In the increasingly crowded landscape of rogue-lite games, KIBORG, developed by Sobaka Studio, throws its hat into the ring with a brutal, third-person action brawler set in a grim cyberpunk prison. But does this gory gauntlet offer a path to freedom, or is it a one-way ticket to digital frustration?
The Premise: Fight for Your Freedom
KIBORG drops you into the boots of Morgan Lee, a moustachioed man serving a seemingly endless 1,300-year sentence in the galaxy’s most notorious prison. The only way out? Winning on “The Last Ticket,” a violent reality show broadcast for the masses. Death doesn’t save you—it just sends you back for a cybernetic reconstruction, ready to fight again.
The core gameplay is a mash-up of old-school beat ’em ups, shooters, and rogue-lite mechanics. You fight your way through procedurally generated floors of a towering prison, engaging in fast-paced, visceral combat against hordes of mutants and cybernetically-enhanced enemies.
Visceral Combat and Build Variety
The combat is the savage heart of KIBORG. It’s often compared to the fluid, counter-based fighting of the Batman: Arkham series, but with a much heavier dose of brutal, limb-severing gore.
- Melee and Ranged: You’ll use both devastating melee combos and limited-ammo firearms to tear through enemies. Mastering the parry and dodge is crucial, as the difficulty can be unforgiving.
- The Cybernetic Edge: The unique rogue-lite twist is the immense build variety offered by cybernetic implants and mutations. In each run, you’ll collect new augments—from robotic limbs to deadly drones—that radically change Morgan’s appearance and abilities. One run might see you as a close-quarters, health-regenerating brawler, while the next turns you into a glass cannon focused on ranged power.
- Meta-Progression: Between runs, currency earned is spent on a permanent skill tree, allowing you to unlock access to better weapons, implants, and new skills, making each failed run a step toward eventual success.
The Look and Feel: Grime and Gore
KIBORG’s world is drenched in a gritty, oppressive cyberpunk aesthetic. The environments are often grime-soaked and neon-lit, creating a suitably dark backdrop for the ultraviolence. The visual transformation of Morgan as he equips grotesque new implants is a key highlight, reinforcing the theme of a lost humanity.
The Verdict: A Compelling but Flawed Fighter
Reviews for KIBORG suggest it’s a game that demands patience but rewards mastery.
| The Good | The Mixed/Bad |
| Brutal, satisfying combat with a lot of depth. | Steep and sometimes frustrating difficulty curve. |
| Massive build variety via cybernetic implants. | Inconsistent parry/block system and sometimes floaty controls. |
| Gory and engaging cyberpunk art direction. | Awkward or “atrocious” voice acting (particularly for the host, Volkov). |
| Addictive rogue-lite loop with meaningful permanent progression. | Repetitive environments and some procedural generation issues. |
If you’re a fan of challenging, skill-based action games like Hades or Dead Cells, but crave a third-person, beat-’em-up experience with a heavy dose of cyberpunk grit, KIBORG is a compelling choice. Just be prepared for a brutal opening—this game makes you earn your power.
KIBORG is available now on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Are you ready to augment your body and fight for your life in “The Last Ticket”? If you pick it up, tell me: What’s your favourite cybernetic implant build so far?
KIBORG – https://playkiborg.com/
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