Carto

A charming map tile-shifting puzzle game with a memorable personality.

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"Carto is a charming adventure game with a unique puzzle mechanic, where players can manipulate the world by rearranging map pieces. In a 5-7 hour story, Carto searches for her Granny, exploring mysterious lands and meeting quirky characters while learning about their cultures. The hand-drawn visuals and engaging exploration make for a relaxing yet immersive experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,717 reviews

story456 positive mentions

grinding33 negative mentions

Charming art style and heartwarming story that creates a cozy atmosphere.
Unique puzzle mechanics involving map manipulation that keep gameplay fresh and engaging.
Adorable characters and humorous dialogue that enhance the overall experience.

The game is relatively short, taking around 4-7 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
Some puzzles can be vague or unintuitive, leading to moments of frustration.
Lack of replayability and limited character development may leave some players wanting more.

story
959 mentions
48 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "Carto" is characterized as heartwarming and charming, following a young girl on her quest to reunite with her grandmother while solving puzzles through a beautifully illustrated world. While some players find the narrative engaging and filled with endearing characters, others feel it lacks depth and can be overly simplistic, making it more suitable for a younger audience. Overall, the game is praised for its delightful visuals and cozy atmosphere, though opinions vary on the story's overall impact and complexity.
- “The story is beautifully woven, drawing players into its enchanting narrative.”
- “What I particularly enjoy is the encouraging storyline: a girl getting lost and trying to find her way back could be a very gloomy story, but instead, this premise is treated with such love and hope that it becomes about exploring, confidence, finding out where your path leads and growing on the journey.”
- “Carto is very skillfully crafted and consistent, as the game mechanics and the storyline intertwine and the journey of the game becomes a confidence inspiring metaphor for finding your place in the world.”
- “So I was surprised to find the game's story somewhat dull and its mechanics kind of tedious by the halfway point.”
- “The main story is unfortunately pretty lackluster.”
- “It's nice for a linear puzzle experience but as a story experience it's very underdeveloped and generally superficial, so however enjoyable it may be it's not especially memorable either.”
gameplay
774 mentions
39 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Carto" is centered around a unique map manipulation mechanic that allows players to rearrange tiles to solve puzzles and progress through the story. While the mechanics are simple and initially engaging, some players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and can become repetitive over time, with a gradual increase in complexity that keeps things fresh. Overall, the game is praised for its charming aesthetics and satisfying puzzle-solving experience, though some reviewers wish for more variety and challenge in the gameplay.
- “The gameplay mechanic is simple, smart, and tons of fun!”
- “Carto has such a wholesome story with unique puzzles and gameplay.”
- “The map mechanic is so well crafted and I haven't experienced anything quite like it before.”
- “So I was surprised to find the game's story somewhat dull and its mechanics kind of tedious by the halfway point.”
- “The puzzles are far too simple, and the core gameplay system of the map feels barely fleshed out.”
- “However, I found the gameplay to be sort of tedious and shallow beyond the initial fun of reorganizing the map tiles.”
graphics
579 mentions
67 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, hand-drawn art style that evokes a storybook aesthetic, contributing to a cozy and immersive atmosphere. Players appreciate the adorable character designs, vibrant environments, and the overall visual appeal that enhances the gameplay experience. The combination of beautiful visuals, engaging puzzles, and a heartwarming story creates a delightful and relaxing gaming experience.
- “It goes beyond its brilliant concept—a blend of Zelda where the map itself is a puzzle you piece together to progress—with a very cute but rich story, endearing characters and stunning visuals!”
- “Carto’s art style is incredibly delightful, like a warm blanket, reminding me of the picture books from my childhood.”
- “The graphics are beautifully hand-drawn, the animations are cute and amazing, and the game is really well polished.”
- “Even the cute aesthetic I found lackluster; most of the characters feel very flat and uninteresting despite how well they're drawn, and I started mashing spacebar to skip dialogue after a while.”
- “The art style was cute, but I wish there was a bit more depth to the characters than their quirks.”
- “The graphics are simple but the background music is soothing and matches the gameplay perfectly.”
music
329 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, perfectly complementing the cute art style and engaging gameplay. Many players appreciate the relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere, although some note that it can become repetitive. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm, making it a delightful experience for those seeking a chill puzzle adventure.
- “The soundtrack was dreamy and very emotive.”
- “The music is really soothing so even when there are harder puzzles the experience is calming.”
- “This game has an adorable and endearing art style and soundtrack to experience during the ups and downs of following a magic map.”
- “Game itself is good, but the music is just plain bad (I don't think the composer deliberately did repetitive music to somewhat fit the mood; I think the composer was just plain bad at making music).”
- “Cute graphics are probably the best part of this game, some people seem to like the sound and music too, but for me, it got very annoying very quickly.”
- “I do get frustrated solving the puzzle sometimes but the music is too chill.”
emotional
316 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game "Carto" is overwhelmingly positive, with players describing it as a heartwarming and wholesome experience. The charming story, adorable characters, and beautiful art style contribute to a cozy atmosphere that evokes feelings of joy and nostalgia, often leaving players feeling uplifted and emotionally connected to the narrative. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to provide a relaxing escape, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a sweet and touching adventure.
- “The ending was quite heartwarming and I think that left me feeling more positive about the game as a whole than I sometimes did while playing it, but overall I would still recommend it.”
- “You have one objective and that is to reunite with your granny, the story was quite simple but the ending still made me emotional.”
- “Filled with touching moments and genuine heartwarming characters.. this was an unforgettable experience.”
humor
86 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its lightheartedness and charm, with players enjoying the cute characters, witty dialogue, and funny moments throughout the storyline. Many reviews highlight the balance of humor with heartwarming themes, making the experience both entertaining and wholesome. Overall, the game's quirky writing and memorable characters contribute significantly to its appeal, providing a delightful blend of fun and creativity.
- “A really sweet, funny, and often heartwarming game with puzzles, secrets, unique gameplay, a lovely story, and soundtrack all packed into a beautiful art style.”
- “It's got a great story, map puzzles of various difficulties, a nice cast of quirky characters that you meet along the way, and it's wholesome, calming, and funny.”
- “This game is somehow even more adorable than you'd think from the art alone, because the writing complements the art -- they're both simple on the surface, but so well done the whole is seamless and immersive (and often funny).”
atmosphere
43 mentions
60 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its beautiful art, charming music, and a wholesome, carefree vibe that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the relaxing and joyful ambiance, which effectively transports players away from stress, making it a delightful puzzle adventure. The combination of unique visuals, engaging soundtracks, and lighthearted themes creates a comforting and immersive environment that invites exploration.
- “Truly an enjoyable and challenging puzzle experience with a beautiful atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, created by the visuals and the music, filled my heart with joy.”
- “The story was simple yet cute, and each zone was unique, interesting, atmospheric, and left me wanting to explore even more.”
- “It got me out of the stressful atmosphere I put myself into and slapped me back to my senses.”
- “The paper-like visuals are very pleasant, and the humor, or at least the genuine attempt thereof, is instrumental in creating a consistently joyous atmosphere.”
- “I admire the atmosphere and puzzles; they are so chill and challenging.”
grinding
35 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, particularly as the gameplay lacks significant variation and challenge over time. While some puzzles and mechanics initially provide enjoyment, they often become repetitive and monotonous, leading to a sense of fatigue. However, the game avoids excessive grinding or filler content, which some players appreciate, even if the experience can feel shallow and drawn-out at times.
- “The fishing part I just did was enough for me to say, 'OK, I'm done here.' It was incredibly tedious.”
- “The main downside is that the gameplay doesn't change much throughout the game and the difficulty doesn't really increase, so after an hour or two the game starts to feel tedious.”
- “I enjoyed almost everything about this game except for its signature mechanic, which becomes especially tedious with more and more tiles.”
replayability
29 mentions
21 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits limited replayability, primarily due to its linear storyline and unskippable dialogues, which can deter players from replaying. While some users appreciate the opportunity to uncover missed secrets and achievements, the general consensus is that the game is not designed for extensive replay value, making it less appealing for those seeking multiple playthroughs. The short duration of the game further compounds this issue, leading to concerns about its overall value.
- “I love puzzle games that have replay value, and I have found that this one keeps me interested each time I feel like replaying it.”
- “Nice amount of replayability unlocking secrets you might have missed on the first playthrough.”
- “The game has replayability that is engaging and keeps you coming back for secrets.”
- “That kind of thing is really annoying, especially with a story-based game like this that has almost no replayability; not that it should, just realize that your players will not want to sit through the same unskippable conversations again.”
- “The game does not have any replay value, so keep that in mind when considering the price.”
- “But 5 hours is all it has, it's not really one made for replayability, and $40 seems steep to me for how long it takes to finish.”
character development
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game features appealing and diverse character designs that enhance its visual appeal, particularly during cutscenes. However, several users noted that character development feels lacking, suggesting that while the aesthetics are strong, the depth and growth of the characters could be improved.
- “I loved the character designs, and it's interesting to see all the 'tribes' in the different biomes.”
- “I loved the art style of the game and during cutscenes, as well as the diverse character designs and environment designs.”
- “Good story, cute character design, and a good length too.”
- “I think it struggled a bit in character development and in the way puzzles are framed.”
optimization
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent optimization on Linux using Proton, with users reporting smooth performance and no bugs encountered.
- “Played on Linux (Proton), excellent performance and no bugs.”
stability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a generally stable experience with minimal glitches, although some users have noted occasional issues. Most reviews highlight a smooth gameplay experience without significant disruptions.
- “Sometimes you can encounter glitches in some way.”
- “Sometimes you can get glitches in some way.”