Caravan SandWitch – An Engaging but Easy-Going Space Adventure

“Always remember, John, that you and I live on a minor planet attached to a minor star, at the far edge of a minor galaxy. We live here briefly, and when we’re gone, we’re forgotten. And one day the galaxies will be gone, too. The only morality that makes sense is to do something useful with the brief time we’re allotted.” – James A. Michener

Overview

Caravan SandWitch is a casual narrative-focused exploratory sci-fi adventure through varied post-apocalyptic landscapes on the planet of Cigalo.

Narrative

Caravan SandWitch’s sci-fi narrative follows protagonist Sauge as she returns to the planet of Cigalo after reviewing a distress signal from her sister who has been missing for six years. Through her exploration and adventures players learn the history of this somewhat barren world and its friendly inhabitants. Having been abandoned by most of its population in favour of other planets Cigalo is struggling but remains mostly peaceful. However, the presence of a mysterious SandWitch and a plethora of signal blockers that are hindering Sauge’s search prove to be quite unnerving.

There are plenty of characters to meet throughout the game, each with their own lives and backstories, such as the local doctor and his family, and an explorer frog named Hyla. The narrative is delivered primarily through dialogue, but also, to an extent, through exploration. The dialogue is varied and believable but can be a little stilted in places, possibly as a result of translation. Overall, the story is very engaging, creating a real sense of intrigue and encouraging the player to continue to find answers and further explore the history of Cigalo and its residents.

Gameplay

Caravan SandWitch draws on a number of genres such as adventure games, RPGs, platformers, and interactive fiction and blends them seamlessly to create a fun and varied experience. There is a distinct and deliberate lack of pressure facilitated by the lack of combat, timers, or death states which help make the game very relaxing whilst providing very engaging and satisfying gameplay.

In order to track her sister’s distress signal, Sauge must find and disable a number of signal jammers that have been set up so that her sister’s distress signal can be tracked. These are often tucked away in discreet places and require some climbing to reach. Players can access a map, toaster (messages), and inventory via the game’s UI but messages will be unreadable if the nearby signal jammer has not been disabled. There are plenty of other jobs to do along the way, as Ciaglo’s inhabitants need help with different tasks such as finding a baby’s rattle, finding food supplies, fixing gardening equipment, or rescuing lost Tetos (cute tadpole-like creatures).

As Sauge explores she must also collect components that come in four different varieties and increasing rarity. These can be found, extracted from equipment, or earned as rewards and are used to gradually create a number of upgrades for the van that Sauge uses to explore. Upgrades include a scanner and a grapple and enable the player to search more effectively and explore areas they could not previously access.

Caravan SandWitch can be played with either a mouse and keyboard to a controller, though some controls can be a bit cumbersome with the former making a controller the preferred choice. Sauge can run, jump, and sprint. Sprinting can be done freely with no stamina to monitor and there is also no fall damage regardless of height.

Styling

Caravan SandWitch uses a stylised and colourful 3D art style that is somewhat minimalist. The scenery and backgrounds are slightly painterly, whereas the characters are a bit more cartoon-like and illustrative. The combination is very effective and effectively represents the sparse environment and the vibrant colour palette reflects the casual and low-pressure nature of the gameplay. The game world is fairly expansive but has been ravaged by past human activity and whilst mostly desert, it does contain hints of its former green glory with patches of foliage and forests.

The soundtrack is a highlight of the game and features evocative but relaxing music featuring mesmerising female vocals, light drums, and guitar, amongst other instruments. It has a subtle lo-fi feel to it and sits comfortably in the background without becoming irrelevant. The music becomes more prominent at key points in the storyline and Sauge’s character development and helps to add some emotion to these moments. The sound effects are subtle but immersive, working well to bring the planet of Cigalo to life.

Summary

Caravan SandWitch is a wonderfully gripping adventure game that effectively omits any pressure-inducing factors to create a relaxing experience that is enjoyable and satisfying. The gameplay is varied and fun, mixing driving, platforming, exploration, and adventure in a casual way. The sci-fi narrative is intriguing and delivered at an effective pace, keeping the player engaged and interested.

Aesthetically, the game has originality, mixing vibrant characters and elements with some more subdued scenery components such as storage crates and abandoned sites. The soundtrack is mesmerising and a real stand-out feature of the game, emphasising the more emotive moments and generally connecting the player to the experience as a whole.

Caravan SandWitch will take around 6-9 hours to complete, depending on how thorough the player is being, and offers a great experience for its price. It offers something unique with its accessible and casual gameplay and has something to offer a variety of player types. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game and I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for an immersive narrative adventure.

Looking to have more space-based adventures? You may also like these reviews:
Still There – An Existential Space Adventure – FixFox: A Wholesome New Space Adventure – Playing Sci-fi Detective in 2000:1: A Space Felony

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