Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs

What a lovely little game! The puzzle in the centre of this game is a very good one. The mechanics, well, mechanic (singular) more like, is a good one. Working to find things out feels satisfying and logical. I really like this game, despite it being quite a short one. It's certainly worth the 5 euros.

A short and satisfying puzzle game that feels like a fairy tale. You play as the titular Carimara, a mute goblin mystic who uses their magic to create cards in order to communicate with others. You've been hired to investigate an old hag's house and rid her of a ghost that has taken up residence in her cellar. While I wouldn't consider Carimara to be a pure horror game, the combination of the dark fable setting and small subtle moments of tension give it a spooky edge. You are well rewarded (or maybe punished?) for keeping an eye out of for what's behind you, hehe. The style of this game is a major draw; the characters are incredibly expressive and the hag's hut and surrounding forest are dense with detail. Everything is rendered in a way that results in an ethereal and dream-like beauty. It's definitely one of those games where it's nice to just hang around, soak in the atmosphere and take it all in. The main puzzle felt satisfying to pick apart, but the real meat of the game is in figuring out the secrets lying below the surface. Carimara makes great use of its limited tools to add some difficult puzzles that require you to be observant of the smallest details. It's well worth it, though, as the deeper lore you uncover adds a lot to the story. I do hope that the developer decides to make the additional episodes that are teased in the credits.

I loved the art and design. Good story telling. Some point and click games can be rather confusing but this one is really enjoyable and not difficult at all. Recommended.