Kiln

Kiln by Double Fine offers a uniquely creative twist on the MOBA genre, combining pottery crafting with strategic 4v4 battles. Players sculpt and customize pots that serve as their characters, each shape and size influencing gameplay abilities and stats. The game’s charm lies in its quirky art style, humorous tone, and the satisfying pottery creation mechanics that allow for personal expression and experimentation.

However, Kiln currently features only one game mode, limiting replayability and variety. The combat, while accessible and fun, is often described as simplistic and lacking depth, with some players feeling it leans too heavily on generic MOBA templates rather than fully embracing its creative premise. Performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, and a progression system that locks many mechanics early on have also been points of concern. Despite these flaws, many players appreciate the game’s potential and hope for future updates to expand modes, improve balance, and optimize performance.

Highlights

Players praise Kiln’s innovative blend of pottery crafting with multiplayer brawling, highlighting the deep customization and creativity in pot design. The charming, whimsical art style and vibrant maps themed around mythological gods enhance the immersive experience. The game’s accessibility and casual fun, combined with strategic elements tied to pot shapes and sizes, are noted as standout features. Additionally, the community enjoys the social aspects of sharing and collecting pottery designs, and many appreciate Double Fine’s signature humor and unique approach to game design.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the limited content, with only one game mode available leading to repetitive gameplay. Many players find the combat mechanics basic, sometimes unresponsive, and lacking strategic depth. The progression system is seen as restrictive, locking key features behind levels and purchases, which hampers creative freedom early on. Performance issues, including poor optimization and high system requirements, detract from the experience for some users. Furthermore, matchmaking and party systems have usability problems, and occasional bugs such as invincibility glitches impact gameplay quality.