Horror games are one of the most popular and sensationalized genres out there. But that was not always the case. Back on older console systems, horror games were very scarce. However, this all changed when Resident Evil was released, demonstrating to the world that video games had the same capability to give thrills as the big motion pictures. In recent years, we’ve had quite a few indie horror games pay homage to the PS1 era, including Crow Country and Mouthwashing. CARIMARA has also decided to join this trend, as it uses old-school graphics to create a creepy atmosphere that feels truly eerie and unsettling.
A Murder Mystery Unfolds In An Enclaved Cottage
Straight off the bat, it’s important to note that CARIMARA is an incredibly short game and will likely take most players about an hour or so to complete. You take control of Carimara, a mute hobgoblin-esque creature who is on a mission to remove a spirit from an enclaved cottage. However, this is not as simple as casting a spell and calling it a day. Although that would be moderately amusing. Instead, you will have to figure out the circumstances that led to the spirit’s death by answering three primary questions: “Who was I?”, “Who killed me?, “What killed me?”.
From here, it’s very much a point-and-click horror mystery, where interacting with objects will give you cards, which you can use as conversation topics with characters or use on other objects to gain more clues. Think of it as dialogue or action options, but with cards replacing them. You will spend most of your time running back and forth on the cottage grounds, gathering clues, and then trying to figure out how it all ties together.
There Are Many Secrets To Uncover
The mystery is not super obvious to solve, so it’s rather unlikely you will answer the riddle on your first or even second attempt. For me, it was only when I discovered a particular item that it clicked into place who the killer was, and that was probably around the 40-minute mark. Without spoiling too much, once you solve the mystery, you can then replay again to uncover an alternative ending, so there are a lot of nuggets to find in the world. Unfortunately, I would say the central mystery was not the most satisfying because some of the answers felt a bit random.
Exploring the cottage and its immediate grounds feels very reminiscent of the old-school polygon days of gaming. For you to find all the possible hints, you will need to examine every part of the land, which sometimes means discovering niche corners or jumping onto different platforms like the rooftop of the cottage. Some of the interactive objects are nicely tucked away, so you can easily miss them if you’re not careful.
There are no traditional jump scares or any monsters hiding away, so you can take your time exploring and soaking in the environment. Even though there is only a small area for you to walk around, the world is well-designed. The cottage has a rustic interior, a purple night sky enshrouds the courtyard, and there’s even a menacing underground tunnel. The atmosphere here is simply terrific, and I really enjoyed exploring the grounds, as it feels incredibly haunted.
The Entirety of The Cottage Has A Creepy Vibe
One of the most distinctive traits of CARIMARA is that the setting is clearly inspired by Normandy folklore. It really feels like you’re cast back to the medieval era, as everything is in monochrome, with only darker shades of color appearing. It’s all very gothic, and personally, I adore the aesthetic it achieves. The characters also match this tone, as they give off creepy vibes with their caricature smiles. Considering you spend so little time with the characters, they are rather memorable and are definitely one of the highlights of the experience. My favorite was the Owl, as he is very eccentric and foul-mouthed. His personality strangely reminded me of the mischievous kids from The Nightmare Before Christmas, minus the swearing, of course.
The sound design is also deserving of high praise. The music will slightly change depending on where you are, and it completely matches the dark and spooky undertones. The sound cues are also on point, like the crows squawking or hearing the fireplace sizzle inside the cottage. The characters also speak in a gibberish language. It’s initially off-putting as it’s very full-on, but by the end, I couldn’t imagine the experience without it. It truly encapsulates an eerie yet beautiful tone.
This is not necessarily a critique as such, but it is worth mentioning that the game is not compatible with a controller at the time of writing. I wouldn’t usually bring this up with an indie title on the PC, as they’re obviously working with a much smaller budget and resources. However, because it borrows many beats from the PS1 and platformer genre, it has inadvertently alienated some of the audience it will most resonate with—casual gamers. I’ll even admit I would have far preferred playing with a controller because it just feels like that type of game.
The developer, Bastinus Rex, takes pride in saying the price of the game costs as much as a good sandwich. So, after everything is said and done, is it worth the price? If you’re looking for an atmospheric bite-sized experience, I would definitely say yes. Admittedly, the mystery here is not the best, but overall, the unique setting, old-school gameplay, and odd characters make it a hidden gem this Halloween season.
Disclaimer: Critical Reflex provided a PC (Steam) copy of CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs for review purposes.
