CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is Short, Sweet & Just Scary Enough To Be Great

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As Halloween approaches, gamers have lots of scary options to choose from. While big new releases like *Silent Hill f* are getting attention, it’s also worth checking out what independent developers are creating. Games like *CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs* show that the horror genre is thriving. This game is a mystery horror experience that feels like a detective story combined with a visual novel, all set in a fantastical world. Its unique, pixelated graphics give a nod to classic horror games.

CARIMARA deliberately embraces the limitations of its retro style to create a hauntingly beautiful experience. Players investigate a growing garden and twisting underground tunnels to lift a curse from a woman’s cottage, uncovering secrets along the way. While sticking to its classic look and feel, even if it means simpler controls, the game’s presentation powerfully enhances the story, resulting in a compelling and atmospheric mystery.

4/5

Pros: Cons:
Good art design that evokes an older era of horror games Retro graphic limitations can add an unintended level of difficulty to the game
Strong storytelling lends the mystery game a solid core The game is very short and can be finished fairly quickly
The tone and mood create a memorable experience Specific design and storytelling removes a certain amount of personal agency

Carmara Is A Clever Riff On A Detective Horror Game

Critical Reflex’s *CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs* is a captivating horror mystery. Despite intentionally awkward controls and a brief playtime, it excels with its smart design and strong narrative. It’s less a traditional horror game and more like an interactive mystery novel, where you play as Carimara, a silent, mystical investigator in a black-and-white fairytale world.

In *Carimara: Beneath the Forlon Limbs*, players take on the role of Carimara, who must uncover the story of a ghostly cottage. This involves exploring hidden tunnels, searching the surrounding lands, and talking to secretive characters to gather information. A key feature of the game is its clue system: players collect cards representing clues, suspects, and evidence to piece together the mystery of the ghost and what happened to her. Carimara themselves is unable to speak, adding to the unique investigative experience.

Discovering a hint will reveal a new piece of the puzzle, letting you progress in the story. Although it seems like a card game at first, it isn’t actually based on cards. The game is smartly designed, and searching the cottage for clues creates a really effective sense of both curiosity and fear. The main issue, however, is with how the game is controlled.

The game intentionally feels like a classic PlayStation horror title, and that includes somewhat awkward controls and graphics. While this fits the old-school style, it can make exploring the game world – especially when searching for hidden paths – more annoying than charming. The dim environments and stiff movement can be frustrating, but they do contribute to the game’s overall retro horror vibe.

A Somber Story Of A Far Away Land Elevates Carimara

CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a solo project by developer Bastinus Rex. It features a smart and visually interesting design that complements its retro style and sad story. The game uses a fairytale look, but with blocky graphics and simple animations that create a strangely unsettling, yet appealing, atmosphere. When it wants to, it can be truly beautiful and artistic.

The game’s old-fashioned graphics create a subtly unsettling atmosphere, though the scares aren’t particularly intense. The spooky parts of the game tie into the central mystery surrounding a cottage, and how that mystery unfolds changes significantly based on what the player finds.

The main storyline of *CARIMARA* is emotionally compelling and works well, but revisiting it reveals even more depth within its stark world. While the game’s retro style limits the visuals, the characters are still well-designed and expressive, contributing to the narrative.

Like many fairy tales, the story of *CARIMARA* is relatively short. This might be its biggest weakness – a clever player can finish the game quite quickly. It’s more like an engaging short story than a full visual novel, but it’s admirable that the game doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Carimara Gives Retro Horror A Fantastical And Artistic Edge

CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a striking game that really highlights the talents of Bastinus Rex. It uses understated storytelling and hints of danger to complement its deliberate, slower-paced controls. Though the controls might feel a bit old-school, they actually enhance the game’s retro-horror atmosphere.

Because the game is relatively short, players will likely want to play through it multiple times to uncover hidden secrets not immediately apparent in the main story. Even after the credits roll, the strong storytelling keeps you engaged. While CARIMARA has some flaws, they seem intentional, designed to evoke the feel of older horror games. And in that respect, it’s a very effective and enjoyable title.

Although it’s not a deeply complex or lengthy game, *CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs* is a great pick for Halloween. It’s a brief but well-made experience, particularly if you like games like *Myst* that focus on exploring interesting environments and unraveling mysteries with a hint of horror. If you’re looking for a concise and engaging story, this game delivers.

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2025-10-06 21:12