I’ve always been a fan of games that turn the tides on humans. I blame War of the Monsters (2003) on PlayStation 2 for kickstarting that human-crushing joy. Over the years we’ve seen plenty of puny-human games for players to smash and crash through, but rarely have we gotten such an intimate chance as Carrion to do so in such a clandestine way.
Even though Carrion (official website) is basically about the world’s scariest germ becoming sentient, the game’s 2020 release wasn’t impeded by the pandemic. The game received high reviews across the board, and it found a snug slot on my Steam Wishlist where it rested for nearly four years. A few weekends ago I noticed the game went on sale for a decent discount, I knew I’d have a weekend away from my desktop and it seemed like a great option for the Steam Deck.
Carrion was one of the best game I’ve played so far on my Steam Deck.
The side-scrolling design of the game and the chaotic, imprecise utility that is monster control, fit perfectly to the Steam Deck. I had zero issues with playing the game on the Steam Deck. There are no clunky menus to navigate (looking at you, Stardew Valley), the graphics don’t turn the Steam Deck into a burning piece of charcoal in my palms, nor is the game complex demanding my attention while I’m trying to chill on the couch and be semi-social.
The way the monster glides across surfaces, with tentacles automatically latching out as you direct the monster’s momentum is satisfying to watch and control. The abilities that you “unlock” all help you feel more and more like a predator, even as the enemies become far more than helpless. The sounds keep things creepy, while the graphics keep things from being too gross. There’s just so much to appreciate about how this game was made. But the main takeaway to latch onto is that Carrion is a very satisfying experience from start to finish.
My singular issue with the game was that near the end, your monster (which grows as the game progresses) becomes so big that it gets unwieldy to maneuver. Now, I get it, the game is implying that the monster is even getting out of MY control—I love that subtle fourth-wall smashing—but at the same time, it did result in a few frustrating segments.
But truly, that was my only issue with Carrion. Discounted or not, I feel confident recommending this game to almost everyone. It’s definitely not one for the youngsters or people squeamish to blood and hearing people screaming for their lives…so keep that in mind.
This game was reviewed using a retail copy of the game, purchased by the reviewer.
