Caravan SandWitch prides itself in being a “narrative-driven exploration journey,” however what occurs when the world that I needs to be dying to discover solely will get in the way in which of the narration and general tempo?
Critiques have been variety to Aircraft Toast’s recreation, which guarantees no conflicts and no fail states, simply driving round a post-exploitation world whereas serving to nomads and other people left behind by the capitalist machine. It is an attention-grabbing sci-fi setup, however one that does not appear to go wherever significant nor toothed because of the recreation’s design-level limitations and a irritating lack of focus.
It at all times sucks to leap right into a well-meaning indie recreation with tons of ardour and laborious work clearly poured into it solely to stroll away disillusioned, however it’s a sense that (at the very least for me) pops up extra usually than I would like. This time round, I dig what Caravan SandWitch goals to do, however I do not suppose it absolutely comes collectively as a cohesive journey.
The premise is sort of easy: Sauge comes right down to the planet of Cigalo after spending a while dwelling in outer house. Why did she depart? Why is she again there now? They’re questions that would’ve propelled the narrative for hours had this been a narrative-driven recreation with a powerful preliminary hook, but they’re answered within the first couple of minutes. Cigalo was a booming world as soon as ‘thanks’ to colonization efforts, however now it has been left behind half-consumed by deserts and storms, and with the native alien inhabitants of frog-men attempting to get by alongside nomads and employees who stayed behind as a result of they may name Cigalo house at that time.
Now, Sauge and her associates, most of that are offered suddenly through the first half an hour or so, are looking for out what occurred to her misplaced sister by following an enigmatic transmission. It is the type of skinny premise that different indie studios would’ve become a tighter and punchier journey that lasted 5 hours tops. Within the case of Caravan SandWitch, nevertheless, you are tasked with driving a van round to assist small communities whereas amassing digital elements compulsively. Actually, these elements are the important thing to all this, as every chapter’s roadblock is simply discovering the quantity of trash wanted to cobble collectively upgrades for the van.
It is an odd method to construction a recreation whose exploration and puzzles are decreased to taking a fast look/stroll round some ruins and pushing buttons as quickly as you see them. It does not really feel comfy in its personal pores and skin. We’re reminded with every passing chapter of the urgency of looking for Sauge’s sister, but the spine of all the recreation is definitely taking a while to work together with the inhabitants and assist them out with their chores. It jogged my memory of Fallout 4’s worst half, which is how the principle story immediately crashed into the precise online game (your son has been kidnapped, listed here are a thousand methods through which you will get distracted).
I maintain studying glowing reward of the sport’s world and exploration, but the instruments and motion choices I am given are simply too fundamental. There’s an try at pulling off a Metroidvania-like loop with the van’s devices, but you may entry just about all the floor map (there is a restricted underground) from the get-go and spoil your self the shock of coming throughout an particularly hanging tech base that was deserted. You will not be capable of open that one door but, and that is it.
By Chapter 4, which is the place issues get actually grindy and meandering (even quick journey is a trouble), it turns into abundantly clear that Aircraft Toast wished to each inform a character-driven, melancholic story and ship their very own tackle ‘collectathon’ open worlds, however could not crack methods to merge each visions right into a harmonious world. Perhaps barely deeper driving and platforming mechanics would’ve performed the trick right here, however the remaining iteration of Caravan SandWitch feels too scattered to make its narrative hit and too involved with being accessible to really make any of its gameplay parts shine. Likewise, there is a restraint to the general design of the world map that ends in a wide-open however in the end small chunk of land that you will know just like the again of your hand by the third hour, resulting in loads of backtracking frustrations.
On the extra constructive facet, Caravan SandWitch is fairly and artistically constant. It additionally controls properly sufficient, although the van itself will get caught with a lot ease the second you get lost the crushed path for a number of meters that you will wish to punch your display screen across the fourth time you are pressured to respawn at Nefle’s storage. That is not very stress-free, I would say. The music and sound design add rather a lot to the French Provence-inspired setting and had been the one factor retaining my sanity ranges in examine as I used to be informed to drive throughout all the map as soon as once more simply to finish a minor process. Certain, it by no means takes greater than three or 4 minutes (except I get distracted), however the promise of journey quickly turns into mundanity thrice as unhealthy as what some folks declare about Ubisoft’s open worlds.
If something, the constructive reception proves that there is untapped market potential in creating charming and colourful worlds that do not bombard gamers with violence and development programs. The very fact Cigalo is not offered as a miserable post-apocalyptic wasteland is a victory in its personal. I simply want there was a bit extra to Caravan SandWitch than having fun with Mediterranean-like alien vistas and selecting up gadgets if you happen to’re making me drive forwards and backwards throughout the identical sand dunes for eight hours whereas studying dialogue bubbles and chat logs. As I close to the top stretch, I can solely hope there’s true disappointment or pleasure on the finish of this dusty highway.
