Kraken Academy!!

I wanted to like Kraken Academy!! more than I did. It’s a game that’s wonderfully strange, full of great ideas and has an engaging main story. While I was at the school, I was thoroughly absorbed into the rotting world, obsessed with cleaning it up and building out my friendships. The problem is that outside of the main story there was nothing to keep me past Wednesday, sure a few side quests are present, but they can easily be ignored. In fact the amount of time logged in our ‘At A Glance’ table is predominantly me collecting bottles, even though it was a pointless endeavour. Don’t get me wrong, I recognise this is an indie game and Happy Broccoli Games have done wonders with what they have created, but if the game had just a few additional classes, or something to work towards such as an alternate ending, it’d be a game I’d recommend in a snap. For the price, it is worth a look, so long as expectations are set accordingly.

Kraken Academy!! surprised me with its zany humor and delightful time-looping mechanics. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment I spent on campus, making friends with classmates by bringing a goat to a horse race, going in QTE dates, and summoning poop demons (don’t ask). If you enjoy seriously creative — and seriously crazy — games that take outlandish writing to the next level, Kraken Academy!! is now accepting students.

Kraken Academy!! is a well-crafted adventure story. With endearing characters, intriguing time-travel mechanics, and a retro-style look, Kraken Academy!! will undoubtedly appeal to those looking for a game reminiscent of the adventure games of the '90s.

It's always a difficult task for a development team to release their first game but Kraken Academy!! is a success. Despite a few flaws, it's overall a good game and shows Happy Broccoli Games' potential.

There's no doubt that quirky locales, characters, and stories help to make games better, something particularly true in the classical sort of adventure genre...

That said, I found it a nice palette cleanser between longer and more involved games given its approachable design and simple puzzles, so if that's what your in the mood for, Kraken Academy might be worth a campus visit. A free demo on the eShop is also available for anyone on the fence. Ultimately, it's nowhere near a failing grade, but the only A I'd give is for effort.

Kraken Academy!! takes a dive into the bizarre, but even if the humor doesn't click for you it's a fun outing with some easy puzzles and odd characters.