Kona

Kona is a detective and survival adventure by Parabole. In 1970, private detective Carl Faubert travels to northern Quebec to solve vandalism on an industrialist's property. A blizzard cuts him off from the outside world. Soon it becomes clear that something is wrong at the remote place by Atâmipêk Lake.

Kona was released on Mar 17, 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The Nintendo Switch version followed on Mar 9, 2018. For PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, standalone or optimized versions have been available since Dec 7, 2021. On Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch version runs via compatibility.

The main game has been released for Windows, macOS and Linux, as well as PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. The PC operating systems belong to the same PC release. The Xbox version supports Smart Delivery and offers optimizations for Xbox Series X|S. The PS5 version is listed separately on the PlayStation Store as a PS5 version.

Seen from first person, you investigate abandoned houses, roads and forest paths. Letters, objects and other traces move the investigation forward. You can drive a car between locations. At the same time, the winter weather forces you to watch out for safe routes and warm shelters.

On Windows, Steam lists at least an Intel Core i5-class processor at 2.0 GHz, 4 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon HD 6850, and 5 GB of storage. Recommended are 6 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 660 or Radeon HD 7850. On macOS, at least Monterey 12 with Metal support is required. For Linux, the developer lists Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 and a Vulkan-capable graphics card.

In October 1970, industrialist W. Hamilton hires detective Carl Faubert after several acts of vandalism. When Faubert arrives, he cannot find his client. The abandoned buildings and strange events turn a simple investigation into a search for the secrets of the people by the lake.

The remote area around the fictional Atâmipêk Lake combines frozen roads, snowy forests and small settlements. The equipment and vehicles are based on the 1970s. An unusual narrator accompanies the journey and links found objects and observations into a crime story.

The blizzard is more than scenery. Cold and lack of shelter become dangers while you explore the area. Warm buildings and campfires help you survive longer trips. Finding clues takes center stage rather than constant combat.

The story unfolds through the environment and the items Faubert finds. Documents, clues and locked areas call for careful exploration. If you take time for details, you gradually understand why the area was abandoned.

Survivor mode increases the challenges of exploring. Darker nights and more frequent encounters add extra pressure. This makes the gameplay feel quite different from the calmer, story-focused investigation.

With Kona VR, the main PC game can also be played in virtual reality. A separate add-on is required for this. The Steam version uses an OpenXR-compatible VR headset and matching controllers on Windows. For PlayStation 4, there is also a separate PlayStation VR expansion. The VR content is not standalone main games.

Kona offers German on-screen text. The voice output is in English and French. On PC, several additional interface languages are also available. The Nintendo Switch version supports German, English, French, Spanish and Italian.

An all-knowing narrator comments on Faubert's explorations and gives the game the tone of a classic detective story. The soundtrack includes pieces by the Quebec folk band CuréLabel. On PC, the music is also available separately as a soundtrack product.

Kona is a pure single-player adventure. On PC it supports controllers and Steam Cloud. The Nintendo Switch version works in handheld, tabletop and TV mode and can be played with the Pro Controller.