Welcome to the Karoshi Club

Welcome to the Karoshi Club

Kamishibai Interactive · December 27, 2023 · Casual, Visual Novel, Anime, Exploration, 2D

Welcome to the Karoshi Club is free to play — no purchase needed. We track it so you know if that ever changes.

PC
Very Positive91% · 173
This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →

Welcome to the Karoshi Club price

Welcome to the Karoshi Club is free to play — there is no purchase price, on Steam or anywhere else we track. We keep watching it, so if it ever stops being free the price history on this page will show when that happened and what it changed to.

About Welcome to the Karoshi Club

"Welcome to the Karoshi Club" is a free visual novel set in the Japanese horror business punk in black and white manga style. The story follows Kenji Haishima, a former game developer, as he tries to find a new job and land an interview for the sales specialist position at a new company. As the player, you will face the consequences of your choices. Explore the "Karoshi Club" world and uncover the terrifying truth. Enjoy a thrilling experience and immerse yourself in this unique visual novel.
It is a fact that we are keen on expanding the universe of "Karoshi Club" in collaboration with the gaming community. Therefore, "Welcome to the Karoshi Club" is a free showcase of our primary product. We are looking to get feedback on the game to determine whether we are heading in the right direction and identify what we did well and what needs improvement.
  • Job Interview Horror Simulator: Experience the fear of job searching in a new reality
  • Art: This game's visual style is reminiscent of other famous horror manga artists
  • Setting: The crisis in Japan during the 90s is relevant to modern times
Our multinational indie team is a group of game developers impacted by layoffs in the gaming industry in 2023. However, we refused to give up and used this to create something of our own. We are determined to develop games and create specific worlds we are passionate about, and we hope you will love them just as much as we do.

Listen to the stories from Kamishibai while you sit back.

Welcome to the Karoshi Club — game info

Platforms
Windows
Steam Deck
Playable
Player modes
Single-player
PC Game Pass
Not included

DLC & expansions

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

✦ AI summary

Players praise this free game for its distinctive artistic style inspired by Junji Ito and its literary, old-fashioned character dialogue that creates an engaging contrast with the modern setting. The relatable protagonist and atmospheric presentation make it a worthwhile short experience, though players note it's brief and wish it offered more content, longer gameplay, or additional endings to justify a paid release. While competent across all aspects, the game doesn't excel dramatically in any particular area but delivers a solid, atmospheric experience that most find worth the time investme

Recommended Jul 17, 2026
It is a really interesting psychological horror visual novel. You play as Kenji, a former game developer who is looking for a new job. Most of the game takes place during a strange job interview, where you need to make choices and decide whether to tell the truth or lie. As you explore the office and interact with different characters, things slowly become stranger, and you start to question what is really happening. The game has 3 different endings, and some of them completely surprised me, so I recommend trying them all to discover every outcome. The black and white manga style artwork gives the game a unique and creepy atmosphere, and the music makes the experience even more immersive. Best of all, it's free, so I highly recommend giving it a try if you enjoy short horror stories with interesting choices and multiple endings.
11 found this helpful
Recommended Feb 20, 2026
[u][b]Overall Recommended:[/b][/u] ✅ [b]Gameplay[/b]: ❤️❤️🤍 [b]Graphics[/b]: ❤️❤️❤ [b]Story[/b]: ❤️❤️🤍 [b]Music/Sounds[/b]: ❤️❤️🤍 [b]Jumpscares[/b]: ❎ [b]Bugs[/b]: 🚫 -------------------------------- [b][u]Total:[/u][/b] ❤️❤️❤️🤍 comment: A quick but good read with simple yet good graphics, definitely could have been a paid game (and would have loved if the game was a bit longer or had a few more endings)
3 found this helpful
Recommended Aug 20, 2026
Welcome to the Karoshi Club turns one of modern working life’s most uncomfortable rituals, the job interview, into the foundation for a strange and effective psychological horror story. Rather than beginning with monsters, abandoned buildings, or conventional supernatural threats, it focuses on unemployment, professional insecurity, corporate expectations, and the pressure to convince strangers that you are worthy of a job. Developed and published by Kamishibai Interactive, this free visual novel describes its distinctive style as Japanese horror “business punk,” and that unusual combination gives the experience a personality noticeably different from typical indie horror. The story follows Kenji Haishima, a former game developer attempting to find employment and secure a sales specialist position. What initially appears to be an ordinary career problem gradually becomes considerably more disturbing. The premise works because Kenji’s situation is believable before the horror elements begin taking control. Searching for work already carries rejection, uncertainty, financial anxiety, and the uncomfortable necessity of presenting an idealized version of yourself. The game takes these…
1 found this helpful
Recommended Dec 24, 2025
It's decent, and it's free, so it's a "why not" kind of game. It's not particularly great at any aspect, but it's not bad either. I enjoyed it for what it is, and I don't particularly regret playing it, so it's a pretty fair way to spend 40 minutes.
1 found this helpful
Recommended Jun 15, 2026
I really liked how the character’s inner thoughts & dialogue had an old-fashioned, literary tone that made it feel like u're reading a piece of classic literature. It creates a humorous contrast with the modern setting The main character’s worries about his job feel very relatable, adding a grounded emotional layer to the experience Overall, this game is a must-play for anyone who loves Junji Ito’s art style (˶◜ᵕ◝˶) It’s also free to play & the achievements are easy to unlock
Recommended Apr 5, 2026
«Поиск и устройство самого себя». «Жестокий реалист к самому себе». «Необходимость выходить за свои рамки». « I k n o w y o u r f e e l i n g s »

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