Kraken Academy is a time-loop adventure from Happy Broccoli Games, set in a boarding school where a giant squid demands that four trapped spirits be freed. The complete hundred-per-cent run finished in just under six hours, with every quest, friendship badge and piece of furniture collected.
The comedy lands throughout, with the Gawk the Arc parody play and the bottle machines rebelling over working conditions. The quest structure satisfies, with friendship badges from nearly every character and three-challenge initiations for each club.
The time-loop premise is well used, with the rainy-day Tuesday demanding a trip back in time to reach quests locked to that day. The secret-agent mission to the Mepsi lair beneath the school is a highlight, complete with a ventilation-shaft infiltration.
The story twists land, with a pair of betrayals revealed and the science-club backstory recontextualising the whole game from the start. The finale closes on an unexpected note of reconciliation rather than destruction.
The final boss disappoints, with only two attacks and a second phase that barely raises the difficulty. The money becomes worthless early, with a couple of thousand bottles covering every pass and few worthwhile purchases left to make.
The plate-spinning minigame frustrates, with two plates always turning red at opposite ends. The strength-combo minigame drags, and the absence of fast travel makes the later backtracking a chore.
Overall, the comedy, the quests and the time-loop mystery make this a joy from start to finish. The simple final boss and the early-worthless money are the only caveats.