Carto Reviews
Carto's main concept is compelling, but it runs out of steam in the mid-game and succumbs to repetition far too swiftly. It's nonetheless a beautifully-drawn title that's often a pleasure to play, but when it's tedious, it's really tedious. It's arguably the perfect title to play with kids and novices who are likely to be more forgiving of Carto's many shortcomings, but everyone else should approach with a little more caution.
Carto is inoffensive. It’s unambitious. It’s a perfect storm of blandness.
Carto has a lot of heart at its core, with its endearing title character and family-driven narrative. The map-altering mechanic is user-friendly and offers a unique approach to the puzzle-adventure genre. While deceptively simple on its face, there are some challenges ahead and the going can get tough at times. With every map “riddle,” there seems to be but one solution to allow progression. The joy is in solving a particularly vexing one, when it all lines up just as it should. The main drawback was that at times, things felt somewhat disconnected and flat. The developers clearly wanted a game that was puzzle-driven, first and foremost, and the exploration elements aren’t nearly as developed. But Carto has so much charm and wholesome appeal, that it’s genuinely easy to like. The storybook visuals are so pretty and I love the upbeat soundtrack. The perfect cozy game to curl up in a blanket with, on a rainy afternoon!
A sweet, simple yet challenging puzzle game but not for those who consider themselves completionists or just don't want to give extreme attention.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Carto gets a lot of brain-bending mileage from its central mechanic.