The game Carrion, which was initially released in July 2020 by developer Devolver Digital, was officially released on the PS4 recently this year. This game is classified as a reverse horror game, which basically means that the player will play as the monster, rather than the humans trying to eliminate the horror (the players create the horror). I am not one for many horror-like games, considering not many have interested me. However, playing this game has been a very fun experience.
Gameplay
I believe the gameplay for Carrion is executed very well. The player will play as the amorphous being who must make his way through the facility it was imprisoned in, killing people in its path. The monster can grab the humans, sucking out the hope they have of surviving, and eat them to grow in size. Of course, these humans are going to fight back, using weapons such as guns and drones. Some of them even go as far as using a flamethrower to try and kill the monster. While breaking light bulbs to make the humans scream in fear is quite fun and amusing, the game is not all just killing and terrorizing the people. There are also many puzzles the player will have to solve if they want to progress, as well as gain new abilities to solve these puzzles. Some of these abilities include turning invisible to pass through sensors, as well as taking over an enemy and controlling them to open doors.
The setting and level design of the game fits with the term “horror.” With the level design giving the player the ability to stalk and scare the enemies, it adds more fun to the experience. My experience with the gameplay of Carrion was very fun. Hearing the screams of the enemies left this weird, but fun feeling of fear inside me (even though I was the one giving them fear). The puzzles were also enjoyable to figure out. They were not too hard nor were they too easy. It was a good mix of difficulty, especially since most of the puzzles consist of “what do I do to open the door.” Overall, the gameplay was very great and really fun to mess around with.
Story (Spoiler warning)
The story for Carrion is very interesting to say the least. As the player plays the game, they learn the origin of the monster, as well as what happens when it escapes the research facility. As it turns out, the monster originates from (you guessed it) an egg. When this egg was discovered by three scientists, the egg hatched and the monster was born. The monster proceeded to kill two out of the three scientists of course (only natural for it). However, the third scientist got possessed by the monster rather than killed. Not too long after, security for the research facility showed up and killed the remaining scientist, and captured the monster. While in the research facility, other scientists took apart the monster’s genetic code and studied it. Of course, the monster doesn’t like that, so he broke out. The monster, split up, tries to regain the remains of its genetics. Once the monster gains the final part of its genetic code, it is able to take the form of a human. The monster does this, taking the form of the first scientist he originally infected back when it hatched from the egg. After doing this, the monster escapes the facility and starts to enter into a city of some kind. I believe the story is a simple one, but also a very interesting one. All I can say about the story is that it definitely fits the description of a horror story.
Final thoughts
Overall, the developers of Carrion made a great game in terms of gameplay, and added a good story to fit with it. Being able to play as the monster rather than the humans who get picked off was a very different, but fun experience. If you, as a player, wish to create the horror and terror of a monster, as well as bring fear and hopelessness to your victims, this is the perfect game for you.
Check Out the Carrion ‘Behind the Screams’ Gameplay Video:
For more information, please visit: https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10002805
PlayStation Review
I have played many games since childhood. I love games so much that I wish to pursue a career in game development, as well as any field that involves video games. I love analyzing the games I play, as well as state my opinions about the game. I wish to provide authentic, fair, and detailed reviews on my opinions on the games I play, as well as try to provide little bias toward the games I review.
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