying to deal significant damage.
Exploring a World of Wonders
The open exploration in KAKU: Ancient Seal is a joy. The game features four beautifully designed continents: Misty Swamps, Howling Snowfield, Flame Mountain, and Dragonbone Desert. These regions are not only visually stunning but also evolve as you journey deeper into them, with weather and environments becoming darker and more menacing as you go. The crystal towers scattered across the land act (thankfully) as fast travel points, unlocked by solving short puzzles. These puzzles are not overly challenging, but they provide a nice break from combat. (Are you starting to understand my Tomb Raider comparison?)
The Ruins Realm adds yet another layer to exploration, where you can upgrade Kaku’s kit and take on challenge temples. These temples remind me of the shrines in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — another high-praise title — featuring puzzles, platforming, and combat challenges. Many of the challenges can wind up feeling a bit similar, but overall, these temples are enjoyable and provide a rewarding diversion from the main quest. (Kind of like the hidden climbing challenges in Tomb Rai… oh, you get it).
Piggy: The Trusty Companion
Piggy, Kaku’s flying pig companion, is more than just a sidekick. Piggy can launch Kaku across large chasms, create bubbles to walk on water, teleport to the Spirit Realm, and even disguise for certain quests. The Spirit Realm is where you can upgrade combat prowess, unlock abilities, and improve cooking skills, which are essential for healing and buffs.
While the game as a whole is already a bit more light in terms of its tone, Piggy somehows lightens the mood even more with its abilities and interactions. The bond between Kaku and Piggy also adds depth to the journey, making it more meaningful than just a linear series of quests.
The visuals in KAKU: Ancient Seal are nothing short of breathtaking. Each continent is meticulously crafted, with bright colors, clear waters, and evolving environments that enhance the immersive experience. The art style is reminiscent of a CG animated kids’ show, adding to the game’s charm and welcoming, open arms to younger players.
Cutscenes are well-directed, and the character model for Kaku, reminiscent of Kena: Bridge of Spirits, adds spunk and personality. The soundtrack also complements the visuals beautifully, drawing players deeper into the game’s narrative and atmosphere. However, the game lacks voice acting, relying on text and subtitles, which can sometimes detract from the immersive experience. The grunts, in particular, tend to irk me a bit over time. That’s not necessarily a fault of Kaku’s — more my own issue in any title that uses grunts instead of spoken words.
An Adventure to Remember (and Recommend)
As if it needed to be shoved down your throat again, playing through KAKU: Ancient Seal reminded me of the adventurous spirit of Tomb Raider while being more accessible and family-friendly. The game offers a captivating journey with its rich narrative, strategic combat, and immersive exploration. The appeal of feeling like a CG animated kids’ show makes it engaging for both young gamers and fans of action-adventure games.
KAKU: Ancient Seal is a captivating open-world RPG that successfully combines a rich narrative, strategic combat, and immersive exploration. Its vibrant world and charming characters make it a (surprising) standout title of the summer, earning it a solid 9 out of 10. If you’re at all a fan of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Immortals Fenyx Rising, or Tomb Raider, it’s not a stretch to say that KAKU: Ancient Seal is a journey that is not to be missed.
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