Carrion

Carrion nails the power fantasy of being a horror movie monster, but makes exploration a chore that pads the adventure.

Carrion makes being a vicious monster satisfyingly simple and captivatingly gruesome, even if it doesn't always capitalize on its strengths.

A squirming body horror labyrinth whose mix of ability-gating and backtracking slightly cramps its matchless creature design.

Carrion is a fun reverse-horror adventure, though it doesn't push the concept to the heights of its potential.

Carrion is a body horror masterpiece

With the gameplay flow struggling to find a pulse, the novelty of controlling a monster doesn't fully take shape

Inspired by a 1950s sci-fi horror movie, Carrion turns you into a malign marauding blob, swallowing scientists whole

The result, for me, was anxiety. A low background hum of “did I miss something”, combined with the high notes of being unable to find the next new area. It was enough to shade my entire experience with Carrion, turning a pleasant enough Metroidvania with a one-of-a-kind protagonist into something I felt like I was struggling to escape from.

If you're looking for a cathartic pick-up-and-play game with little to no fat that you can slip in between this summer's massive story-driven titles, that's Carrion all the way. It's a devilish snack.

Most importantly, Carrion’s smart. It’s an extremely finely crafted game, so much so that you’re essentially playing a meat-smeared Metroidvania without a map, and you won’t even miss it. That’s quite something.