I didn’t know much about Caravan SandWitch before I was approached to do a Caravan SandWitch review. It was the artstyle and the trailer that won me over enough that I wanted o check it out. By the way, Here is the Steam description about the game: “In Caravan SandWitch, embark on a journey across a Sci-Fi Provence-like world, driven by a mystery through your missing sister that unfolds with each step you take. Equipped with your van and an array of essential tools, you set out on a quest to find your missing sister. Upgrade your van throughout your adventure and explorations to open up new passages and ruins. From navigating treacherous terrain to uncovering ancient ruins, every step of your journey brings you closer to unraveling the truth behind your sister’s disappearance.” So with all that said this is a cosy open-world game. A premise that I haven’t come across often. Who is Caravan SandWitch for if anyone? Is it a good Single Player Experience?
Let’s dive into it.
The Narrative:
You play as Sauge, a spacefarer who returns to her home planet of Cigalo after picking up a distress signal from her missing sister. Cigalo is a bright and cheerful place, but it’s been hit hard economically and environmentally by the nefarious space corporation known as The Consortium. The planet is dotted with small settlements, some quirky talking frogs called the Reinetos, and the occasional friendly robot. Everything feels welcoming—even gravity itself! There’s no danger, no death, and you can safely launch yourself off the tallest building without a scratch. Your mission is all about helping your desert pals, upgrading your van with nifty gadgets to tackle puzzles, and tracking down exactly where Sauge’s sister has wandered off to.
Caravan SandWitch has the sin of having a good intro video title movie, which gets you into it, but then that momentum is halted by starting slow. There is a mystery element to its slow start that is slightly excusable. I will say that the storyline and the characters are approachable and serviceable. Your milage will vary with the main story, because I can see it really vibe with some and being forgettable with others.
The Gameplay:
The gameplay revolves around you driving your cool van up to locations in the open world, and then hiking up to the residents like frogs, robots, and the remaining people on the planet and doing things for them. This game is cozy as can be. It has puzzles that aren’t stress-inducing, features no deaths or penalties, and allows you to explore an open world at your leisure. It is the anti-Far Cry. You have various puzzles that you solve around the island some of which open up new parts for you to explore. As unconventional as it sounds, Caravan Sandwich is a cozy Metroidvania open-world.
You don’t just use the van to drive and get around. Some of those doors that open new areas are opened with the van sort-of like a cozy version of the Batmobile in Arkham Knight. I said that this game is a Metroidvania for a reason even though it is set on a small open world map. You’ll spend a fair amount of time backtracking and exploring newly accessible areas as you progress in the game with new equipment. If you’re not a Metroidvania person, I could see this trait being a bit annoying. I will say though, that the game mixes things up enough that it never felt tedious.
Additional Pros:
The game offers collectibles for you to hunt down and they are a joy to go after. You grab a few flowers, trinkets, plushies, etc… and most of these feel like you’ll find them naturally by exploring the world.
The stand-out feature of the game is its cell-shaded art style. You’ll find moments of beauty exploring the post-apocalyptic island which is filled with colorful beaches, empty grassy and rocky plains, and decaying falling buildings. The game has its detailed cell-shaded art style that has moments where it looks gorgeous and others where it looks like nostalgic games of yesteryear. There is some charm to its visuals for sure.
Cons/Flaws:
One aspect that I didn’t like about the game is that it seemed to have content in it to pad the game out and make it longer than it had to be. There isn’t anything that is challenging with this title so the extras do feel like additions that were presented to extend the game’s runtime a bit.
One of the aspects that felt like a miss is that there isn’t anything exciting or special about the gameplay. The platforming is okay, but not great. The gameplay is serviceable, but nothing stands or feels exciting. Even with the game’s story nothing is unveiled that is compelling enough to stand out. The game is fine, but it is just that. It feels like a mindless relaxing and cozy time.
Overall/Should you Play Caravan SandWitch Review:
I love that shows that they have identity and character. Right off the bat you get that feeling from Caravan sandwich. The music and artystyle amplify the post-apocalyptic setting and goes well with the cozy gameplay. There isn’t anything special or memorable with this game. I get that it is cozy, but because there isn’t a standout feature or aspect about the game it is a hard game to recommend to specific people who aren’t cozy games superfans. If you are a cozy gamer and a fan of open-world games then you should play Caravan Sandwich.
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Reviewed on PC and Xbox
