C.A.R.L.

It was so awesome when Carl said "its Carlin time" and totally Carled all over those robots

I know the knuckleheads who made this game, and let me tell you what... It's something truly special. C.A.R.L. is a puzzle platformer filled to the brim with charm and humor! Inspired heavily by games such as Undertale and Cave Story, C.A.R.L. achieves exactly what it set out to do. Be an enjoyable love letter to all things goofy and inspiring about the video games we grew up on. The music is so good, the controls are practically flawless. The level design is challenging in spots, and the tricks/secrets are equally rewarding. There's so many Easter eggs and references too, so if you're in to that sorta thing, you're going to love diving into C.A.R.L. and discovering every nook and cranny! I know I sure did. I can't recommend this game enough. It's the sweet spot of $15, $10 if you're here right at launch! You'll be supporting a talented team of sexy individuals who wanted nothing less than to give you an experience worth sharing! So what are you waiting for?? Let's go to the D.U.M.P.!

a game about uhh... the uhhhhh uhm...

This is a very fun indie platformer that also includes some arcade mini-games. Developer has been responsive!

A cute and quirky platformer with great art and music. You can tell how much love went into making it. Definitely for Mario and MegaMan fans!

Disclaimer: Know the developers and playtested it. However the rest of the review is my opinion on the final product. [b] This game is for you if you: [/b] [list] [*]Enjoy a solid to control platformer with action elements. [*]Want a decent challenge which ramps up and never gets stalled with new elements. [*]Love good chiptune music. [*]Have fun unlocking new powers and upgrades while mastering the different skills. [*]Want an experience which is solid and not bloated. [*]Like talking to robots about goofy things. [*]Can't help from finding collectables, such as music tracks, upgrades, trading cards, etc. [*]Have fun with classic 2D retro games from the Megadrive and SNES era but with modern twists. [/list] CARL is a charming 2D (action)platformer with a simple but effective game loop: you browse through different levels where you have to collect three chips before exiting them in order to advance. This repeats through the whole game, but constantly throws in new ideas and mechanics as you progress, getting harder and more complex as you advance through the worlds. Additionally there is a hub world with many characters and things to do, such as upgrading yourself (health, damage, reduce damage, etc.), play mini games you unlock, get hints on what to do next and expand the lore of the world. There are a lot of different collectables scattered through the levels which makes them replayable, as almost for sure you will miss a few on your first go through the level. They are partially essential as you will need upgrades to face the bosses, all with unique twists to their battles. The regarding the platforming itself, similar to Mario 3D World, the game keeps introducing new concepts at you in each level, just to throw them away and bring new ones for the next so you never get bored! The hub world is large, and is designed for both players who like to spend some time getting to know the characters and the world, as well as for players who just want to upgrade and continue breezing through the levels! [b]Pros: [/b] [list] [*]Solid controls. [*]Nice level designs and concepts. [*]Banger OST. [*]Funny dialogues. [*]Tons of things to upgrade, makes collectables meaningful. [/list] [b]Cons: [/b] [list] [*]Since there are a lot of gimmicky levels, maybe you don't like some (you can skip them with optional chips). [*]Some bosses can feel overwhelming if you have not upgrade properly or underwhelming if you upgraded too much. [*]Can be too short if you are very skilled and don't care much about collectables (maybe ~5h on your first playthrough). [*]Does not present anything groundbreaking (is that needed in every game?). [/list]

Super fun platformer

Its fun :) You can tell immediately that a lot of time and attention went into the way C.A.R.L. feels to control and they nailed it. So far the levels have been varied, puns have been punny, and the game has been fun.

I love the side scrolling like Metroid games and its uniqueness. really fun to play. I would consider this game as Verified on the Steam Deck.

Fantastic old-school style platformer. Definitely has vibes of Commander Keen. Plenty of quirky characters, a decent story that is told well throughout the game. It was quick, fun, and had many quite satisfyingly challenging moments. Highly recommended!