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Carmen Sandiego

Carmen Sandiego is back in a surprisingly authentic new edutainment adventure.
Carmen Sandiego Game Cover
71%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
character development, grinding
70% User Score Based on 53 reviews
Critic Score 72%Based on 19 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStationXbox Series X|SPCXbox Game PassCloudXbox One
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Carmen Sandiego Game Cover

About

Carmen Sandiego is a single player simulation game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Gameloft and was released on March 3, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

The scarlet super thief Carmen Sandiego is back! Adorn Carmen’s signature red hat and play as the vigilante herself to navigate a world of espionage, utilizing high-tech gadgets, and ultimately capturing VILE.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
Carmen Sandiego screenshot
+10
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70%
Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews
story6 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The game successfully blends nostalgia with modern gameplay, offering a fun and educational experience for both kids and adults.
  • Visually appealing with clean 3D graphics and a polished interface, the game captures the charm of the original Carmen Sandiego series.
  • The core gameplay loop of investigation and clue-chasing is engaging, with a variety of mini-games and puzzles that keep the experience fresh.
  • Progression can feel tedious due to level gating, requiring players to replay missions to unlock new content, which can waste time.
  • The game lacks depth and complexity, with many puzzles being too simplistic and straightforward, leading to a repetitive experience.
  • Some technical issues, such as inconsistent voice acting and the absence of the final chapter at launch, contribute to a feeling of incompleteness.
  • story
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is reminiscent of classic Carmen Sandiego titles, featuring a light narrative that serves primarily to facilitate missions rather than deliver deep character development or dramatic arcs. While the missions involve engaging sleuthing and exploration across various cities, players often find the progression system frustrating due to level gating that requires repetitive grinding of earlier missions. Additionally, the current storyline feels incomplete, with some chapters marked as "coming soon," leaving players wanting more from the overall narrative experience.

    • “It is a reminder of the classic Carmen Sandiego, with a major improvement in visual interface and story.”
    • “Each mission sends you to multiple cities, where you gather intelligence, interrogate suspects, and use Carmen’s signature gadgets to uncover the whereabouts of a target.”
    • “It evokes the rhythm of the old Carmen Sandiego titles while smoothing the experience with modern quality-of-life features, contextual UI prompts, and streamlined mission flow.”
    • “The story remains light and sets the stage for missions rather than striving for deeper dramatic arcs.”
    • “Unfortunately, as other reviewers have noted, the final chapter of the primary case is not fully available, leaving the story feeling incomplete.”
    • “One of the things that bother me the most is that when you complete a caper in the main story, you can't progress immediately to the next one because it is level gated, making the experience feel repetitive.”
  • gameplay
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the latest Carmen Sandiego title blends classic point-and-click mechanics with modern elements, offering a mix of investigation, clue-chasing, and mini-games that appeal to both kids and adults. While it successfully captures the essence of the original games and introduces new mechanics like grappling hooks and hang gliders, some players find the gameplay simplistic and repetitive, particularly in the final chapter of the main case, which lacks full availability. Overall, it provides an engaging experience with educational value, though it could benefit from further innovation and polish.

    • “The core gameplay revolves around a tight loop of investigation, clue-chasing, and location hopping.”
    • “There are also sections where Carmen must travel using her grappling hook or her hang glider, pickpocket someone for information, and other gameplay mechanics that are new for the Carmen Sandiego franchise.”
    • “Captures the classic Carmen Sandiego feel while modernizing the gameplay. Clue-based investigation keeps you thinking and learning about real-world locations. Simple mechanics make it accessible for kids yet enjoyable for adults. The combination of story mode and an endless play mode keeps the game fresh.”
    • “Unfortunately, as other reviewers have noted, the final chapter of the primary case - which is distinct from the 'archived cases' you can also play in that only the primary case includes animation, dialogue, and gameplay unique to each chapter as well as a cohesive storyline and therefore is a lot more engaging to play through - is not fully available.”
    • “Carmen Sandiego tries to revive the gameplay of its classic PC predecessors; however, it fails to innovate in any meaningful way.”
    • “[repetitive gameplay loop, identifying suspects is too simple and easy, minigames don't add much]”
  • graphics
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the clean 3D visuals and beautiful 2D art style, particularly in the Acme Files mode, which evokes a nostalgic charm. While some users appreciate the cinematic presentation and polished interface, others note that the graphics can feel outdated at times. Overall, the aesthetic is complemented by effective music and sound design, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Yet it also carries cinematic presentation, clean 3D visuals, and a polished interface that immediately signal its updated sensibilities.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful on my PC, and it feels just like old times playing one of my favorite games again, and I absolutely love the artwork!”
    • “The 2D graphics in the Acme files can be downright beautiful.”
    • “The graphics were 3D-ish for the 'tutorial' section, but then the first case is pixel art.”
    • “[Outdated graphics, only some character voices]”
    • “The 2D graphics in the Acme Files can be downright beautiful.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a playful, Saturday-morning-cartoon aesthetic, with character models and animations that contribute to its inviting and approachable feel.

    • “The character models and animations lean into a Saturday-morning cartoon sensibility, reinforcing the game’s approachable atmosphere.”
    • “The ambient sounds and visual design create an immersive world that draws you in and makes you feel part of the environment.”
    • “The lighting and color palette work together beautifully to evoke a sense of wonder and adventure throughout the game.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally seen as adequate for its target audience, but those seeking deep narratives or intricate character arcs may find it lacking, resulting in a plot that feels more serviceable than memorable.

    • “For the intended audience, this is fitting, but players hoping for sweeping tales or complex character development will find the plot serviceable rather than memorable.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional, lacking the depth and growth that would make their journeys engaging.”
    • “Despite the potential for rich storytelling, the character arcs are predictable and fail to evoke any real emotional investment.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as the mini-games included are of trivial difficulty and fail to increase in challenge over time, leading to a monotonous experience.

    • “The added mini-games are mostly trivial in difficulty and don't really get any harder as the game progresses; they just become more tedious.”
    • “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel more like a job than a game, draining the fun out of the experience.”
  • music
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound design effectively enhance the game's aesthetic, incorporating spy-themed motifs with a regional touch. However, some users express dissatisfaction with the pricing of the DLC, which offers limited content such as a skin, music, and a single mission.

    • “Music and sound design complement the aesthetic well, blending spy-themed motifs with regional flair.”
    • “30 bucks for a mobile game and 25 for a DLC that gives a skin, music, art, and one single caper with Carmen as the bad guy like the old games?”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers moderate replayability due to its randomized acme files and multiple difficulty levels, allowing players to tailor their experience. However, its limited scope and gentle difficulty may prevent it from reaching the depth found in more complex investigative games, though its charm and presentation compensate for this shortfall.

    • “But since the acme files are randomized each time, and you can always choose from all five difficulty levels depending on how much of a challenge you want, those have a lot of replayability for me.”
    • “Its modest scope and gentle difficulty curve keep it from achieving the depth or replay value found in more robust investigative games, but its charm, clarity, and colorful presentation fill that gap with warmth.”
    • “But since the acme files are randomized each time, and you can always choose from all five difficulty levels depending on how much of a challenge you want, those have a lot of replayability to me.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has not been explicitly discussed in the provided text, but the user's enthusiasm for the game suggests a positive reception, likely influenced by their fondness for the original 2019 Netflix reboot cartoon. Further details on monetization practices would be needed for a comprehensive summary.

  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever writing and authentic nods to the original games, making the experience enjoyable as players build the almanac and tackle travel puzzles. Overall, the blend of wit and engaging gameplay contributes to a fun atmosphere.

    • “Fun to build the almanac and solve travel puzzles; surprisingly authentic to the original games, with good writing and a lot of humor.”
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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 19 critic reviews
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Carmen Sandiego returns to Android after swinging back onto iOS

November 21 on pocketgamer.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

Carmen Sandiego is a simulation game with mystery theme.

Carmen Sandiego is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 5 hours playing Carmen Sandiego.

Carmen Sandiego was released on March 3, 2025.

Carmen Sandiego was developed by Gameloft.

Carmen Sandiego has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its character development.

Carmen Sandiego is a single player game.

Similar games include Detective Grimoire, Sherlock Holmes The Devil's Daughter, Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood, King's Quest, Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express and others.