Kalanoro turns rebellion into a musical road trip rooted in Madagascar

Overthrowing a witch requires an audience

Kalanoro launched on September 24 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. Its rebellion has an unusual plan. Kalakely must assemble a band and attract enough followers to reach the huge concert organized by Raneny, the witch ruling Lemuria. Music provides a route to the villain rather than merely accompanying the journey.

Publisher New Tales introduces the game as the debut of Madagascar-based Red Raketa Studio. Malagasy folklore shapes the adventure, with music from artists including Denise, Jyeuhair and Marco Klarck. That creative background makes this worth noticing among the week’s releases, although an interesting premise is not a substitute for a hands-on verdict.

Keeping the musicians together is part of the job

The Steam description combines platforming, fighting and band management. Kalakely uses magical hair and improvised weapons, while rescued musicians join the tour bus. The structure makes returning to the group part of progression rather than treating every companion as a completed collectible.

According to the publisher, keeping those musicians happy involves activities and cooking. Neglected band members can leave. Concerts build the following needed to reach larger stages, tying the road trip back to its original goal. We have not played the finished release, so the balance between those systems remains an open question rather than a proven strength.

Start with the PC demo

A free Steam demo provides a way to test the controls before buying. The game is listed as single-player, despite its story revolving around a group. The screenshots here are official material, not images from our own performance testing.

For an action-platforming adventure, movement is worth checking firsthand. The visual identity can get your attention immediately, but a demo helps establish whether navigating and fighting feel satisfying to you. It cannot, by itself, establish how varied the full campaign becomes.

If playing together is the priority, Hela is another adventure we are following with an explicitly cooperative approach. For experimentation with a protagonist’s powers, Fading Echo’s demo focuses on water transformations. Kalanoro’s distinct proposition is to connect its action to the messy business of keeping a touring band together.