CARRION Reviews

rate games on a 1-5 scale a la X-PLAY (no decimals) 3/5 It’s certainly interesting and does well in regard to the general puzzles and problem solving. One thing that is a little frustrating is the lack of a map but I was able to get through the whole until quite literally the very very end because I took a break and couldn’t figure out where to go. Still the premise of the game is great and I would love to see more of something like this. Also for 4-5 hours definitely playing at least once. There is some decent challenge in how to approach different situations as well.

Very fun, great controls, natural learning. Make sure you can really sit down and play through the game in one or two shots, it can be easy to get lost if you pick it up and put it down a lot

An absolute experience. ~5 hrs of gameplay for a first run through, but you could probably play for 10 hrs if you wanted to 100% it

A reverse-horror game in which I get to terrorize a laboratory, and cackle manically while doing so? Excellent, give me like 10 more.

Overall, a pretty fun and relatively unique game. The only criticism that I'd give is that the game could seriously use some sort of minimap or other navigation system, as it's very easy to get lost in the game, especially when backtracking in order to get the bonus upgrades. However this isn't enough to make me dislike the game in any real capacity.

[quote=Phobia Game Studio]"CARRION is a reverse horror game in which you assume the role of an amorphous creature of unknown origins, stalking and consuming those that imprisoned you."[/quote] Carrion is a neat little puzzle horror game that seems easy at first, until you start progressing throughout each level discovering different ways to tackle each scenario. As you unlock new abilities, different areas in previous levels suddenly become accessible, opening the player to new puzzles that require knowledge of each ability. [h2]🌺 PROS[/h2] [list] [*]Interesting / Unique gameplay [*]Retro / Old school aesthetics [*]Puzzle difficulty increases as you progress [*]Upgrade system fits in with the story / lore [*]Easily 6 hours of gameplay (7.5 hours if you get stuck finding old puzzles like me) [/list] [h2]🙏 CONS[/h2] [list] [*]There are some bugs that might just get you stuck until you restart / die [*]Getting closer to the endgame has you wishing for a minimap / full map [*]Some of the enemy AI can just bug out (might just be my PC) [/list] Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Carrion! 💕

My first impression of this game was very good. The game's concept is innovative and seemed pretty well executed. The movement and interaction feels nice and eating the humans is fun. Visuals and sounds are pretty good in my opinion. But where this game fails at is the level design. After about 45 minutes in I found myself getting pretty lost. I was moving around between rooms and even entire levels without having a clue on where to go next. I feel this game should be focused around the interactions with the world and the humans. Instead of that, there are only a handful of humans to eat on each map. For the rest it's running in circles and trying to figure out if you missed a switch or an exit. The open world structure of the maps doesn't suit the game I think. I was expecting a game with a more linear design where you would progress through a number of levels with increasing difficulty and complexity as you move on. Sadly I have to say I find this game a missed oportunity.

Ever wonder if there's an actual horror game where you play as the one who obliterates, kills, and destroy everything from beginning to the end? then this game is the right one for you

this game is great at full price but now it's only 5.99 on Steam and worth every penny.

Overall: 7/10 Story: CARRION doesn’t put much emphasis on storytelling, but that’s not really the point. There’s no deep lore or complex dialogue, just raw, visceral action. The plot, however, is easy to piece together through the chaos you create. You play as a horrifying amorphous mass-of-flesh with countless meat tendrils and razor teeth-ridden mouths, driven by an insatiable hunger. After breaking out of the containment unit where you were being held, you rampage through a secret underground lab, devouring every scientist and security guard unlucky enough to cross your path. Your ultimate goal? Escape, make it to the surface, and presumably continue your reign of terror on the world above. There are a few brief flashbacks that hint at how the creature was discovered, serving as minor foreshadowing, but the narrative remains simple: you’re a monster, you eat people, and you grow stronger. And honestly, that’s all it needs to be. CARRION’s story isn’t told through words, it’s told through destruction. Gameplay: As mentioned, instead of running from a terrifying creature, you ARE the terrifying creature in this game. a writhing, ever-growing mass that rampages through a science facility, consuming everything in its path. And let me tell you, the pure carnage is incredibly fun. The highlight of CARRION is undoubtedly the power fantasy it provides. You are an overpowered wrecking ball, smashing through doors, throwing storage units at enemies, and yanking terrified scientists into vents. It really makes you feel like a monstrous parasite, and the sheer brutality of it never gets old. The fluctuating biomass mechanic is also a very cool feature but one I have some gripes with. Your creature’s size directly affects your abilities, and I like how you can shed mass to use certain skills and then absorb it back when needing to use other skills. This system is smooth, intuitive, and adds a nice layer of strategy to the chaos. However, what surprised me was how much of the game is actually puzzle-solving rather than non-stop destruction. A large portion of CARRION revolves around figuring out how to flip switches and open unbreakable doors. While I did enjoyed the challenge, I'll be the first to say I'm not the biggest fan of puzzles in general, and wish the game leaned more into the destruction aspect rather than the navigation/puzzle aspect. This is why I have mixed opinions on the mass-shedding gameplay feature. If you’re too big, you might have to backtrack, shrink yourself, then go back again for the next puzzle. It’s a cool idea, but it happens frequently and gets in the way of the carnage. Another major issue is navigation. The problem is that many environments look too similar, and this game doesn’t do a great job of guiding the player around. There were multiple times where I found myself completely lost, circling the same areas over and over, but I'll focus on that in the next section. World: CARRION's world/level design absolutely nails its atmosphere. From the moment you slither out of your containment unit, the game immerses you in a world that feels both hostile and helpless against your unstoppable rampage. The environments are appropriately grim: dimly lit laboratories, cold industrial corridors, and organic tunnels slowly being overtaken by your spreading biomass. It all feels right for the game’s tone, reinforcing the sense that you are an aberration consuming everything in your path. However, while this game does a great job with its atmosphere, navigation is my biggest gripe with the world design. As I mentioned in the previous section, the levels, while visually appropriate, suffer from blending together too much. There’s a lot of repetition in the environments like sterile hallways, metal backgrounds, and underground tunnels that often look nearly identical. Without a map or clear indicators, it’s way too easy to get lost. I often found myself wandering in circles, unsure if I was progressing or just backtracking. This game technically has metroidvania-like elements, but its linearity with progression makes it feel more like a puzzle-based obstacle course rather than an interconnected world. The issue is that trying to figure out where to go next often kills the pacing, forcing you to stop your rampage just to hunt for the right path. To be fair, I understand that the game wants you to feel like an alien creature navigating the labyrinthine guts of a human facility. But in practice, it leads to frustration more often than immersion. I rarely look up guides for games on my first playthrough, but I HAD to do it multiple times here, which says a lot for a game this short. A simple map or better visual cues could have made a world of difference. To put it simply, I personally feel that, while CARRION excels in atmosphere and environmental immersion, its level design holds it back. The allure is strong, but the lack of clear navigation makes exploring feel like a chore instead of a thrill. If you have a good sense of direction, you might not mind as much, but for me, it was the biggest drawback in an otherwise unique and engaging world. Visuals: One of my absolute favorite things about this game is its visuals. The pixel art style is not only stunning but also perfectly suited to the game’s atmosphere and themes. The grotesque, fluid animations of the creature are mesmerizing, making every movement feel organic and unsettling in the best way possible. The environments, too, are incredibly well-crafted; Every section of the facility has an oppressive feel, reinforcing the sense of being trapped in this industrial nightmare. While I did have some complaints about navigation in terms of visuals, I never found backtracking to be a major issue in terms of general art direction. Some areas do look too similar, which can lead to a confusion, but I do think the overall design of the map keeps things visually engaging. There's never a point where the environments feel naturally bland or repetitive (unless you get stuck going in circles). Additionally, one of the most satisfying moments in the game is reaching the checkpoint locations, where you can 'spread your biomass' and save. Seeing these areas shift and mutate as you infect them is an incredible touch, visually reinforcing the creature’s growing presence in the facility. Music/Sound Design: The Music and Sound Design is just as vital to the experience as its grotesque, reverse-horror gameplay. Every aspect of the audio, from the unsettling ambient hums to the visceral squelch of the creature’s movements, creates a deeply immersive atmosphere that grips you from start to finish. What stands out most is how the sound design makes you feel INSIDE the monster. The wet, slithering tendrils of the amorphous creature you control don’t just look disgusting, they SOUND disgusting. Every lurch, splatter, and whip is rendered in gory detail, making even the simple act of movement feel unnerving. Furthermore, the way doors creak under your weight or how a vent shatters with an explosive crash when you burst through it adds to the immersion greatly. Then there’s the OST. Rather than just punctuating scares like a typical horror score, CARRION’s music moves seamlessly with the action, layering eerie synths, droning industrial tones, and intense crescendos that amplify the tension. In quieter moments, the soundtrack hums ominously in the background, its deep, resonant tones making you feel like a predator lurking in the shadows. But when chaos erupts, when scientists flee in terror or when you tear through security forces, the music swells into a frantic, distorted frenzy, making every moment of destruction feel even more intense. Perhaps the most impressive part of the sound design is how cohesive it all feels. The way the creature’s noises blend with the environment, the unsettling silence that makes every sudden sound hit harder, etc. all works together to pull you deeper into the horror.