WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THIS WORTH $30?
I’m not saying this game is bad but on mobile the game can be played with a Netflix subscription which is no surprise because it’s based on the new Netflix series. Already the value proposition is rough, but the game on consoles is very much a mobile port with big buttons and not a lot of settings. It’s fine, but not $30.
PLATFORMS: MOBILE, PC, SWITCH, PS5, XBOX SERIES
MSRP: $29.99
PRICE I’D PAY: $14.99
I also think that this game is just enough to be considered educational but it’s not anywhere near as educational as the game it takes its name from which required kids to learn. I can fumble my way through a lot of this with very basic knowledge but I’m also 33 so that could be why. The gameplay is mostly just clicking on an area, clicking on a decision, receiving some information, and exhausting options until leaving for another country. It sounds similar to the original, but the player doesn’t decide what to do in specific locations because the game will decide that one area will be talking to people while another might be a minigame and there’s no way of knowing until the location is selected. Honestly, I felt the time management was the most compelling part, but that’s because I’m old and fun has left me.
There are occasional minigames that aren’t too bad actually. I prefer the more puzzle-based ones than the action-based ones, and the lock puzzle is extremely boring. The main story is okay, I did find more enjoyment in the ACME Files selection that is more akin to the original games but still using the mechanics Gameloft has introduced.
I think a big problem here is that this is likely for a younger audience than the original Carmen Sandiego games were for and as someone that doesn’t watch this new show it’s hard for me to tell if I’m right on that assumption. There are weird callbacks to the 1985 original and I’m not sure who that is for? Will children know the number of stories the Sears Tower is? Will they even know Sears? Probably not. It’s a weird pull. Regardless, there isn’t much to say because even with my complaints there’s still a level of charm here. Narrowing down suspects based on clues and then hunting them down is neat and there is some educational value to this game… just maybe save yourself $30 and use your Netflix account to play it on mobile.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
