Have you ever watched a movie like “The Blob” and felt you had more in common with the alien than the people? Have you ever watched a horror movie and thought the people dying deserved it? Devolver Digital and Phobia Games are attempting to bring this perspective to video games. While not out yet (it has a release date of 2020), Carrion has already turned some heads as a unique Indie Highlight.
Carrion, Carrion, ‘Cause Nothing Really Matters To Me…
Dubbed by the developers as a “reverse-horror game”, its similar in style to Metroid or Castlevania. The player explores a 2D map that slowly opens as the player gains abilities. The biggest difference to those games, and most others, is that in Carrion, the player is the monster.
Not in a metaphorical “look-deep-within-yourself-and-realize-who-the-real-monster-is” kind of way, either. You literally play as a “deadly tentacle monster” captured in a research facility. The core game is explained as “stalk and consume those that imprisoned you to spread fear and panic throughout the facility. Grow and evolve as you tear down this prison and obtain… devastating abilities on the path to retribution.”
While powerful, the creature is not invulnerable; the player must help the monster grow and escape. “Every time you consume a human, the monster’s size and strength increases”, which in turn “allow[s] you to learn new abilities.” So while in the beginning the player will have to use stealth and air vents to travel around the facility, once they get the monster to a certain size, they will be able to dash, for example.
A puzzle elements comes in here, as the player can/must “reject” mass in order to revert back to certain abilities. That should keep the monster, no matter its size, on its tentacles at all times.
Carrion, this week’s Indie Highlight, will absorb the PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2020. If you’re interested in letting us know your thoughts, you can talk to the team and keep updated on all things gaming on the Informed Pixel Facebook page or on the Informed Pixel Twitter account. For more gaming news you can keep up to date at Informed Pixel.
