Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2
Game
Game2026
Kernel Hearts
Developer Ephemera Games
Gather your allies. Eliminate Angels. Transform into a Magical Girl. Slay god. Kernel Hearts is a Multiplayer Co-Op Roguelike Action RPG about four magical girls and their attempt to save a world that's drowning in ashes From the Steam store page
293 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 1, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
77
LovedLoved
166 positive · 49 negative
95% range 71–82%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 166 | 49 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 19 | 2 | 51 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 6 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
183 of 232 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
76% recommend · 149 yes, 48 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 197 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (257 of 324 positive).
Players praise the story, characters, and music as standout features. [1][2][3] Some reviewers find the gameplay undercooked, with clunky combat and weak progression. [4][5][6] Others enjoy the fast-paced action and roguelike loop despite rough edges. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
I really want to like this game. I REALLY do. BUT it's lacking in the most important aspect: the gameplay itself. Don't get me wrong, the characters, OST, and story all seem solid, and the production quality behind those aspects is clearly high, but the gameplay though... that's another story. The hitboxes feel inconsistent, enemy attacks look half-baked, and the dodge timing is frustrating because it's often …
- [18]
I was just lurking through the store, trying to find something to play and saw this game. Bought it and let me say, I'm anything but disappointed. The game for starters is hard af (Likely a skill issue but I chickened out and played it on Story to unlock the Russian). As for the story, I noticed a couple discussions on the community page eating into the game for it's religious similarities/connotations. Having …
- [7]
Honestly, this game is perfect if you love combat similar to NieR: Automata/Stellar Blade with the overall mechanics of Risk of Rain 2. Most of the negative reviews are complaints about some of the difficulty which is understandable because on Sinner difficulty it feels very difficult to scale properly while also working against the meter that builds up. You cannot just run around and full clear everything, time is …
- [1]
I have a lot of thoughts about this game, so I wanted to leave a review to encapsulate my (mostly spoiler-free) thoughts as someone who's probably the target audience for this game. At the time of this review, I have ~18.5 hours played and have beaten the final boss twice. I've only played on Normal difficulty, so I can't comment on Story or Sinner difficulties at the moment. This could get long, so a quick tl;dr …
- [2]
This is a game that took me a while to find my voice with, so I want to give some insight to anyone who may be looking to get into this. I won't be talking about the story or the sound design though, I don't believe those things need to be sold to you because they're absolutely stellar and kind of sell themselves, ESPECIALLY the music. This will primarily be about the Gameplay + Early experiences with it. I'll start …
Summarised from 34 of the 270 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Kernel Hearts sits at 77% positive across 215 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Reactions
60 of 293 · most liked firstI really want to like this game. I REALLY do. BUT it's lacking in the most important aspect: the gameplay itself. Don't get me wrong, the characters, OST, and story all seem solid, and the production quality behind those aspects is clearly high, but the gameplay though... that's another story. The hitboxes feel inconsistent, enemy attacks look half-baked, and the dodge timing is frustrating because it's often impossible to properly understand what's happening on screen both from your and enemy…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is tough for me to review. I REALLY like the characters, story, visuals, and overall vibe—these are genuinely strong foundations. Everything looks great at first glance, and you can tell the team put heart into the art direction and world-building. But the gameplay isn't clicking for me. Compared to other roguelites like Risk of Rain 2, the progression feels hollow. There's no clear upgrade path, and when you do get a boost, it's usually negligible—a 2% or 5% increase that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is either Early Access and just not disclosed as that, or its a lost cause. This needs significant changes and updates to be even close to living up to the games that clearly inspire it. Right now it feels like Nier Automata Megabonk and thats a very COOL thing. But the combat is very unfinished, the dodging is extremely inconsistent, it takes far too long to eliminate basic fodder enemies, and its impossible to dodge, parry, or avoid damage when half the screen is covered in smoke,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thx for the cute Fernet outfit in Fortnite. Bought this game on Steam again just to mention it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ephemera Games' roguelike action RPG "Kernel Hearts" will be releasing this September. The game will also have multiplayer co-op. store.steampowered.com/app/2902170/ #KernelHearts
neutral · AI labelView post →This game feels like it should be an Early Access game. The game takes some things from games like Risk of Rain 2 or Megabonk but doesn't improve them in any capability. Gameplay feels weird and clunky whent it should feel smoother because combos are a big part of the combat. The lack of information on what to do or search for is frustrating. Game looks horrible, like a Switch game, but not a First Party Switch game, like those horrible ports the Switch has. Game on max settings and I've seen…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game is called Kernel Hearts. It's a multiplayer co-op roguelike action RPG that is set to release sometime in 2026.
neutral · AI labelView post →The kind developers of Kernel Hearts gifted me the Fernet Outfit! This is also the first Latin American game to have a crossover with Fortnite!
positive · AI labelView post →Very enjoyable, but in it's current state I cannot recommend it. I will change this review if some issues are addressed. Positive: +Great Music +Cool bosses +I like the Russian Sword Woman Neutral: ~I really wish there was a reroll option for any of these perks. As far as I can tell there isn't one. This is slated for an October update. Negative: -Co-Op progress is practically non-existent. Joiners get materials and boss kill credit / achievements but that's about it. I planned on playing…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here are the games we covered this September at Pixel Byte: - Woodo - Nighthawks - Dressmaker - Kernel Hearts - Carter's Quest - Isle of Reveries - Knights of Fiona - Cat Me If You Can - Normal Golf Game - Cassette Beasts 2002 - Songs of Glimmerwick - Star Wars Zero Company Thanks for the support!
neutral · AI labelView post →I'm noticing a lot of people going into this game expecting a Hades 2 when it is in fact a Risk of Rain 2.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I currently can't recommend this game. The story captivated me from the moment the intro started and they definitely put a lot of effort into the narrative. That being said though, the gameplay needs some major adjustments. Every run for me just ends in pure frustration. Enemies have way too much health and the upgrades feel completely useless. You get back to base hoping in vain that there's some sort of meta-progression, upgrade system, or something that you're missing. All you have is a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Art, music, characters and writing are all great. It really feels like a lot of passion was put into it. There is one huge issue though: The core gameplay is kind of undercooked. Basic enemies are damage sponges, which is expected from a roguelike, but the progression is so slow that it feels like punishment. The powerups you're getting from Mementos are very underwhelming. Remember "Hell Maiden"? Every powerup felt like an upgrade and it's very engaging to obtain them. Here, you spend 15…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fernet from Kernel Hearts! Showing off the power of the Unreal Engine with all those physics they game her!
neutral · AI labelView post →Coming to Game Pass news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0... Ultimate: -Kernel Hearts (9/17) -Well Dweller (9/22) -Minecraft Dungeons II (9/29) -Gears of War: E-Day (10/6) Premium: -RuneScape: Dragonwilds (today) -Marvel Cosmic Invasion (9/16) -Planet of Lana II (9/16) -Routine (9/16)
neutral · AI labelView post →Kernel Hearts is a game that conflicts with me. I don't feel like I'm the target demographic, I'm not its audience. I got it because "well it's something different to what I usually play, might as well broaden my horizons." I started with annoyance at the combat system and ended it feeling disappointed. A broad sense of what its trying to copy is - big open spaces and running around to get stuff, like Risk of Rain. Fast hack n slash action like its DMC, Bayonetta, MGR, Nier Automata.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →>Unlock Spika after second run >Realize her jump combo is broken and nothing else comes close because it triggers combo finishers, trivializes platforming and deals a ton of damage while being fast and spammable >Finish the game spamming jump attack and using higabana for I-framing through every boss mechanic I mean they could've put in SOME (viable) build variety, like cmon Just to explain why Spika is such a massive difference maker compared to the other characters. She is the only char out…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was just lurking through the store, trying to find something to play and saw this game. Bought it and let me say, I'm anything but disappointed. The game for starters is hard af (Likely a skill issue but I chickened out and played it on Story to unlock the Russian). As for the story, I noticed a couple discussions on the community page eating into the game for it's religious similarities/connotations. Having beaten the game, they clearly have not completed the story, and whilst yes, the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →KERNEL HEARTS IS GOING TO BRAZIL!! Catch a secret demo of our game at the Xbox booth at Gamescom LATAM 2025! 👾 Meet Game Director Akira & Character Artist Momotexx at the booth 🎁 Join our Discord—free merch may await to those who say the secret word! We hope to see you there from May 1st to 4th
neutral · AI labelView post →Yesterday at the #LAGShowcase our game Kernel Hearts was highlighted for its heartwarming tales Here's to our heartwarming game~
neutral · AI labelView post →I have a lot of thoughts about this game, so I wanted to leave a review to encapsulate my (mostly spoiler-free) thoughts as someone who's probably the target audience for this game. At the time of this review, I have ~18.5 hours played and have beaten the final boss twice. I've only played on Normal difficulty, so I can't comment on Story or Sinner difficulties at the moment. This could get long, so a quick tl;dr list of my thoughts: - The story, characters, setting, atmosphere, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It does not spark joy. 2D art is cool, the story introductions is too. But the 3D assets look and feel half-baked, while the gameplay is feels jank as hell. Aside from the usual hitboxes sometimes not matching up with the visuals, the movement feels uncontrollable. The jump is delayed you have little to no control in the air. I've also found myself questioning the enemy attack hitboxes often while playing. The map is too barren for it's size and the catapult's are a bandaid fix for…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a game that took me a while to find my voice with, so I want to give some insight to anyone who may be looking to get into this. I won't be talking about the story or the sound design though, I don't believe those things need to be sold to you because they're absolutely stellar and kind of sell themselves, ESPECIALLY the music. This will primarily be about the Gameplay + Early experiences with it. I'll start by saying that I wouldn't blame anyone for bouncing off this game early on.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TLDR, since this is a long review, not worth it in its current state. Either wait for a somewhat steep sale, or wait until a few updates have happened. As much as it pains me, I cannot recommend the game in its current state at the asking price. This game feels like an early access game, in quite a few areas, but it presents itself as a fully finished game. It’s unfortunate, because this game has a lot of interesting ideas and a good amount of potential, but it feels like it doesn’t properly…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hey there Shadows! We're checking out some more games today that I was sent! Starting with Kernel Hearts and then maybe Barbarian Saga! Another indie game showcase day :3 www.twitch.tv/kyllier #vtc | #kobold | #kernelhearts
neutral · AI labelView post →While indeed i like the game. Its just so much lack polish. I did around 10 run's with my friend, and we managed to finish just around 4~ of them. Game crashes, bugs out, missing textures. wont load into lvl. I know that it's initial release and bugs will occur, but in this state is almost unplayable Also items, gear, relics and such just not explanatory enough. Sometimes you just pick a thing and then wonders what's this thing actually do. You just can't see your stats at all, how much crit…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Steam Deck Leaving a quick review for now to say this game is very playable on Steam Deck! (I've played hours of the demo beforehand), but, don't expect to play on max settings. However, my controller inputs weren't configured properly out of the box and so I had to get a custom input mapping; I'm guessing they'll aim for Deck Verification and remedy this soon? (I'm pretty sure the demo had proper inputs without any configuration but don't quote me on that) Anyway, I really love what I've…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Characters are great, ost is great, story is great, gameplay is not my cup of tea felt like it was attempting to be a roguelike coop devil may cry the combat feels a bit clunky hitboxes on a lot of enemy attacks are either "how the **** did that hit me" or phase through you. A lot of the effects and animations seem very early accessy if that makes sense for example I got a cool move that's a giant cleave with a firesword but it felt like I was swinging a poorly animated neon glowstick I played…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🎉🌎 We're thrilled to share that Kernel Hearts is part of the @lagshowcase.bsky.social Summer Game Fest Edition official selection!🌎 🎉 Tune into #LAGS2025 on Twitch and YouTube on June 7 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET for announcements from incredible Latin American developers. Links⬇️
neutral · AI labelView post →This may come down to skill issues, but I just can't recommend this game. This release feels basically identical to what I experienced in the demo months ago - a confusing control scheme if using controller, no way to actually change those controls (the settings for that don't work), combat feeling just kinda basic and despite being centered around perfect dodging attacks, you seemingly can't dodge out of your own attacks. Also the first character's moveset just loves to chain into a launch…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →edit: I ended up refunding. I just don't think this is nearly fun enough. So far, very mid. The dodge in this game is really, uniquely bad. You'd expect something like what Bayonetta has, but half the time you can't even tell if it's working because it's also a dash. Just doesn't feel good. Not sure what the point of lock-on is since in this game you barely have time to use it. When you get hit it just never really feels like you deserve it unless it's a charged attack from a boss or…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TLDR: The game is too lackluster in polish to recommend. So currently, I do not recommend, with hopes that the game will be patched into something more playable. Long version: Okay, I gotta say, didn't think that it looks like things are just as raw during the full release as they were during the playtests. For the visually impaired, I played the playtest for around 30 hours, hence why I unfortunately have to make comparisons to how things were and where we are at, since the issues that I had…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →'Kernel Hearts' launches September 17th on Xbox Series, PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC. Buy the game on Epic and you get a 'Fortnite' skin on top. youtu.be/qPmLE0NrjvA
neutral · AI labelView post →I met Kernel Hearts dev @akira51p.bsky.social at GDC last year and he was a delight. We played Tingle's Balloon Fight. He told me about this game. Later, I downloaded his previous game, a point-and-click with a magical girl exploring the ruins of Kowloon Walled City. Can't wait for Kernel Hearts
positive · AI labelView post →Honestly, this game is perfect if you love combat similar to NieR: Automata/Stellar Blade with the overall mechanics of Risk of Rain 2. Most of the negative reviews are complaints about some of the difficulty which is understandable because on Sinner difficulty it feels very difficult to scale properly while also working against the meter that builds up. You cannot just run around and full clear everything, time is of the essence, which also makes sense thematically. I recommend starting in…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →as of now no, had a run where I jumped and could no longer use normal attacks and only heavys. Lots of bugs and the enemys are just so tanky even at the start game it is clearly for more than one person even more so with the first boss too many adds and the boss being such a tank. On another note like the style and universe hoping for fixes and some adjustments but right now its a no
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Come with me, let's be toxic yuri magical girls in a touhou inspired wasteland together. After that, who knows. TRYING OUT A NEW GAME CALLED KERNEL HEARTS followed by some other silly games! live now at twitch.tv/index_paige
neutral · AI labelView post →Are you in? 👀 @ephemeragames.bsky.social second playtest is going on now! Join the Discord to find out more! discord.gg/kernelhearts #indiegames #kernelhearts #whitethorngames
neutral · AI labelView post →Pausing here for a moment. Tough angles! Lots of learning. Enjoying the brief obsession my brain is having with this game. And the eternal obsession with yuri. #valdraws #kernelhearts
positive · AI labelView post →Oh god, I wish there was a neutral or some special review type on Steam. Anyway here we go... Kinda big as I wanted to get details and experience down so hopefully the devs can really get the message across, because I want to play so bad... First of all I LOVE magical girls. And this game is like the first ACTION game involving them I have probably seen... ever that's been worth following. I am REALLY excited for it! I also have a lot of experiencing playing similar games. Nier series, Stellar…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hidden gem of the genre with addictive gameplay, amazing soundtrack, gorgeous characters and emotional story. It is held back by fair amount of COOP bugs, lack of detailed stats for mementos, animation locks and 0 customization, be that costumes or hero specific spells Still worth every penny, can't wait for what developers will come up with in the future
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In a game about killing God, it seems God killed it first. This is probably one of the most flawed games I've played in a while. I never really cared about the story, so I'm not gonna talk much about that. My problem is the gameplay. Everything just feels so clunky. The movement, the combat, even just getting around the map. The combat especially feels like a mobile game that got ported to PC without really changing anything. There's not much weight to the attacks and fighting enemies just…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game Pass Wave 2 September 2026: 9.15: - RuneScape: Dragonwilds 9.17: - Kernel Hearts 9.22: - Dune: Awakening - Well Dweller 9.26: - Mad King Redemption 9.29: - Minecraft Dungeons II 10.6 - Gears of War: E-Day [1/2] news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/0...
neutral · AI labelView post →so fun fact; i bought 'Kernel Hearts' game exclusively cuz i wanted Fernet character skin for fortnite lol. look at her, she's so cute! turns out i really like the game, it's a rougelike so that's awesome > v <
positive · AI labelView post →I was told to expect roguelite Devil May Cry by a friend. What I got was quarter-baked roguelite Nier. Maybe there's still room for that to be fun. But between the awful hitboxes, lacking attack tells, ridiculous difficulty scaling, and a tutorial that tells you how to play Risk of Rain 2 better than it tells you how to play THIS game, quite frankly I think this just isn't fun to play and wasn't ready to release.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Early Access would've helped this game rather than 1.0 An ambitious game that tries to follow in the steps of Risk of Rain 2's gameplay and it fails miserably. If you played the demo then congratulations, you played the main game as no big changes were added. Enemies will easily get HP bloat and even if you level up your attack by collecting enough pink souls all of them will feel like damage sponges. To add to that, dodging is very clunky and paired with so many enemies to fight with at…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's so close to greatness, but I have a good handful of issues with just about every aspect of the combat. The responsiveness is hit-or-miss with the dodging. Sometimes I get a good perfect dodge, sometimes the input just gets eaten and I eat a hit for free. Enemies take forever to kill for the little currency you get after a certain time, but that point gets reached really quickly. You keep fighting to try and get stronger to have a cool build, but the rewards being so expensive means you're…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This one was pretty rough. The intro when you first launch the game was pretty high quality. A 5 minute long cutscene that's fully voiced explaining the lore and backstory of the game that's pretty well produced. The gameplay itself once the game starts feels like it needs more time in the oven. Something about the controls just feels janky and sluggish. The dodging / dashing specifically feels like it needs to be a lot more responsive considering how hectic some of the fighting can…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →they done made fortnite a game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here's some fun looking Summer Game Fest games I saw that might interest some people! Kernel Hearts - rougelike coop game where you play as four magical girls trying to save a world that's drowning in ashes store.steampowered.com/app/2902170/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Hidden gem alert!! PLEASE give this game a chance if you're already on the fence! Kernel Hearts starts out serviceable, but underneath the surface is an action-RPG that blossoms continously with the more time you put into it. As someone with a love-hate relationship with Risk of Rain 2 and Elden Ring: Nightreign, this particular indie has become one of my favorite roguelites of all time. Success is tied to all of progression, skill, and knowledge. Upon unlock, characters possess their entire…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Eh, it's a hard one. In current state I can't recommend buying this game. It has beautiful 2D desing, nice music, likeable characters, intresting post apocalyptic (I presume?) world. But core gameplay is tedious. It has a good idea: in limited time you have to find a way from room to fight the boss while collecting buffs and materials to spend in hub location. While it souds good, it has many problems: - Combat feels sluggish, you don't kill enemies fast enough to make it worth spending…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game is good, been wanting a game like ts for a while but it doesnt feel fully finished. things like the animations and other things dont feel fully finished. but for a small team its great, and id love to see the future of this game. plus its really fun
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is super fun! Reminds me a lot of Touhou Dystopian which is a all time favorite game for me! Love the flow of the fights, got to the third floor and holy, super fun area to be in! Can't wait to unlock the other characters and fight the other bosses in the game, highly recommend if you wanna play a fun, yet quick game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🌟 🌠 STARTING NOW! 🌠 🌟 More Kernel Hearts! This game has kind of a chokehold on me and I wanna see it through even though I suck and I'll probably do it in easy mode 😂 🔴 YouTube: youtube.com/live/C5iKGy_... 🟣 Twitch: www.twitch.tv/lance_white #VTuber #ENVtuber #IndieGame
positive · AI labelView post →so I started playing Kernel Hearts for entirely predictable reasons (2x giant muscle mommy shopkeeper npcs)
positive · AI labelView post →I played for about an hour and... I really WANT to like this game, but I just can't. Let’s start with the camera. Oh god, the camera! This has to be one of the weirdest camera systems I’ve used in a game. It feels awkward to control, and the lock-on makes it even worse. When I lock onto an enemy, I expect the camera to actually focus on that enemy... but nope. It barely does anything. The combat is simple and easy to understand. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but the biggest problem is…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🍁 Hey Buds 💚🍃💨 🍂🎮 Going Live at 10 PM EST🍂 🐱 Cat Squeeze ✨ Kernel Hearts 🌊 Dave the Diver ⚔️ Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault Come hang out, game with us, and enjoy some chill fall vibes! 21+ and 420 friendly. 💚🍃💨 Lurkers always welcome! twitch.tv/checkpointvi... #IndieGames #Twitch
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a bit tough for me since I really really REALLY like the game's characters, design and story. ESPECIALLY the story. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the gameplay. The game feels too janky and unrewarding for a 1.0 release. Enemies having too much HP, insanely HIGH resources you need to spend for a level and skill and you have to worry for the in-game timer. I really hate the timer mechanic for this game since what's the point of having a quite sizable map with POIs and yet having…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game is good, story entertaining and characters are very enjoyable unify dodging timer tho sometimes characters forget how to attack after ulting but its fixable with quick alt tab(unreal engine moment) notice how all negative reviews are hidden profiles #nooticing
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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