Title: CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs
Developer: Bastinus Rex
Publisher: CRITICAL REFLEX
Release Date: October 6th, 2025
Platforms: PC (Steam)
Price: $4.99 USD
Introduction
Most times, games are judged by play time. High-fidelity graphics and complex gameplay are also bars players refer to as a barometer of quality. CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs proves all of this wrong. This indie title was carefully crafted to bring the player a short but fleshed out experience of a foreign world rich with mysteries and curious characters. I played this on my Steam Deck, and it performed well with no issues. Before I get any more ahead of myself, let’s dive in.
Author’s Note: Due to the short nature of the game, I will keep my review brief as well as not to spoil ANYTHING about CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs.
Synopsis
This indie title puts you in the shoes of a small, mystical being, a Carimara, who is mute yet able to produce cards to ask questions. You were summoned to resolve a mystery at an elderly woman’s hut, filled with items to conjure cards to ask more questions in order to uncover the truth…or well, truths.
Analysis
Art Style and Music
The graphic art-style is muted, mostly greyscale with pops of red here and there. The intentional low-poly, low-fidelity makes me feel like I’m played an old game that I discovered at a yard sale and wonder if I will be cursed after playing it. However, don’t be fooled–the facial expressions of the characters are detailed and send chills down my spine. The graphics work well with this chilling, eerie tale. The music/sound design worked well with CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs without being distracting.
Gameplay
I absolutely love how CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs plays. Controls are simple: move, jump, and action. Beyond that, there are so many little details and secrets to peels back as you explore the old woman’s cabin, and not everything is revealable or available to discover immediately. As you explore, you click on highlighted objects or characters of interest, and if they carry a memory, you conjure a card from it and are able to use it to ask questions. Each card can elicit a unique response depending on who you show it to, and the comments may be the clue to unraveling the main puzzle. If you attempt to solve a puzzle incorrectly, there may be some consequences; however, mistakes need to be made–you might learn something!
Final Score
This little gem honestly impressed me. CARIMARA: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a fun little jaunt through a magical space. Through character dialogue and exploring the area for cards, the game kept me engaged. The graphics set the mood, and writing is snappy and witty. Exploration was enjoyable, leaving me wanting more from this developer. Despite its brief play time, I know there are secrets I missed, so I am very much looking forward to replaying this again.
I highly recommend this game, and it’s extremely affordable too! There’s no excuse not to give this a try!
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