Kejora is a hand‑drawn 2D puzzle‑platformer about a girl stuck in a village trapped in a time loop, and in 2026 it looks like a smart buy for players who enjoy atmospheric indie adventures with light combat, environmental puzzles, and strong visual storytelling. For purely narrative‑driven or action‑heavy players, it is more of a “wishlist, try demo, then buy” candidate rather than an automatic must‑have.
What Kejora is about
Kejora follows a young girl living in a seemingly peaceful village that is secretly reliving the same day over and over again, trapping its inhabitants in an unbroken time loop. When she realizes what is happening, Kejora teams up with two close friends to investigate the strange occurrences around the village and uncover the source of the curse before midnight resets everything again.
The story draws on Indonesian folklore and the idea of a village that mysteriously vanishes and becomes a forest, combining that with themes of confinement and suspense similar to works like The Promised Neverland. The time loop is not about branching timelines but about reliving the same day until the core mystery is resolved, creating a focused narrative structure instead of a sprawling multiverse plot.
Art, atmosphere and presentation
Kejora’s standout feature is its hand‑drawn visual style, with frame‑by‑frame animation created by a small indie team that gives every scene a warm, animated‑film feel. Characters and environments are richly detailed, from the busy village streets to darker areas like forests, swamps, abandoned settlements, and underground tunnels that Kejora explores during her journey.
The art direction leans heavily into cozy yet eerie vibes, with several players and commentators noting strong “Ghibli‑like” atmosphere and creature design, particularly when monstrous beings begin to pursue Kejora after she uncovers hidden truths. The combination of gentle daily‑life scenes and unsettling supernatural elements makes the overall tone quietly haunting rather than aggressively horror‑driven.
Gameplay and mechanics
Kejora is a side‑scrolling puzzle‑platformer where you control Kejora in single‑player but are supported by two AI companions, Guntur and Jaka, each with distinct abilities that help solve environmental challenges. Guntur is physically strong and can boost Kejora to higher ledges or break certain objects, while Jaka is clever with physics, able to push heavy items and accurately throw stones to trigger switches or distract enemies.
Core gameplay mixes:
Environmental platforming: running, jumping, climbing, navigating varied biomes around the village.
Cooperative puzzle solving with AI allies, including positioning characters, swapping between them, and using icons or prompts to indicate which friend a puzzle requires.
Stealth and light enemy interaction, such as sneaking past creatures, setting simple traps, or using objects in the environment instead of heavy combat.
The demo and early playtests show a focus on readable, accessible puzzles that ramp up in complexity over time, with each region introducing mechanics that suit its setting, like new hazards or object types in forests, swamps, or tunnels. Controls and companion‑summon mechanics may feel slightly fiddly at first, but once mastered they allow satisfying multi‑character solutions that echo party‑based puzzle games.
Release date, platforms and performance
Kejora is developed by Berangin Creative and published by Soft Source, releasing as a premium indie title rather than a free‑to‑play game. The game is scheduled to launch in early 2026 on multiple platforms, including PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), Nintendo Switch, Xbox consoles, and PlayStation, making it widely accessible for both PC and console players.
Ahead of launch, a playable demo has been available on platforms like Steam and Xbox, giving interested players a chance to test performance, controls, and puzzle design on their own hardware. Early demo footage shows stable performance on mid‑range PCs and current consoles, with the modest 2D art style lending itself well to consistent frame rates and quick loading times rather than pushing cutting‑edge graphical effects.
Is Kejora worth buying in 2026?
For players who love atmospheric 2D adventures with strong art direction, small‑town mystery, and puzzle‑focused gameplay, Kejora looks very much worth buying in 2026, especially if priced in the usual indie range rather than full AAA pricing. The combination of hand‑drawn animation, Indonesian folklore, a time‑loop hook, and companion‑based environmental puzzles gives it a clear identity in a crowded indie market.
However, Kejora is not designed for everyone:
Players seeking fast‑paced combat, deep RPG systems, or massive open worlds may find its linear stages and puzzle emphasis too gentle.
Those who dislike trial‑and‑error puzzles or managing AI partners might feel some friction, particularly in more complex multi‑character sections.
If you enjoy games like puzzle‑driven platformers, narrative‑heavy indies, or titles with subtle horror and folklore undertones, Kejora is a strong recommendation and well worth buying close to release. If you are unsure, the safest route is to play the available demo first, check how you feel about the pacing and companion mechanics, then decide whether to purchase or wishlist for a future discount.
