Keylocker: Turn Based Cyberpunk Action

Keylocker: Turn Based Cyberpunk Action is a stylish, turn-based JRPG set in a dystopian cyberpunk world where music is outlawed and society is divided into rigid castes. Players follow Bobo and her crew as they rebel against the oppressive Saturnian Satellites, blending strategic combat with a vibrant, humorous narrative. The game features a unique diagonal-down perspective, rhythmic gameplay elements, and a striking 2D aesthetic, all underscored by an electrifying soundtrack that defies the in-game prohibition on music.

Keylocker: Turn Based Cyberpunk Action: A Defiant Symphony of Rebellion and Rhythm

Introduction: A Rebellion Forged in Sound and Pixel

In the annals of indie gaming, few titles dare to blend the sacred and the profane as boldly as Keylocker: Turn Based Cyberpunk Action. Here is a game that wields the neon-drenched aesthetics of cyberpunk not as mere window dressing, but as the very lifeblood of its defiance—a world where music is outlawed, electricity is hoarded, and rebellion is not just a theme but a gameplay mechanic. Developed by the diminutive yet fiercely creative Moonana and published by Serenity Forge, Keylocker is a love letter to the golden age of JRPGs, channeling the spirit of Chrono Trigger and the Mario & Luigi series while carving its own niche in the modern indie landscape.

At its core, Keylocker is a game about resistance. You play as B0B0, a doppelgänger with the forbidden gift of music, in a dystopian society where the Saturnian Satellites have monopolized electricity and silenced all forms of artistic expression. The premise is as audacious as it is timely: in a world where the ruling class controls the very energy that powers life, music becomes the ultimate act of defiance. It’s a narrative that resonates deeply in an era where art, expression, and even basic freedoms are increasingly politicized.

But Keylocker is more than just its premise. It is a game that demands precision, rewards exploration, and punishes complacency. Its turn-based combat, infused with rhythm-game mechanics, is a masterclass in blending strategy with reflexes. Its world, a sprawling cyberpunk metropolis floating above Saturn, is a labyrinth of secrets, side quests, and social commentary. And its soundtrack, a pulsating fusion of rock and synth, is not just a backdrop but a character in its own right.

This review will dissect Keylocker with the same meticulous care that its developers poured into its design. We will explore its development history, its narrative depth, its innovative (and sometimes frustrating) gameplay systems, its stunning audiovisual presentation, and its reception in the gaming community. By the end, we will determine whether Keylocker is a harmonious masterpiece or a discordant experiment—and whether its rebellious spirit is worth joining.

---

Development History & Context: The Birth of a Cyberpunk Rebellion

Moonana, the studio behind Keylocker, is a testament to the power of indie development. Founded by Nana, a developer with a deep love for classic JRPGs like Earthbound, Shin Megami Tensei, and Virgo Vs The Zodiac, the studio’s ethos is rooted in a desire to innovate within the confines of retro-inspired design. Keylocker is their second commercial title, following the well-received Virgo Vs The Zodiac (2019), and it represents a significant evolution in their approach to gameplay and storytelling.

The game’s development began in March 2020, a time when the world was grappling with its own forms of oppression and resistance. It’s impossible to ignore the parallels between Keylocker’s themes and the real-world struggles for freedom of expression, equity, and justice. The game’s cyberpunk setting, with its rigid caste system and authoritarian regime, feels like a deliberate commentary on the dangers of unchecked power and the commodification of basic human rights.

Technologically, Keylocker is built using GameMaker, a tool that has empowered countless indie developers to bring their visions to life. The choice of GameMaker is particularly interesting given the game’s complex combat system, which blends turn-based strategy with real-time rhythm mechanics. The fact that Moonana was able to create such a fluid and responsive system within the constraints of GameMaker is a testament to their technical prowess.

The gaming landscape at the time of Keylocker’s release (September 2024) was dominated by open-world epics and live-service games, making its arrival all the more refreshing. Here was a game that dared to be different—a turn-based RPG with a punk attitude, a game that refused to hold the player’s hand and instead demanded mastery. It was a bold move, and one that would ultimately define its reception.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Power of Music in a Silent World

Keylocker’s narrative is a tapestry of rebellion, identity, and the transformative power of art. The game is set on Saturn, a planet where floating cities are ruled by the oppressive Saturnian Satellites. Music has been outlawed for 141 years, and the lower castes—known as doppelgängers—are little more than slaves to the elite. Into this world steps B0B0, a doppelgänger with the rare ability to create music, and her twin brother Dealer, who shares her desire for freedom but approaches it with more caution.

The story is told from the perspectives of both B0B0 and Dealer, offering a dual narrative that explores the complexities of resistance. B0B0 is the firebrand, the one who believes in the power of music to inspire and unite. Dealer, on the other hand, is more pragmatic, often questioning whether the ends justify the means. Their dynamic is one of the game’s strongest elements, providing a nuanced look at what it means to fight for freedom in a world that has been designed to crush dissent.

The game’s themes are deeply political, but they are never heavy-handed. Instead, they are woven into the fabric of the world, from the caste system that mirrors real-world inequalities to the way music is treated as a literal form of power. The Saturnian Satellites hoard electricity, using it to maintain their control, while B0B0’s music has the ability to generate electricity and, by extension, challenge their authority. It’s a brilliant metaphor for the way art and expression can disrupt oppressive systems.

The side characters in Keylocker are equally compelling, each with their own struggles and motivations. From the apathetic protestors who refuse to hold signs to the sentient beings that populate Saturn’s underbelly, the game’s world is filled with personalities that feel authentic and lived-in. The writing is sharp, often humorous, and always thought-provoking, striking a balance between the game’s serious themes and its more lighthearted moments.

One of the game’s most innovative narrative mechanics is its use of the “Danger Meter,” a system that tracks how much attention B0B0’s actions are drawing from the authorities. The higher the Danger Meter, the more likely the player is to be ambushed by enemies, creating a constant tension between progression and survival. It’s a mechanic that reinforces the game’s themes of oppression and resistance, making the player feel the weight of their actions in a way that few games manage to achieve.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: A Symphony of Strategy and Reflexes

Keylocker’s gameplay is a fusion of turn-based strategy and rhythm-game precision, a combination that is as rewarding as it is punishing. At its core, the game is a JRPG, with all the trappings that entails: a skill tree, equipment customization, and a party-based combat system. But where Keylocker innovates is in its execution.

Combat takes place on a hexagonal grid, where positioning is just as important as the attacks themselves. Players control B0B0 and her allies, moving them around the grid to attack, defend, or use special abilities. Each character has two resources: Life Points (LP), which function as health, and Electric Points (EP), which can be used to power attacks or generate armor. The balance between these two resources is crucial, as draining an enemy’s EP can leave them vulnerable to LP damage, while using EP defensively can mitigate incoming attacks.

What sets Keylocker apart from other turn-based RPGs is its emphasis on timing. Nearly every action in combat requires precise button presses or rhythm-based inputs. Attacks can be charged by holding a button, increasing their damage but also leaving the character vulnerable. Defending requires pressing a button at the exact moment an enemy’s attack lands, with perfect timing resulting in a counterattack. Even healing items require timing, as the player must press a button to confirm their use.

This system is both the game’s greatest strength and its most significant flaw. When it works, it creates a sense of flow that is unmatched in the genre. The player feels like a conductor, orchestrating a symphony of attacks and defenses with split-second precision. But when it doesn’t work—when the timing windows feel inconsistent or the inputs fail to register—it can be frustrating to the point of rage-quitting.

The game’s difficulty is another point of contention. Keylocker is unapologetically hard, especially in its later chapters. Boss fights, in particular, can be brutal, with mechanics that are often unclear or counterintuitive. The game’s “Orbital Resonance” system, which tethers two bosses together and requires the player to deliberately put themselves in harm’s way, is a prime example of this. While the idea is innovative, the execution can feel unfair, especially when combined with the game’s punishing timing requirements.

Despite these challenges, Keylocker’s combat is deeply satisfying when mastered. The game offers four distinct classes—Juggernaut, Samurai, Hacker, and Sequencer—each with its own playstyle and skill tree. The Juggernaut, for example, is a tanky bruiser that excels at dealing and absorbing damage, while the Hacker focuses on debuffing enemies and manipulating the battlefield. The ability to switch between classes in New Game+ adds a layer of replayability, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies.

Outside of combat, Keylocker offers a wealth of side content, from hacking minigames to rhythm-based concerts. The hacking minigame, in particular, is a standout, tasking the player with literally hacking enemies to pieces in a fast-paced, reflex-driven challenge. The rhythm concerts, meanwhile, are a love letter to games like Guitar Hero, complete with difficulty modifiers and a scoring system that rewards precision.

The game’s exploration is equally rewarding, with every area filled with secrets, lore, and hidden interactions. The lack of a mini-map can make navigation challenging, but the sheer density of the world ensures that there’s always something new to discover. The game’s writing shines in these moments, with B0B0’s commentary on the world’s injustices adding depth to the experience.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: A Cyberpunk Masterpiece

Keylocker’s world is a feast for the senses, a cyberpunk dystopia brought to life with stunning pixel art and a soundtrack that pulses with rebellion. The game’s visuals are a love letter to the 16-bit era, with detailed sprites, vibrant environments, and a color palette that shifts between neon brightness and shadowy gloom. The character designs are equally impressive, with each character boasting a unique silhouette and personality that shines through in their animations.

The game’s setting—floating cities above Saturn—is a masterstroke of world-building. The cities are a mix of high-tech opulence and grimy underbellies, with the lower castes living in squalor while the elite hoard the planet’s resources. The contrast between the two is stark, reinforcing the game’s themes of inequality and resistance. The game’s environments are filled with details, from the graffiti-covered walls of the slums to the towering spires of the elite, each area telling its own story.

But it’s the game’s soundtrack that truly elevates the experience. Composed by Ólafur Kolbeins (credited as Elektrobear), the soundtrack is a fusion of rock, synth, and chiptune, a rebellious anthem that perfectly captures the game’s spirit. The music is dynamic, shifting between muted ambiance during exploration and pulsating energy during combat. The rhythm concerts, in particular, are a highlight, with the music taking center stage as B0B0 and her band perform for the masses.

The sound design is equally impressive, with every action—from the hum of electricity to the clatter of combat—feeling weighty and impactful. The voice acting, provided by Psamathes, adds another layer of depth, with each character’s voice reflecting their personality and motivations.

---

Reception & Legacy: A Divisive Masterpiece

Keylocker’s reception has been as polarizing as its gameplay. Critics have praised its ambition, its stunning presentation, and its innovative combat system, but many have also noted its flaws, from its punishing difficulty to its occasionally inconsistent timing mechanics.

On Metacritic, the game holds a score of 69, indicating “mixed or average” reviews. Critics like Hardcore Gamer and XboxEra have lauded the game’s combat, music, and world-building, with Hardcore Gamer calling it “a great entry to the JRPG genre” and XboxEra praising its “fun, beautiful turn-based RPG” mechanics. Other outlets, like PC Gamer, have been less kind, criticizing the game’s “repetitive grind” and “punishing combat.”

Player reception has been similarly divided. On Steam, the game holds a “Very Positive” rating, with 85% of reviews recommending it. Players have praised the game’s depth, its challenging combat, and its unique blend of genres. However, some have criticized its difficulty curve, its lack of direction, and its occasional technical issues.

Despite its divisive reception, Keylocker has already begun to carve out a legacy for itself. Its blend of turn-based strategy and rhythm mechanics is a rare and innovative approach to the genre, and its themes of resistance and rebellion feel more relevant than ever. The game’s success has also helped to establish Moonana as a studio to watch, with many fans eagerly awaiting their next project.

---

Conclusion: A Flawed but Brilliant Rebellion

Keylocker: Turn Based Cyberpunk Action is a game that defies easy categorization. It is a love letter to classic JRPGs, a scathing critique of authoritarianism, and a bold experiment in gameplay design. It is a game that demands precision, rewards exploration, and punishes complacency. It is, in short, a masterpiece—albeit a flawed one.

The game’s greatest strength is its ambition. Moonana has created a world that feels alive, a combat system that is both deep and demanding, and a narrative that resonates with the struggles of the real world. The game’s flaws—its punishing difficulty, its occasional inconsistency, its lack of direction—are undeniable, but they are also part of what makes Keylocker so compelling. This is a game that refuses to hold the player’s hand, that demands mastery, and that rewards perseverance.

For fans of classic JRPGs, Keylocker is a must-play. For those who enjoy a challenge, it is a gauntlet worth running. And for those who believe in the power of art to inspire change, it is a rebellion worth joining. Keylocker is not just a game—it is a statement, a defiant symphony of sound and pixel that will linger in the minds of players long after the credits roll.

Final Verdict: 8.5/10 – A brilliant, if imperfect, rebellion.