Carton

About

Carton is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Calepin Studio and was released on October 2, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

Enter into the universe of cardboard in Carton, an action-adventure RPG. The ground, grass, trees, characters, everything is cardboard! Make and explore your continent for finding a place where you can build your town. Survive the seasons and the night attacks of goblins. Create a warrior group and assault the goblin castle!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Unique and distinctive cardboard art style that stands out visually.
Creative gameplay mechanics blending city-building, strategy, and action elements.
Offers a certain charm and atmosphere that can grow on players over time.

Poor English translation and confusing, broken tutorial with frequent crashes.
Severe technical issues including bugs, crashes, freezes, and poor optimization causing low fps.
Clunky, unintuitive UI and limited game content with minimal polish and incomplete mechanics.

gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
68%
12%
The gameplay receives mixed feedback, with praise for its creative mechanics, engaging puzzles, and fresh twists that keep it enjoyable and challenging. However, some users criticize it for lacking polish, limited content, and failing to deliver a satisfying survival experience, which can disrupt the overall flow. Overall, it offers a unique and charming experience but may feel underdeveloped or frustrating to certain players.
- “Gameplay-wise, it has this mix of familiar elements and small twists that keep things from feeling stale.”
- “If you’re looking for something that balances comfort with challenge, familiar mechanics with fresh touches, and a world that’s just fun to be in, then I genuinely think this one is worth giving a shot.”
- “From puzzle-solving to platforming, the game offers a variety of engaging activities that keep gameplay fresh and exciting.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are dumb and it doesn’t feel like a survival game at all.”
- “Why did this get released in this state when even simple core gameplay mechanics simply don't work?”
- “Not that polished on the gameplay front and after 15 mins that was enough.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
54%
14%
The game’s graphics feature a distinctive, hand-drawn cardboard art style that provides a charming and visually appealing experience, setting it apart from typical city-builders. While the unique aesthetics captivate players and contribute to immersion, the overall graphical execution feels mixed, with some finding it simple yet endearing, though the UI and polish may detract somewhat from the visual impact. Advanced graphical options are available, but the focus remains on the game's unique, cartoony style.
- “Every part of the game — the visuals, the sound, the pacing — kind of blends into this feeling that you’re actually inside its world, even if you’re just casually playing.”
- “Carton delivers a charming experience with its unique art style, fun gameplay, and delightful puzzles to solve!”
- “With its hand-drawn aesthetic and vibrant colors, the game creates a visually appealing experience that captivates players from the start.”
- “However, the game's graphical execution is a mixed bag.”
- “Apart from the graphics, the game seems to be a generic city-builder with one of the most convoluted UIs I've ever experienced in a game.”
- “Graphics are cartoony / cartonny.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is generally criticized for being confusing and lacking narrative depth, making it hard for players to engage or understand the plot. While the introduction attempts to provide some context, it often leaves players feeling directionless and disconnected from the overall journey.
- “Incorporating more depth or context into the game's storyline could help players feel more invested in their journey.”
- “The game starts with a short tutorial that tells you how to generate a new game world, buy a plot of land, and place your first building, a portal that spawns workers.”
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “The game's introduction weaves a story that is difficult to follow, leaving players directionless.”
- “The intro to the game paints a story so hard to follow.”
- “As is the story - not one sentence formed a coherent statement.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's music receives mixed feedback, with some finding the soundtrack oddly amusing and atmospheric, while others consider it lackluster and not as memorable as the visual elements. Although the soundtrack includes unique tunes and volume controls, its repetitive looping and lack of immersion may detract from the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack of "carton" is a curious mix, with tunes that range from oddly amusing to fittingly atmospheric.”
- “I relaxed for 5 ♥♥♥♥ minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “The main menu / option menu has a strangely amusing soundtrack tune.”
- “The game's soundtrack is lackluster compared to its visually striking art style.”
- “The main menu and option menu have a strangely amusing soundtrack tune.”
- “The soundtrack has a strange loop effect.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is poor, with frequent freezes, crashes, and numerous bugs that affect gameplay and UI functionality. Players often experience technical issues that hinder enjoyment, making it frustrating and unreliable.
- “You are guaranteed constant freezes and crashes.”
- “It's also incredibly buggy, so if you try to work out whether or not there's enough functionality in the game for it to 'work' (there isn't), you'll crash to desktop pretty fast.”
- “The UI is janky, buggy even to place down an object.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game suffers from poor optimization, with frequent crashes and a capped frame rate around 50 fps regardless of hardware. While it attempts to run smoothly, users find the overall performance flawed and unstable.
- “Performance has been mostly fine.”
- “It tries to run smoothly... color me impressed.”
- “The English translation looks like it was written by a three-year-old, and the developer clearly has never heard the word 'optimization.' No matter what kind of computer you have, you simply cannot get more than 50 fps in this 'game,' and playing for more than a minute without a crash feels like an achievement on its own.”
- “The game is clearly flawed and poorly optimized.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The atmosphere in "Carton" is notable and distinctive, supported by a soundtrack that varies from quirky and amusing to appropriately atmospheric. Enhancing the music further could improve immersion and overall player experience.
- “The first thing I noticed is the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack of 'carton' is a curious mix, with tunes that range from oddly amusing to fittingly atmospheric.”
- “A more immersive or memorable soundtrack could enhance the overall atmosphere and player experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding in the game tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to gather enough villagers for excursions; it is better suited for players who enjoy extensive farming mechanics.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's very tedious actually getting enough villagers to supply an exertion.”
- “Recommended for game farming.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization approach is criticized for feeling exploitative and unoriginal, with concerns about unethical practices such as repeatedly reusing content as cheap cash grabs through multiple linked accounts. However, some users appreciate that the game has a clear vision and purpose in its design despite these issues.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users generally have a negative emotional response, advising against engaging with the game due to its unsettling or distressing content.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers increased replayability through randomly generated terrain, providing unique experiences each playthrough. However, replay options are somewhat limited by allowing only one saved game at a time.