| Kona | |
| Developer: | Parabole |
| Publisher: | Parabole (Win) Deep Silver (PS4, PCVR) Ravenscourt (NS, XONE, Stadia, PSVR) |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Modes: | Single-player |
| Release: | Linux, macOS, Windows, PS4, Xbox One March 17, 2017[1] Switch, Shield TV March 9, 2018[2] [3] [4] Stadia August 1, 2020 PS5, Xbox Series X/S December 7, 2021[5] |
| Platform: | Linux, macOS, Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Shield TV, Stadia, PlayStation 5 |
| Engine: | Unity |
Kona is a 2017 adventure video game developed by the Canadian studio Parabole and published by Ravenscourt. Set in October 1970, the game centers on Carl Faubert, a private investigator, who arrives at a snowy town in Nord-du-Québec, only to find the place deserted with something that is lurking around.[6] A sequel, , was released in 2023.[7]
Kona includes survival and supernatural elements with buildings to explore, which contain loot (tools, light) and can serve as shelters.[8] The threats include cold (solved by setting up fire) and wolves (which can be shot or distracted with raw meat).[9] There is a stress level, which increases by seeing upsetting scenes, dealing with tough situations, or having accidents. A higher stress level will decrease the sprint speed and add a shakier aim, but Carl can calm himself by smoking cigarettes and drinking beers that are spread around.[10]
The navigation of the region is done by Carl's truck in a first-person viewpoint. While driving, Carl can hold the zoomable map in his right hand in case something needs to be checked.[11] The game has Carl's thoughts being narrated as he goes through clues to find out what has happened to the town, along with puzzles that support the story.[12]
Kona was developed by the Canadian-based company Parabole. Initial funding for the game came through a crowdfunding campaign on the Kickstarter website. The campaign was launched on August 7, 2014, with a goal of CA$40,000; it ended on September 6, 2014, with CA$44,271 raised by 1,304 people.[13] The lead developer, Alexandre Fiset, later said that the funding from Kickstarter would have produced a five-minute game.[14] Later funding for the game came from the Canada Media Fund, which accounted for roughly half.[15] It was released on Steam Early Access in March 2016, and fully released a year later.[16] The game was ported to virtual reality on June 19, 2018 for the PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive platforms, with support for motion controls.[17] [18]
On its release, Kona was met with "mixed or average" reviews from critics on Metacritic, with an aggregate score of 73% for Microsoft Windows, 71% for PlayStation 4 and 63% for Nintendo Switch.