KARAKARA
- June 27, 2016
- calme
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"KARAKARA is a single-player Erotic Visual Novel game with an intriguing story, beautiful graphics, and a fantastic soundtrack. In a world on the brink of extinction, follow the lives of two people running a small diner, dealing with the harsh realities of their new world while trying to keep their customers fed. The game offers a wholesome story of survival and daily life in a desolate landscape."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The art style is beautiful and the character designs are cute, making the visual experience enjoyable.
- The story is heartwarming and features charming characters, creating a light and relaxing atmosphere.
- The voice acting is well done, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
- The game is very short, taking only about 2-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- There are no choices or branching paths, making it a linear experience that lacks replayability.
- The plot feels rushed and underdeveloped, with many interesting elements introduced but not fully explored.
- story431 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Karakara" is a short, heartwarming visual novel set in a post-apocalyptic world, focusing on the daily lives of a traveling merchant named Leon and his cat companion, Lucia, as they navigate a colorful yet desolate landscape. While the narrative is engaging and features charming character interactions, many players feel it lacks depth and is too brief, leaving them wanting more exploration of the intriguing backstory and world-building elements. Overall, the story is described as cute and enjoyable, but its short length and linear progression may not satisfy those seeking a more complex or lengthy narrative experience.
“Players follow the story of the protagonist, a traveling merchant known as 'Leon,' and his grumpy and cynical cat companion, 'Lucia,' as they journey across the barren wasteland of a world devoid of color.”
“Although short, Karakara presents an engaging and satisfying story that will keep players hooked from beginning to end.”
“Overall, Karakara is a delightful visual novel that is perfect for gamers who want a unique and engaging storytelling experience in a post-apocalyptic setting.”
“I was quite surprised that the game ended because it's like they didn't want to continue the story and then threw the ending at my head.”
“They try to make a story, but since the game is way too short, you don't get much out of it.”
“The story doesn't really feel like it forms a cohesive whole, and if you perform even the most cursory poking at the backstory, everything falls apart.”
- music110 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its soothing and atmospheric qualities, often compared to the soundtracks of Studio Ghibli films. Many players found the soundtrack to be a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience with its pleasant melodies, although some noted a lack of variety and occasional forgettable tracks. Overall, the music is described as a perfect complement to the game's visuals and story, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
“The soundtrack is my favorite part of the game; it reminds me of something out of a Ghibli film, and who doesn't like cute girls with animal ears?”
“The music flows nicely and is easy to listen to.”
“The music is pretty good, though there isn't much variety.”
“As for audio, the music isn't exactly remarkable, but it makes for a good background.”
“The music doesn't appeal to me personally, but for anyone who likes it, this is a nice free alternative to paid soundtrack DLC.”
“The art and music are generic and there is little of it.”
- graphics78 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork, charming character designs, and vibrant colors, often evoking nostalgia for classic visual novels. The art style is described as cute and well-suited to the story, complemented by a lovely soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some reviewers noted that the visuals may not be as high-tech as other titles, they still found them to be engaging and a highlight of the game.
“The beautiful artwork, charming dialogue, and unforgettable characters make this game a pleasure to play.”
“The visuals are fantastic, and although perhaps not as high tech as the stuff you see in games like Nekopara, the art style suits the story perfectly and just explodes with charm and cuteness.”
“The artwork is very pretty and of high quality.”
“Visuals may be pretty, but the plot does not make up for it.”
“Apart from this though, everything's really great - including the character sprites and so on, if you don't take into account the fact that the graphics are a little bit made too much in the same style.”
“This is mildly more forgivable here with the desolate setting than in many other visual novels where the text describes a crowded scene, but the graphics show an empty one, but there are still a few scenes where a number of 'extras' off in the distance would have been appropriate.”
- emotional40 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -5 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome narrative, often set in a post-apocalyptic world featuring unique characters. Players appreciate the engaging and bittersweet moments that evoke a range of feelings, from humor to deeper emotional connections, despite some critiques regarding its brevity and simplicity. Overall, it successfully delivers a satisfying and touching experience, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a light, feel-good story.
“This is a peaceful and wholesome story where the character is going through life and finding peace in it through a mysterious world that the population knows little about.”
“Heartfelt and bittersweet story.”
“The story is engaging, curious, and even sometimes emotional.”
“The story feels shallow and is merely a vehicle for sexual content, which detracts from any emotional depth.”
“The emotional impact is lost due to the lack of a compelling narrative.”
“I found the emotional elements to be underwhelming and poorly executed.”
- humor19 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by cute and funny characters, lighthearted dialogue, and a charmingly simple story that evokes laughter and warmth. While some reviews note a lack of depth, the overall tone is enjoyable and filled with mild fan service, making it a delightful experience for players seeking a sweet and humorous narrative. The combination of humor and engaging art contributes to a memorable and entertaining gameplay experience.
“The characters are really cute and funny, which made it worthwhile, and they all have their own personality to give you a reason to like them even more.”
“The humorous dialogue gave me a lot of chuckles, and the artwork is great!”
“Definitely a great romance novel with a sense of humor and sarcasm in an agreeable way.”
- character development17 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and emotional connection with the characters, others find it lacking or rushed, particularly given the short story length. The character designs are consistently praised for their uniqueness and beauty, enhancing the overall experience, but the narrative's pacing and engagement vary significantly among players. Overall, while there are moments of strong character development, it may not be enough to leave a lasting impression for all players.
“For a kinetic novel, this is really good with the story and character development.”
“The three characters work pretty well with each other and there's some nice character development in there, even if it is a little rushed at the start.”
“There's great character development, and you really do feel for the characters here.”
“If I am to be blatantly honest, I don't remember much about the story, or any of the character development whatsoever.”
“Boring and slow story, really not interesting; to top it off, we have unappealing character designs and cringy love scenes.”
“There's only a bit of character development since the story is short.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Karakara is primarily focused on advancing the story by pressing the "enter" button, with no choices or branching paths, categorizing it more as a kinetic novel. While some players appreciate the solid execution and beautiful backgrounds, others criticize the lack of interactivity and short playtime, leading to mixed reviews on its overall gameplay experience.
“Karakara is a visual novel that features solid gameplay; you simply press the 'enter' button to read and advance the story. The cool opening intro and epic backgrounds enhance the experience, making it highly recommendable.”
“Karakara is quite a heartwarming novel that I've read up until now, despite having less than 4 hours of gameplay.”
“On Steam, Karakara should really be tagged as a 'kinetic novel'; it has no choices, story branches, or any sort of gameplay beyond simply clicking to advance to the next piece of the story.”
“Length of gameplay is rather short.”
“Karakara is quite a lightwarming novel that I've read up until now despite having only less than 4 hours of gameplay.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its low replayability, with users noting the absence of choices and multiple routes, leading to a static experience. Many reviewers highlight the short length and lack of depth in the story, resulting in minimal incentive to replay. Overall, the consensus suggests a replay value close to zero.
“Anyways, it definitely lacks replayability - there is not a single choice to make during the whole novel, and most of all it's short.”
“You won't find a deep backstory, you won't find much replayability since the story's always the same and you won't get any possibility to change your character's destiny.”
“There's not much in terms of replayability as the game only has one route.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the visual novel is characterized by a relaxing ambiance, enhanced by soothing ambient music and beautiful artwork. While some music tracks are memorable and contribute positively to the experience, others are deemed forgettable, yet overall, the atmosphere effectively supports the romantic themes of the game.
“So, all in all, this is a very good visual novel talking about romance in a relaxing atmosphere, with soothing ambient music (with a great song at the end too!) and awesome artworks and backgrounds.”
“The art is nice and pretty to look at, and the upbeat music supports the relaxing atmosphere.”
“Certain pieces like 'Calm Days', 'Prank', and 'Happy Days' are catchy and chill, but most of the rest are atmospheric, borderline forgettable music. The music count is also not that big; it's not a problem by any means, but it works when it's supposed to, so it gets a pass from me.”
