![]() ![]() ![]() Every once in a while, you are given the opportunity to play as a human during dreamlike cutscenes. That said, the only times I failed were when I lost control of the monster due to unwieldy controls as I ran straight into a pack of soldiers with electric riot shields and assault rifles.įlaws aside, Carrion has a few interesting moments that lend perspective to the genre. Navigating the map usually took so long that when I got to a puzzle room or boss encounter, I was anticipating a challenge. There's an ocean floor, a uranium mine, and a city skyline so who knows where you are?Īt first, Carrion sucks you in with its perfectly creepy aesthetic but while the act of rushing through corridors and whipping hunks of metal around as you devour scientists is fun, it doesn't feel like a substantial gameplay formula. ![]() With such a rich atmosphere, it's a shame that there's no compelling reason to stay in its world. There isn't anything extra to explore or discover which feels like a flop for any Metroidvania. The only thing to do is wipe out enemies while solving basic environmental puzzles. While the map is beautiful in a terrifying and slimy way, it doesn't feel rewarding to explore. However, not enough of that effort was put into making the gameplay appropriately challenging. A lot of work was also put into the audio design, delivering every sound you'd expect from a giant mass of organs slithering through a military facility. The dark sci-fi pixel art and chilling cinematic music go a long way towards making Carrion a memorable horror experience. This works and Carrion is visually immersive but frustration can also disrupt immersion which I feel is an oversight. The idea was probably that since you play a parasite, the developers thought it would ruin the atmosphere to give you an interface. Unfortunately, you are never given a map. There is variance in the areas as you'll find a toxic landfill, an ocean floor, a uranium mine, and more. There are multiple areas, each blocked by a gate that you can only squeeze through by spreading enough of your biomass. Navigating Carrion's map feels like I'm sight-reading an orchestral work written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Mini-boss encounters provide some small combat challenges If I'm going to play a Metroidvania, I expect the map to be long and twisting while testing my patience and ability to backtrack. This brings me to my biggest qualm and what genuinely kept me from enjoying much of the campaign. Also, many abilities such as Hydrophilia (which turns you into a swarm of worms that can pass through gates) will give you access to previously inaccessible rooms. ![]() Along the way, you'll unlock new abilities that you can use to solve environmental puzzles and progress through the map. While there is almost no text to guide you, the only thing you can do is creep around and eat people so it's safe to say that's the goal. You begin Carrion by exploding out of a test tube then start your chaotic warpath. Think John Carpenter's The Thing meets Mewtwo. Carrion is a short Metroidvania developed by Phobia Game Studio that allows you to play as a parasitic creature made of guts and eyeballs that bounces from room to room while decimating the scientists who created it. I love horror but reverse horror titles that put you in the role of a monster are rare. This was the last time I played a game like Carrion. As you finish off the last humans at around 1AM, you decide that is enough Kongregate for the night. The brief flash game reverses the concept of horror by placing you in the shoes of a parasitic monster that haunts a rural family. You're sitting at your laptop browsing Kongregate for a hot new flash game when a spooky point-and-click adventure called The Visitor crosses your eye. Enjoy your stay and visit us again soon! □ New areas are unlocked by spreading enough biomass to break gates │ We value your experience at Video Chums so we display very few ads. Reversing the role of hero and villain results in interesting experiences so here's Carrion from Devolver Digital and Phobia Game Studio. Reviewed by Ross Smith playing a Nintendo Switch on August 26, 2020Ĭarrion is also available for PS5, PS4, and Xbox One ![]()
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