Carrion

 Xbox One
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 61 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 61
  3. Negative: 4 out of 61

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  1. Xplocion
    Oct 24, 2020
    8
    The good:
    Horror and gore "Metroidvania" where you control a creature that must escape from a secret facility by sneaking through ducts and the air system. It has interesting stealth mechanics. Great way to show the different progressive abilities of the creature by levels. 650G just doing the story (the rest is evolving the creature to the maximum). It's on the Xbox Game Pass. Less than    The good:
    Horror and gore "Metroidvania" where you control a creature that must escape from a secret facility by sneaking through ducts and the air system. It has interesting stealth mechanics. Great way to show the different progressive abilities of the creature by levels. 650G just doing the story (the rest is evolving the creature to the maximum). It's on the Xbox Game Pass. Less than 400Mb of space of pure fun and pixelated gore. You just have to endure the initial shock and disgust and you will find a very fun game.

    The bad:
    Very short. To be “a Metroidvania” (actually, it's Backtracking) without a map, it makes things very difficult for the desperate or those who get lost easily (although having a map could make the game last even less). After seeing the end credits and getting the achievements there are no more (it is not very replayable). More powerful or complicated enemies are needed. There are no fast travel points.

    What Meh:
    If you don't like gore, you are easily grossed out by shellfish, misshapen things and slimes this is not your game. An Indie game that many are missing just for not having a reputation and would go unnoticed in the Store if it were not on Xbox Game Pass. When the creature is about to reach its maximum level, it feels the sensation of power. The closest thing to a map is the monitoring board of the facilities before going to the final mission which marks your progress in the game by zone and indicates that you have not found how to get there?, No that does not say .    … Expand
  2. Karottedraak
    Sep 3, 2020
    8
    First of all I got this game from gamepass so I haven't really paid the full price for it and this influences my rating.

    Carrion is a beautifull pixel art side scrolling reverse horror game. In the game you are the monster and your mission is to destroy all humans in the facility and also solve puzzles in between. The puzzles were easy but they changed the pace of the game in a really    First of all I got this game from gamepass so I haven't really paid the full price for it and this influences my rating.

    Carrion is a beautifull pixel art side scrolling reverse horror game. In the game you are the monster and your mission is to destroy all humans in the facility and also solve puzzles in between. The puzzles were easy but they changed the pace of the game in a really good way. The gameplay and the combat in this game are excellend because you are this big monster that can destroy everyone in a single hit but you can also die like real quick. For the controls during the combat they can feel a bit awkward at the beginning with a controller but later in the game you master the controls and it feels really satisfying.

    The levels in this game are amazing and gives many options for the combat and also its layed out in a metroidvania style game. That means you go from location to location while getting new abilities which offers a new path or way to enter newer locations.

    The lenght of this game is around 5 hours so thats something to look after if you want to buy this game for a full price. But I have to say it may be 5 hours but those are also 5 hours of full on gameplay. there is no bullsh** of things you didnt want in the game its just full on gameplay. This also means that after the 5 hours your absolutely done with this game and I dont see myself returning to it soon, maybe after some years when this will feel nostalgic to me but for now I wouldnt probably return.

    My only complaint about this game is there is no minimap or map so you need to remember where you are in this huge facility. So a little tip is complete this game in 1 sitting or always when you quit this game quit just after when you opened a door to a new location. this way you woulndt get lost. But yes the no map is pretty dissapointing and they should at it or atleast let us make the option to play with a map.

    I give this game a 8 out of 10 because the game absolutely knows what kind of game it is. Also this game give me a full 5 hours of greatness and it sure is a hell of fun! So if you have game pass than I would higly recommend it and if you dont have game pass than I would wait for sale or buy it if you really like what you are seeing because it is a great and fun game.    … Expand
  3. Joellemm
    Aug 11, 2020
    8
    Its a pretty solid game. I really liked how little information it affords the player and how the story manages to be told neatly through only visuals. It resulted in a surprisingly immersive game. The visuals themselves and sound design are really good. The progression and increasing difficulty feels well balanced. There is a great deal of variety to the puzzles and enemies and this alignsIts a pretty solid game. I really liked how little information it affords the player and how the story manages to be told neatly through only visuals. It resulted in a surprisingly immersive game. The visuals themselves and sound design are really good. The progression and increasing difficulty feels well balanced. There is a great deal of variety to the puzzles and enemies and this aligns well with the accomplished level design.

    Slightly overstays its welcome, over-complicating the fun late on, and the latest evolution in the monster's growth can by a burden to control. Other than this (and maybe the mild confusion early because i likely wasn't paying attention) there were very few moments i wasn't enjoying the unique power fantasy the game offers.    … Expand
  4. Thundergamer
    Jul 29, 2020
    10
    A very good indie game, better than many AAA games. Decent gameplay, great controls and a fantastic environment. I feel like in the 80s fiction movies.
  5. pokegod11
    Jul 28, 2020
    10
    Everything that I wanted from this game was fulfilled, definitely a must play
  6. vROBOCOPv
    Jul 29, 2020
    10
    Extremely fun game, with intuitive controls and rewarding moment to moment gameplay. Overall Carrion is very polished and gorgeous to look at too. The ending was incredible also.
  7. jasart
    Aug 18, 2020
    8
    Juego divertido pero muy corto.
    Eres una masa de carne y tentáculos que va comiendo humanos, que mas se puede pedir, el movimiento parece un poco caótico al principio, pero pronto te haces con el, se cuelga de cualquier parte del mapa, y se cuela por rendijas, produciendo el pánico a tus victimas.
    Recomendado.
  8. gimmedatsammich
    Jul 25, 2020
    9
    This is not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it is hard for me not to reference HPL in describing the monster you control in "Carrion". It is almost entirely tentacular in nature, aside from several gaping mouths lined with razor sharp teeth and an uncertain number of yellow eyes. It bears little to no resemblance to any living creature on Earth, least of all to human kind. "Ugly" is farThis is not a Lovecraftian horror game, but it is hard for me not to reference HPL in describing the monster you control in "Carrion". It is almost entirely tentacular in nature, aside from several gaping mouths lined with razor sharp teeth and an uncertain number of yellow eyes. It bears little to no resemblance to any living creature on Earth, least of all to human kind. "Ugly" is far too kind a word for this thing. It is an absurdly efficient killing machine, with a digestive system to match. Probably the Shoggoth, the amorphous creature enslaved by the Old Ones, is the most comparable Mythos creature. Suffice it to say that this thing would be one hell of a headache to try and fight. Fortunately, the whole point of this horror game is that for once, you don't have to fight or run away. You are the monster, and boy is it good to be THIS monster.

    What Devolver did here is nothing short of brilliant. For starters, the way the monster moves about the screen, leaving bloody trails on every surface it touches, was a source of constant amazement to me. The controls work beautifully—if they didn't this game would be a beautiful disaster. The means and methods by which you attack and dispose of your prey/food—also your source of HP—also did not cease to entertain and entrance me, gruesome as that sounds. But there's no other way to say it: this game turns stalking, taunting, and killing humans into a delightfully macabre art form.

    It may seem a little too easy at first, but just wait and see what the game throws at you later on. Not all of the humans are easy prey, and some of them eventually pack some real fire power—emphasis on the word "fire." These enemies and a variety of environmental puzzles are where the challenge come in.

    The story is fairly minimalist in nature, with a firm bent towards showing rather than telling. This was the right approach. The teasing out of the creature's origin story and the history/nature of the facility itself is skillfully done, never putting the brakes on the action for too long. As for graphics/sound, both are praiseworthy. The 2D graphics are beautiful, the environments never too repetitive or monochromatic. The score would work just as well in the next Alien film as it did here, I imagine.

    The only thing I can ding "Carrion" for is the use of backtracking, particularly when necessitated as part of solving a puzzle. This could get a little frustrating at times, but I never ragequit because of it, nor did I get stalled on one puzzle for so long that I gave up. Fortunately, if I had, the save system is a very forgiving one, so I would not have had to redo an entire area to get back to where I'd been upon quitting.

    Carrion is a stunning feat of imagination and a groundbreaking work of horror. It is also a blast to play and utterly immersive. Highly recommended for all gamers with a strong stomach, and of course, horror fans in particular.    … Expand
  9. Steyraus
    Aug 17, 2020
    6
    A real let down for me,looked real interesting from the trailers, but soon as I played the overly basic controls and the generic puzzles that are in literally every indie game, I was out. I feel it would have been better with 3d visuals where the shine and sliminess of the Carrion could have really poped and the evisceration's would have had more impact, pixel art especially this styleA real let down for me,looked real interesting from the trailers, but soon as I played the overly basic controls and the generic puzzles that are in literally every indie game, I was out. I feel it would have been better with 3d visuals where the shine and sliminess of the Carrion could have really poped and the evisceration's would have had more impact, pixel art especially this style gets bland fast. Also more interesting combat and movement.… Expand
  10. GamergodsFail
    Sep 16, 2020
    7
    Carrion is a very outlandish game that can only be described as a "reverse horror" which involves you playing as a deadly tentacle alien blob monster breaking its way out of an underground research facility. Most of the gameplay just involves killing human enemies, solving puzzles and growing bigger and stronger. It's essentially a metroidvania, but one that unfortunately expects you toCarrion is a very outlandish game that can only be described as a "reverse horror" which involves you playing as a deadly tentacle alien blob monster breaking its way out of an underground research facility. Most of the gameplay just involves killing human enemies, solving puzzles and growing bigger and stronger. It's essentially a metroidvania, but one that unfortunately expects you to navigate the whole game without any map or reference. It also gets rather repetitive after the first few hours. All there is to do is activate hives to breach doors, do optional containment puzzles, and rinse and repeat for each area. It's overall a satisfying grindhouse, I just wish it had more meat to it.… Expand
  11. Broyax
    Aug 29, 2020
    0
    Gloire au XGP et à l'EGS pour nous faire profiter quasiment gratuitement ou carrément gratuitement du monde merdveilleux des étrons indés ! ainsi ce "Carrion", un condidat sérieux à l'étronisation de l'étron indé très standard avec sa deux-dés de vieille daube des années 80, ses 16 couleurs qui se battent en duel et son pixel lard de gros porc !

    Il faut ajouter à ce salmigondis habituel    Gloire au XGP et à l'EGS pour nous faire profiter quasiment gratuitement ou carrément gratuitement du monde merdveilleux des étrons indés ! ainsi ce "Carrion", un condidat sérieux à l'étronisation de l'étron indé très standard avec sa deux-dés de vieille daube des années 80, ses 16 couleurs qui se battent en duel et son pixel lard de gros porc !

    Il faut ajouter à ce salmigondis habituel le mauvais goût permanent puisqu'on incarne une chose monstrueuse qui bouffe les gens et par conséquent, c'est indéniablement dégueulasse, crabeurk et même pas drôle, car cet étron indé est bloqué tout au premier degré.

    La jouabilité (si on peut appeler ça comme ça dans le cas qui nous occupe) est imprécise et très vite répétitive du genre "rincez et répétez". Il est donc recommandé, urgent et nécessaire d'évacuer l'étron indé sur le trône qui lui revient de droit comme toutes les avanies de son espèce.    … Expand
  12. Ilhass
    Sep 11, 2020
    4
    It's pretty bad without map, I returned after few months and have no idea where to go. Uninstalled it.
  13. B-Bog
    Jul 5, 2022
    6
    Cool premise and setting, but the controls suck in combat situations and there is no map, which is a deadly sin in a Metroidvania.
  14. Stan_Osbourne
    Oct 11, 2022
    10
    Very good and solid indie horror toy. To be honest, I sincerely searched for at least something in it for which I could rightly lower the rating, but I didn’t find it) This is good asymmetric horror, the spiritual successor to "The Ooze", the Sega Mega Drive exclusive, Only unlike its spiritual predecessor, here everything was done correctly and it was a pleasure for me to play the game.Very good and solid indie horror toy. To be honest, I sincerely searched for at least something in it for which I could rightly lower the rating, but I didn’t find it) This is good asymmetric horror, the spiritual successor to "The Ooze", the Sega Mega Drive exclusive, Only unlike its spiritual predecessor, here everything was done correctly and it was a pleasure for me to play the game.

    Good location design, atmospheric music, and a good balance between outright parasitic villainy and difficult battles with stronger opponents. We need more Metroidvania like this, I definitely recommend it. Glory to Ukraine!    … Expand
  15. Rod-Olphe
    Feb 7, 2021
    8
    What a fun and clever game. It is so satisfying and surprisingly easy to roam the rooms with this creature that has a changing shape. The pixel art is great. The difficulty of the puzzles
  16. Plainshow
    Jul 27, 2020
    9
    This is a great twist in a fun package! Being able to deliver a fresh-feeling and retro game is a tall order, but Carrion delivers. Intuitive controls, fluid movements, and superior attention to environment design give Carrion a great atmosphere for a horror game.
  17. Tal333
    Dec 6, 2020
    5
    Cool art design, but the game is pretty boring. That's nice the game is on gamepass.
  18. Vini2fs
    Apr 7, 2021
    7
    the game is aesthetically amazing, the music and the ambient sound are great and the combat is reasonable, but the story is uninteresting and during most of the game you don’t even know why you’re doing the things you do, and most of the puzzles do not make sense the way they are placed (it does not make sense for a human to have positioned the things necessary for the puzzle).

Awards & Rankings

60
#60 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
45
#45 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Generación Xbox
    Nov 13, 2020
    79
    In Carrion we will revive with a retro pixel aesthetic the fear of a horror movie from the 80's, only in this case we will be in the place of the monster. A very fun game to enjoy from start to finish.
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  2. Gamer.nl
    Sep 6, 2020
    65
    Carrion is at its best when you slide smoothly through the puzzles and when the visual storytelling gives you little bits of plot. The game has some nice ideas, of which the fact that you play as a human-devouring monster is the most unique, but it certainly does not end in Devolver's best game.
  3. CGMagazine
    Aug 12, 2020
    70
    Carrion is a very cool concept held back by frustrating map design and repetitive combat.
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