Katharsi

About

Katharsi is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Team Countdown and was released on June 12, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Katharsi is a puzzle adventure set in a corrupted Byzantine cathedral. With the help of your companion, cleanse and illuminate the path in front of you by harnessing the power of the light. Solve the puzzles that block your path and reveal the truth behind this story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 21 reviews

gameplay2 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game offers enjoyable and satisfying puzzles that are reminiscent of classic titles like Portal 2 and Myst.
As a free student project, it provides a solid and atmospheric experience with interesting puzzle mechanics and a straightforward story.
The visuals, when played on lower settings, still manage to create a fitting atmosphere for the game's theme.

The game suffers from technical issues, particularly on handheld devices, leading to performance drops and a lack of optimization.
It is very short, with some players finishing it in under 30 minutes, which may leave some wanting more depth and complexity.
The graphics and voice acting are rough, and the story feels incomplete, lacking a coherent narrative to enhance the experience.

optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, forcing players to use low settings to avoid performance problems, despite the visuals being acceptable at that level. Many reviewers express that with better optimization and visual polish, the game could have reached its full potential.
- “I released 2 of my own games; although I don't know Unreal Engine like you guys do, as a programmer for 14 years, I completely comprehend the rendering APIs, game engines, SDKs, optimization techniques, and how they work.”
- “Please teach them optimization.”
- “The game is not well-optimized; I was forced to use low settings as anything higher caused performance problems.”
- “It's a neat proof-of-concept that, with more optimization and visual polish, could have been truly excellent.”
- “- had to play on low because of performance (but it still looks fine on low)”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's story is generally considered straightforward and somewhat lacking in depth, with some players finding it incoherent in relation to the gameplay. While the narrative includes intriguing elements and potential, it often feels overshadowed by the puzzle mechanics, which are the main focus of the experience.
- “Solve the puzzles that block your path and reveal the truth behind this story.”
- “Fun little puzzle game, like the story, lots of potential, would love to see a brightness slider though.”
- “There is no real story, just some cringe dialogue with a magic ball here and there, and a short puzzle game.”
- “The game has a story, but it didn't feel completely coherent with what I was doing.”
- “Interesting puzzle mechanics with a straightforward story.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the great visuals on ultra settings and endearing narration, while others noted rough edges, crude character modeling, and performance issues that caused overheating. Overall, the graphical quality varies significantly throughout the game, impacting the overall experience.
- “Great visuals playing on ultra graphics, accompanied with some endearing narration.”
- “The graphics are very rough, and the voice acting also isn't great, but I had fun with the later and more complex puzzles.”
- “There are some rough edges; even after adjusting the graphical settings, my computer's fans went into overdrive. The modeling of the soldier is relatively crude compared to the cathedral itself, and there is no save feature (though this hardly matters for such a short game).”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay features engaging puzzle mechanics centered around using light to purify a corrupted Byzantine cathedral, complemented by a straightforward narrative. However, the visual style, while thematically appropriate, is criticized for being too grey and could be improved with a more vibrant art direction to better highlight the cleansing mechanic.
- “Interesting puzzle mechanics with a straightforward story.”
- “The core gameplay of using light to cleanse a corrupted Byzantine cathedral is compelling.”
- “The visual style, while fitting for the theme, comes off as quite grey and could benefit from a more distinct or colorful art direction to enhance the 'cleansing' mechanic.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Katharsi delivers a solid and immersive atmospheric puzzle experience, effectively capturing a thick ambiance despite some technical limitations, particularly on handheld devices. The core concept is well-executed, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
- “As a free student project, Katharsi offers a solid and atmospheric puzzle experience, though it's held back by some technical shortcomings, especially on handhelds.”
- “The atmosphere is thick and the core concept is well-executed.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its cool soundtrack, effectively enhancing the mood and atmosphere, and contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- “Very cool soundtrack too!”
- “The music fits the mood and scene, and makes the game come together.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a strong emotional impact, with players expressing feelings of love and connection, while others find the experience overwhelming or distressing, indicating a polarizing effect on emotions.
- “I genuinely hate you; I didn't need this emotional trip.”
- “Never forget you're loved.”