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Shlock not shock, but gore galore

It'd be easier to have the horn for Kuon if it didn't start so ponderously. It's neither startling nor particularly unsettling for a while which, for a horror game, is a bit pump. The problem is, but the time you've got used to the sluggish style of gameplay, you're not far from the point where it becomes obvious that the plot is about as coherent as a drunken, hair-lipped Glaswegian reading the rules of cricket in Chinese. There's rarely a time when Kuon isn't unsatisfying on at least one level.

So how come 60% and not 20%? Well, because it manages to be fun in spite of itself. A sinister mansion in bygone-times Japan, creepy and original nightcrawlers, multiple playable characters, (limited) combat, blood by the corpseload, (very basic) magic, a frequently chilling atmosphere and even the odd mild plot twist (before you lost track of it) make Kuon the ultimate wash-over-you gaming experience. Were it not for the lazy camera, which manages to complicate the combat and magic, or the constant need to revisit already-seen locations with tooth-achingly slow-moving characters, it'd be a class act. But then, so would Abi Titmuss if she wasn't such a skank, and if your auntie had bollocks she'd be your uncle.

Kuon could've been so much better but thankfully it's still not bad.

Graphics 70%
Some nice effects among the averageness.

Sound 70%
Suitably atmospheric, decent voices.

Gameplay 50%
Weak and lets the side down.

Lifespan 50%
Short in spite of its multiple strands.

Overall 60%
A competent chiller for the already-converted, that could have used an injection of adrenaline and a less bizarre plot.