Kabaret (2023)
Persona Theory Games, Wings
Welcome to the Kabaret - where monsters from Southeast Asian myths and folklores dwell. Decipher tea leaves, play traditional games, and question your humanity. Cursed into a monster, Jebat journeys into a realm called the "Alam". Taken in by the charismatic owner of Kabaret, known only as The Caretaker, Jebat is tasked with providing tasseomancy services to the dwellers in an effort to gather information on how to break his curse. Each of the mythical creatures who visit the Kabaret come from Southeast Asian folklores and legends. Listen to their unique stories, give advice through tasseomancy, and find a way to break the curse
About the story
Experience the dark mysticism of Southeast Asia in an interactive art medium. Kabaret unfolds through the eyes of Jebat, a cursed boy who is uprooted from his small Penang town to a mystical, violent, and unforgiving monster realm. Astray and lonely in a place of unfathomable cruelty, Jebat confronts monsters both supernatural and human in the Kabaret. Get to know the wide cast of characters from Southeast Asian myths and interact with them while brewing tea, playing traditional games, and all the while putting your humanity at risk. Kabaret is a game that doesn’t need to be understood, only to be felt.
Platforms
Mac PC XONE Series X|SGenres
Adventure Indie Visual NovelThemes
Drama Fantasy Thriller
Languages: English
| Interface | Audio | Subtitles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English |
Media
Critic Reviews
GamingTrend
By Corvo RohwerThe simple gameplay of Kabaret is rescued by a beautiful artstyle buttressed against a fascinating narrative that is rooted richly in Southeast Asian folklore and mythology. Jebat's struggle to understand his own feelings towards humanity is absorbing in the way that it explores self loathing and doom, while ultimately allowing the player to shape the future of the Kabaret.
Checkpoint Gaming
ByKabaret has ambition, but that ambition gets in its own way. It asks tough questions and never shies away from the realities of life. Different perspectives are properly explored which provides depth for each viewpoint. It deftly weaves Southeast Asian culture into the story and it immerses you in the culture. But the story becomes too complicated and loses its best messages towards the end. The lack of stakes for the mini-games also makes them less appealing. Preparing tea is unnecessarily hard and vague, becoming a frustrating activity instead of a relaxing one. It's a good visual novel with stories that don't shy away from difficult content, but one you're unlikely to revisit often because it feels like a lot of work.
Kakuchopurei
By Alleef AshaariPersona Theory Games' second game, Kabaret, is a great one that is both a bigger and better narrative experience compared to their previous title. Kabaret is a quintessential experience for the best that the region's games industry has to offer right now, and it's more proof of why the world should start paying attention to developers from this region.
