Kaet Must Die!

If you don't succeed, die, die again in grisly action game.
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Kaet Must Die!
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Kaet Must Die! is a downloadable first-person survival horror game available for download on Windows, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, as well as HTC Vive and Oculus Rift VR devices. The game is a bloody and gory experience, with players constantly surrounded by grisly imagery. The controls are simple to learn, but the gameplay uses an extremely difficult sort of trial-and-error formula, in which players will stumble across traps, enemies, and other dangers that will kill them instantly. This can result in a lot of surprise and even cheap deaths, which players will have to remember in order to pass through each level; it can also frustrate players. While corpses are shown nude, body parts are conveniently not shown, although Kaet is shown with skimpy, punk-style clothing. Parents should be aware, too, that virtual reality equipment makers don't recommend VR experiences for kids under 12 due to the potential impact the technology may have on younger players' physiological development.
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What’s It About?
In KAET MUST DIE!, players step into the role of Kaetheran ("Kaet"), a woman gifted with intense psionic powers. As the story begins, Kaet wakes up deep in the catacomb-like tunnels of a dark sewer. With no recollection on how she got there or how to escape, Kaet finds herself surrounded by corpses, strange voices, and other supernatural forces, which all seem to be targeting her. Making matters worse, Kaet's powers have seemingly been stripped away. As Kaet tries her best to discover the reasons behind her predicament, she'll have to outsmart, outmaneuver, and outlast all the things lurking in the shadows and hungry for her blood. Unfortunately, it's not a question of whether or not Kaet will survive. Certain death awaits around every corner. Resurrected after each death, Kaet must learn from her mistakes ... because for Kaet to live, Kaet MUST die!
Is It Any Good?
This frustrating and gory survival horror game is repetitive and extremely difficult, making gameplay more of a chore than a fun challenge. Kaet Must Die! is unlike many games: Some games walk players through their experience, holding their hand from one point to the next. Other games challenge players to use their skills and reflexes to narrowly escape danger, sometimes by the skin of their teeth. Then there's Kaet Must Die!, which would best be described as a survival horror game without that pesky "survival" aspect. Make no mistake about it, poor Kaet will die over and over again. The game uses death as a twisted teaching tool. Sometimes you'll die because you got too close to that not-quite-dead corpse sitting next to a note. Sometimes you'll die because you've backed yourself into a corner. And sometimes you'll die even when you've seemingly done everything right and something just jumps out and grabs you.
It starts off fun, with the jump scares keeping the tension high and your adrenaline pumping. But the novelty wears off quickly, making you frustrated at the constant restarts. Cheap deaths that were initially good for a laugh become the source of rage later in the game. Even when you do well, the game punishes you. The longer you survive, the more an insanity meter builds, which earns you the attention and ire of a deadly blood witch, Annalinnia. Although Kaet eventually earns her psionic powers over the course of the game, you never feel powerful enough that you might have a chance to survive. Plus, through all this, you're not only expected to survive, but to search out the little hints and clues that explain just what's going on. Kaet Must Die! is a brutal experience that might be fun in small doses, or if you can convince someone else to play and watch THEM jump out of their chair. But once the shock value wears off, you're left with a repetitive challenge that feels more like a never-ending chore.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the violence OK in Kaet Must Die! because it mainly contains jump scares? Or is it a problem because there's lots of blood, gore, and dead bodies scattered around each level?
Talk about horror in media. What are some typical horror characteristics? Why do some people like the thrill of being scared? What are some ways to cope with the feelings of fear that horror films and games bring up?
Discuss learning through trial and error. How can mistakes and failure be turned into positive teaching tools? What are some good ways to deal with losing, and how can persistence pay off?
Game Details
- Platforms: HTC Vive, Nintendo Switch, Oculus Rift, Windows, Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Strength in Numbers Studios, Inc.
- Release date: April 10, 2018
- Genre: Survival Horror
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptions
- Last updated: April 5, 2019
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