Kuon
Kuon is a PlayStation 2 puzzle game released in 2004 developed by FromSoftware. It centers on puzzle, maze, or device solving, collection and development goals, and story, case, or mission progress, with controls and information arranged around the DualShock 2 twin analog sticks, directional pad, shoulder and face buttons, with a dedicated peripheral only where explicitly required.
- AI score · out of 10
- 6.3 / 10
About this game
Kuon is a PlayStation 2 puzzle game centered on puzzle, maze, or device solving, collection and development goals, and story, case, or mission progress. Compact stages add conditions and tighter constraints over time, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Graphics, audio, and input feedback need to support decisions directly, while 3D scenes, streamed data, cinematics, surround audio, and interlaced television output need to preserve action and state readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that limited explanations, input recognition, repetition, or abrupt difficulty can stall progress. Platform conditions also include DVD loading, the 8MB Memory Card, analog sticks and pressure-sensitive buttons, Multitap, Network Adapter, dedicated peripherals, and retired online services affect present-day use. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.
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PlayStation 2AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
Remarkable folk horror held back by slow combat.
Kuon on PlayStation 2 turns an old Japanese mansion and nearby shrine into an unusually convincing folk-horror setting. Blood trails can point toward new events, while dim rooms, sudden sounds, a childlike chant and heartbeat vibration sustain unease. Meditation both calms and heals a spiritual medium, giving the fearful mood a mechanical role. The direct PS2 review is less persuaded by the action. Attacks and card-based summons feel slow, so routine enemy encounters interrupt rather than intensify the exploration. The story also requires both protagonists to cover much of the same mansion and collect similar items before a short concluding chapter becomes available. That repetition dilutes discovery in an already brief experience. Kuon remains worthwhile for players drawn to historical horror imagery, not for those expecting responsive combat or a consistently fresh route. This score covers the original PS2 release. The language options noted by the reviewer are not assumed to exist in every regional cartridge, and no later remaster convenience is included.
Strengths
- Blood trails, chants and heartbeat cues build strong unease.
Weaknesses
- Slow fighting and repeated routes erode tension.
Who it is for: Folk-horror fans comfortable with deliberate, rough combat.
Play notes: Original PS2 scope; regional voice options may differ.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Repeated paths undercut the short story. | Reviewed | 5.6 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Distinct ideas cannot rescue sluggish fighting. | Reviewed | 6.0 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Setting and sound carry the experience. | Reviewed | 8.4 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Useful sensory cues coexist with rough control. | Reviewed | 5.4 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- FromSoftware
- Publisher
- Indie GamesAgetec
- Release date
- 2004
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Adventure · Primary genre
- Tags
- Slow BurnFixed CameraCollection-richReplayableSolo-friendlyPick-up and PlayPuzzle SolvingStory-drivenHorrorLow Entry BarrierShort Sessions3D Graphics
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- Single player
- Perspectives
- Third person
Release editions
- PlayStation 2Worldwide2004
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided