Time stands still for this January Release
Berangin Creative have set the standard for 2026 with their latest release, Kejora. Published by Soft Source Publishing, Kejora is an immersive tale of cursed magic, bravery, and forgiveness. This side-scroller is an indie gem and surprisingly immersive to play, leaving you reluctant to step away without completing the game.
In a small Indonesian village, we play as our titular character Kejora. Kejora loves her village and the tight-knit community but she dreams of future explorations in pursuit of knowledge. Accompanied by her trusty friends, Jaka and Gunter, they dedicate their time to having fun and helping their neighbours. This simplicity is soon shattered when Kejora discovers that their village is trapped in time, cursed to relive the same day again and again. The trio make it their mission to uncover the truth and find the origin of the curse, releasing their friends and family.
Kejora is a short game which I completed in 4.7 hours of gameplay. Despite its length, the narrative of the game is incredible. The ‘Groundhog Day’ scenario is one often utilised in media, but Berangin Creative adapted the concept to an alternate situation exceptionally well.
The time loop is revealed in day two of the game when the day begins with an uncanny similarity to the day before. Each puzzle and interaction is near identical, down to the dialogue. It’s unsettling and there are just enough differences to keep the player on edge, waiting for any change.
My only wish for the game is that it was longer. The narrative is enchanting but it feels like it could have been developed much further. Especially with the origin stories of our ‘villain’ (no spoilers!) and our hero Mr Adhitya. There was the potential for a much more emotional and complex direction. The original narrative, however, still explores the core themes and wraps up the story in a satisfactory manner.
Controls are simple, as expected with a side-scrolling platformer. Navigate with the directional keys, space to interact, and tab to switch characters. The player can switch to Jaka or Gunter to access ‘special moves’. The game does have controller compatibility however I completed this play through on keyboard.
The only difficulty I experienced with the controls was when multiple actions were required in succession. After completing an action it takes a second for another action to become available, which was a complete nightmare during the ‘boss battle’ stage. I could get Kejora out of harms reach, but I couldn’t always switch to Gunter in time to save him. Maybe it’s a skill issue on my part, but it’s worth noting.
Gameplay wise, Kejora consists is primarily a puzzle adventure. The puzzles are simple enough to not consume too much time and delay the plot whilst still requiring genuine thought. My only frustration with the gameplay mechanism is that Kejora can only carry one item at once – other characters are unable to carry items. This makes the platforming journey repetitive where a certain number of items are needed to solve it, particularly if items are required in a certain order. This wasn’t massively time consuming, but still frustrating.
The art design of the game is absolutely stunning, pulling clear inspiration from Studio Ghibli. Berangin Creative specialise in 2D animation, and this is most apparent during cut scenes when the animation takes on a greater quality at a higher frame rate. During actual gameplay, the characters are low rendered meaning there are no performance concerns when playing.
Each scene is played over a static background that is beautifully designed, each detail belonging in a Studio Ghibli movie. Occasionally, the animation cycles would not align with the background or platform, but the action is still completed successfully. This was most obvious when Kejora would climb onto a platform, her hands were not always aligned with the edge and she would seemingly climb the air. I also encountered a problem when changing platform level. The foreground and background are flawlessly cohesive in some areas. This lead me to try and lower myself to the platform below in places where it was not possible because it was actually part of the background. Ultimately, this was a non-issue as an icon appears whenever there is the option to change levels.
The character design for the game is also great. They are all animated with the same style, standing together as a cohesive cast. Dialogue reads naturally and develops each characters’ distinct personality, adding to the immersion of the game. I’m particularly fond of Jaka who, despite his doubts, pushes through his fears and remains loyal to his friends.
Sound design is very soothing. Purely instrumental, consisting of mostly piano and building with strings depending on scene intensity. The art and instrumental combination are thematically strong and create really immersive scenes.
Final Thoughts
Kejora was an amazing experience to play — it is definitely on my recommended list. The game is appropriate for younger players, but the narrative involves a level of depth that can’t be fully appreciated by children. Kejora kept me locked in the entire time, determined to finish the game, and enjoying every moment. And, arguably most important, you can pet the cat. Overall, Berangin Creative and Soft Source Publishing delivered an absolute blessing and I look forward to revisiting it in the future.
The code for this review was provided by Soft Source. This article has been cross-posted to OpenCritic.
