Karaski: What Goes Up...

About

The Glorious Commonwealth’s first Airship has been sabotaged! Uncover what the passengers are hiding and write the grisly conclusion. Open-ended who-done-it mystery where others may suspect YOU if you're not careful! Dziękujemy!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story10 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features an engaging story and intriguing mystery that encourages exploration and multiple playthroughs.
The atmosphere and setting are well-crafted, with a charming low-fi aesthetic that enhances the experience.
Players have the freedom to shape their own backstory and make choices that impact their gameplay, adding depth to the narrative.

The game suffers from bugs that can hinder the experience, such as NPCs getting stuck and issues with achievements.
Many choices and exploration elements feel inconsequential, leading to a lack of meaningful outcomes in the story.
The gameplay can become monotonous and unchallenging, with some players finding the stealth mechanics lacking in depth.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
41%
14%
The story of "Karaski: What Goes Up..." is set in a charming, immersive airship environment reminiscent of a fictional 1920s Soviet state, allowing players to shape the narrative through interactions. While engaging and deeper than its cartoonish graphics suggest, the story lacks a satisfying conclusion, leaving players to fill in the gaps, which some found unsatisfactory. Overall, it offers an interesting take on interactive storytelling, though it may not meet expectations for those seeking a detailed mystery.
- “Great little game, the plot goes much deeper than the cartoonish graphics suggest. I really recommend it to anyone enjoying adventure games.”
- “The story is entirely set in an airship in a fictional Soviet-like 1920s state, with its undeniable charm, quirkiness, and latent fears, cleverly recreated not by top-notch graphics, but by a clever low-fi decor of socialist-realism-like inspiration.”
- “But if you're satisfied with making up your own story and don't mind filling in the blanks, then sure, give this one a try as well.”
- “There is a plot here, but it does not really matter at all.”
- “Karaski: What Goes Up... is an interesting experiment in the nature of interactive storytelling.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The gameplay is generally smooth and allows for satisfying exploration of the airship, with players able to approach obstacles in unique ways. However, some design choices and mechanics can become tedious over time, and the presence of bugs can detract from the experience. While the gameplay isn't particularly challenging, there is an option to increase difficulty for those seeking more of a challenge.
- “The mystery felt intriguing, the gameplay smooth enough to not bother me much, and it was satisfying to explore the ship and overcome the obstacles in what felt like my own unique way.”
- “The story doesn't have a satisfying ending, asking you to come up with your own conclusion which could've worked, I guess, but in this case just felt lazy. Several of the design choices and mechanics started to grate after a few hours of playing, and of course having to work around the bugs made the experience even more tiresome.”
- “The gameplay isn't particularly difficult, though there is an option to make it harder if that's important to you.”
- “Gameplay consists mostly of sneaking around restricted areas of the airship you're on in order to solve the mystery of who has sabotaged it.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The graphics of the game are described as simple yet effective, utilizing a low-fi aesthetic inspired by socialist realism to create a charming and atmospheric setting. While the visuals may appear cartoonish, they complement the deeper narrative and enhance the overall experience, making it a recommended choice for adventure game enthusiasts.
- “The story is entirely set into an airship in a fictional Soviet-like 1920's state with its undeniable charm, quirkiness, and latent fears, cleverly recreated not by top-notch graphics, but by a clever low-fi decor of socialist-realism-like inspiration.”
- “The writing is great, the graphics are great if simple.”
- “Great atmosphere, music, and graphics.”
- “The story is entirely set in an airship in a fictional Soviet-like 1920s state with its undeniable charm, quirkiness, and latent fears, cleverly recreated not by top-notch graphics, but by a clever low-fi decor of socialist-realism-like inspiration.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is praised for contributing to a great atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience alongside the graphics. However, some users feel that the absence of distinct ambient sounds, such as the expected humming of a steam-powered aircraft, detracts from the immersive quality, suggesting that the music could overshadow other important audio details.
- “Great atmosphere, music, and graphics.”
- “The music lacks the distinct humming ambience I would expect from a steam-powered aircraft, which could have added to the overall experience.”
- “The game could have benefited from more detailed sound design, as the music often drowns out important ambient sounds.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its meticulous craftsmanship, complemented by impressive music and graphics. Reviewers emphasize that the focus is more on the immersive environment and character depth rather than traditional gameplay elements like stealth or clue hunting.
- “It's not as much about the stealth or clue hunting; however, it's all about the lovingly crafted atmosphere and some pretty intricate characters, including your very self.”
- “Great atmosphere, music, and graphics.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its stability, with users reporting persistent bugs that remain unresolved for over a month after being reported. This ongoing issue has led to frustration among players.
- “Buggy - the second bug I found has yet to be fixed, and I reported it over a month ago.”