It’s rare that we get the chance to play as an alien abomination.
It happens of course, but we often follow heroes
who are capable of dispatching freaks with ease or through sheer determination.
Enter Carrion, a reverse horror game that has you stalking and devouring puny humans
in search of your freedom.
The game begins as the creature breaks out of a containment pod in an unnamed research facility.
The sole objective is to escape, tearing through an army of guards, scientists, and drones
that will do everything they can to stop you.
While the simple premise is full of potential, the lore stops there.
There’s no dialogue and very little to hint at what led to this moment,
which lessens the overall stakes of the monster’s plight.
Eating unknown humans is deliciously satisfying at first, but after just a few hours, the novelty wears thin.
Having even the smallest bit of insight into the origins of the creature or the motivations of the humans
would make their demise more enticing or horrifying.
You initially start small, only capable of grabbing foes with a single tentacle.
Eating enemies restores health and makes you grow in size,
which is divided into three distinct tiers
that unlock as you find additional biomass canisters.
Your size also determines which abilities you have,
factoring into progression and where you can explore.
Being large naturally has its advantages against enemies, but
sometimes you need to deposit some of yourself into pools
scattered around the map in order to use a different ability on an obstacle.
While switching forms to solve puzzles is a welcome mechanic,
the placement of these pools is usually a glaring clue
that makes solutions to these scenarios feel obvious.
The facility is divided into multiple connected sections,
each with its own set of obstacles that inhibit progression.
Thick containment doors will stop the creature in its tracks until you find the corresponding lever,
while out of reach objects must be targeted with specific abilities.
The end of each section contains a multi-tiered door that can be weakened
by spreading biomass at specific save locations
that also serve to regenerate health.
The puzzles gradually increase in complexity as more abilities are unlocked,
but they’re never more involved than finding out how to pull a switch.
Exploration is also unfulfilling, as most of the facility looks the same,
aside from a few generic caves and exterior areas.
The lack of variety further contributes to the sense of routine that fails to motivate excitement
as you get closer to freedom.
Despite its monstrous advantages, humans and drones can eliminate the creature quickly
if you act recklessly.
Standard security troops armed with pistols are easy to deal with on their own,
but more advanced units sport electric shields and flame throwers,
forcing you to take a more tactical approach to devour them.
Mechs are the most dangerous and can rip you to shreds if you aren’t prepared.
Enemies can be easily exploited however, thanks to lifeless AI
which sees them carelessly walk into hazards without hesitation.
Grabbing enemies can be particularly unwieldy,
adding a sense of unintended disorder to larger encounters,
but for the most part, playing with your food does warrant a few laughs.
Finding additional research pods unlocks abilities like
a web that stuns enemies and activates distant levers,
or a slam that penetrates wooden barriers and enemy shields.
The most interesting ability sees the creature take direct control of humans,
using them to shoot at their own teams or pull more levers.
They feel awkward to control, specifically when climbing ladders,
but at least the flame thrower looks cool.
The pixel art is a standout aspect of Carrion.
Fountains of blood spray chaotically as you slam enemies around like rag dolls
and devour their severed, limp corpses.
Tentacles reach out to grab surfaces,
creating a dripping spider web of goo and viscera.
Slithering around through ventilation shafts, waiting to strike oblivious prey is reminiscent of great sci-fi horror
and may be the only lasting memory from the four hour experience.
Carrion starts strong with a solid premise but fails to fully capitalize on its ideas.
The novelty of eating faceless humans wears thin
as the sole motivation to escape isn’t expanded upon in any meaningful way.
The environments fail to encourage rewarding exploration while the puzzles and combat encounters
quickly become routine.
It's hard to write Carrion off entirely because the novel concept has its charm,
but without more depth and variety, it’s easy to lose your appetite for consuming flesh.
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