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Caravan SandWitch, the debut open-world puzzle adventure from indie developer Plane Toast, presents a visually stunning and relaxing experience. With a small team of around 15 members, Plane Toast has crafted a game brimming with potential, though not fully realized. This review explores the strengths and weaknesses of this intriguing title.

A Journey of Discovery and Relaxation

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The game follows Sarge, who returns to the planet Cigalo after receiving a message from her long-lost sister. Driven by hope, Sarge embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind her sister’s disappearance and the mysteries surrounding Cigalo. The narrative unfolds gradually, revealing secrets at a satisfying pace that keeps players engaged.

Caravan SandWitch eschews a day-night cycle, progressing time only after completing main story quests. This design choice emphasizes exploration and allows players to immerse themselves in the world at their own pace. Side quests, offered by various characters, provide additional narratives and tasks, some with time constraints and others without. These quests offer a variety of objectives, from simple fetch quests to utilizing the caravan’s tools to access new areas.

The game’s most striking feature is its captivating art style. The visuals depict a barren yet mystical world with a harmonious color palette, enhanced by impressive lighting effects. The environments are beautifully designed, creating a visually appealing experience that encourages exploration and discovery.

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Prioritizing a chill experience, Caravan SandWitch eliminates combat and penalties. Gameplay focuses on exploration, resource gathering for caravan upgrades (which also drives the main quest), and puzzle solving. The puzzles primarily involve unlocking electrical pathways, activating platforms, and navigating Sarge and her caravan through obstacles. These puzzles are generally straightforward, with some requiring new tools acquired through progression, preventing players from becoming overwhelmed early on.

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While traversing the environment, players will encounter platforming challenges. However, true to the game’s relaxed nature, falling from heights has no consequences. This forgiving approach applies to the caravan as well, ensuring a stress-free experience.

Overall, Caravan SandWitch delivers a well-paced narrative, intriguing mysteries, and a cast of likable characters. The gameplay emphasizes relaxation and exploration, creating a unique and enjoyable experience.

Room for Improvement

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Despite its strengths, Caravan SandWitch falls short of its full potential. While the narrative starts strong, the pacing becomes rushed in the latter two-thirds, culminating in a simplistic resolution and an underwhelming conclusion. The world and characters show promise, but the rushed narrative undermines their development.

The game’s lenient difficulty, while contributing to its relaxed atmosphere, diminishes the sense of challenge. Cutscenes are also simplistic, lacking the impact necessary to elevate the narrative’s climax.

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Technical performance also presents some issues. Frame rates can fluctuate, especially in areas with dense foliage, despite utilizing upscaling techniques. Limited graphics options further restrict optimization, with players only able to select from presets. The audio design and environmental sounds are unremarkable, and the lack of voice acting, likely due to budget constraints, is noticeable.

Conclusion

Caravan SandWitch offers a captivating and relaxing adventure with a beautiful art style and engaging gameplay loop. However, a rushed narrative, underwhelming ending, and technical hiccups prevent it from reaching its full potential. Despite these shortcomings, the game provides a unique and enjoyable experience for those seeking a chill and visually appealing open-world puzzle adventure.