Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs

Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a slight but wonderful mystery and, to be fair, it's only a few dollars for the privilege of puzzling it out for yourself (the developer even says in the credits that it'd be excellent to bring this puzzle formula forward into new adventures – which I'd love to see). Estimated to take a little over an hour to clear, it took me more like thirty minutes.

A nice creature willing to help a spirit that refuses to leave for the afterlife. A fairytale atmosphere. Good stories come in small jars.

CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs’ greatest detriments are that aforementioned length and lack of depth. It has a really great core concept, and an excellent atmosphere, but it feels more like the beginning of an adventure rather than a complete tale.

CARIMARA is a creepy horror mystery based on Normandy folklore. The atmosphere encapsulates an eerie yet beautiful tone, which is mesmerizing to play. However, the experience is very short, and the central mystery falls flat because some of the answers are unsatisfying.

Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a short, stylish, and wonderfully eerie mystery that trades cheap scares for a deep sense of unease and tension. Its inventive card-based communication system keeps you on your toes (and scouring the environment for clues), its haunting atmosphere feels eerie throughout, whilst its gorgeous old-school visuals help make for a world that’s constantly unsettling – and I mean that in the best possible way. Sure, it’s over quickly and it doesn’t really offer much reason to replay, but what’s here is sharp, memorable, and perfectly paced. Unsettling, clever, and quietly haunting from start to finish, you simply won’t want to miss out on Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs this Halloween.

Like a good sandwich, Carimara is satisfying.

Creepy and unsettling, Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a unique take on a 'whodunnit' mystery, and it's unlike anything you'll have played before. A short game at a budget price, this is a creative gem well worth your time this Halloween.

In a year of sprawling AAA releases, CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs proves that sometimes the most powerful stories whisper, not shout. For an hour, it invites you to sit in the dark, listen to the dust, and remember — even silence has something to say.

One of the prettiest games you can find with a boatload of fascinating secrets based on underexplored folklore, CARIMARA: beneath the forlorn limbs is a must-play this season.