Release Date: January 28, 2025
A detective adventure game with elements of a puzzle game. Carmen Sandiego is a reboot of a series started back in 1985, in which we play as the titular female thief. Carmen is travelling the world and chasing villains from the VILE syndicate. We can gather clues and rely on various gadgets, constantly racing against time.
Carmen Sandiego is a detective game on the border of logic games and adventure titles, and at the same time a reboot of the series that began in 1985. The game was developed by Gameloft, a company that for many years specialized in mobile projects, but over time began to venture more boldly onto other platforms as well.
The plot of Carmen Sandiego is based on the series available on Netflix under the same title. The main character of the game is the titular super thief. The protagonist forms a temporary alliance with the law-abiding agents of ACME and sets off around the world in pursuit of thieves from the criminal syndicate VILE, to put an end to their activities once and for all. Carmen must hurry to catch the criminals before they manage to make another heist.
In Carmen Sandiego we watch the action from various angles, including from behind the heroine (TPP) and in isometric view. The game is also the first under this banner in which we take direct control over the titular heroine. In addition to the campaign mode, there is also The Acme Files mode to check out, which is a tribute to the classic installments of the series from the 1980s.
The adventure leads us through locations scattered all over the world, such as Berlin, Istanbul, Tokyo, Brisbane, Rio de Janeiro, and New Orleans. In each of the places we visit, a member of the VILE syndicate is waiting to be found, whom we must identify and handcuff.
The matter is complicated by the fact that upon arriving at a specific location, we do not know the identity of our target, we only have enigmatic clues (like parts of their appearance) meant to lead us on the right track.
In order to obtain additional information, we have to manage on our own, for example by decrypting messages and breaking into safes and security systems. The ACME CrimeNet database also comes to our aid, in which we gradually create a profile of a given criminal.
Carmen Sandiego has useful gadgets that facilitate exploration and chasing enemies. They include special goggles, a rope with a hook, and a hang glider. The goggles operate in three modes (night vision, ultraviolet and thermal imaging), and allow us to track suspects or find hidden clues. A rope with a hook and a hang glider, on the other hand, allow for covering large distances in the air (swinging or gliding), which significantly facilitates exploration.
Skillful use of everything Carmen has at hand to identify the bandits as quickly as possible is important, because we are constantly racing against time. We must hurry if we want our mission to end in complete success. Otherwise, our target will have time to complete the next heist.
Platforms:
PC Windows March 4, 2025
PlayStation 4 March 4, 2025
Xbox One March 4, 2025
Android January 28, 2025
Apple iOS January 28, 2025
Nintendo Switch March 4, 2025
PlayStation 5 March 4, 2025
Xbox Series X/S March 4, 2025
System Requirements for Carmen Sandiego Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
Quad Core, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 970, 5 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.
Recommended System Requirements:
Quad Core, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce GTX 1070, 5 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.
Game Ratings for Carmen Sandiego Video Game.
Checkpoint Gaming: 5 / 10 by Missy Taylor
Carmen Sandiego is such a nostalgic hit in the heart, and it's great that there's a new game for a new generation to enjoy. It's a shame that there are inconsistencies; including not much accessibility for those who need it, and a lack of voice-overs. There is something to love about this new iteration of Carmen Sandiego, though. The 2D graphics in the ACME files can be downright beautiful. But overall, it's pretty disappointing, especially considering this game is essentially a port of a free(ish) mobile game, slapped with a $50AUD price tag and without the final chapter included. Hopefull,y we can see Sandiego and crew in better adventures sometime soon.
Xbox Tavern: 7.2 / 10 by Corey Lyle
This was a fun, short, nostalgia-based trip for me and it really was a see what you get type situation. I can see the Carmen Sandiego games I played as a kid, reimagined for a 2025 audience and this game fits that mold. Were the cases super hard for me? No. Did I expect them to be? No. For the younger audience however, this game poses some good critical thinking skills and closer to the end of the game, even some strategy. The options of a campaign and random “trimmed down” cases this one provides a fair bit of replay value if you are in the mood to collect clues and piece them together whenever otherwise you can get through the game under 10 hours, I’d imagine with the content available at launch. Check the review video if you haven’t for some nitpicky gripes and to see what the game has to offer and if it’s for you.
Gamer Escape: 7 / 10 by Aaron Botts
Taken as a whole game, Carmen Sandiego is a perfectly cromulent romp despite its relative simplicity. Slipping into familiar trappings isn’t always a bad thing, especially when you’re aiming to make a return like this. While not quite a triumphant return to the gaming space, it’s definitely a welcome one. I like to think that there’s still a place in the gaming world for The World’s Greatest Thief. So seeing her land on her feet like this is a welcome surprise. Carmen isn’t one to rest on her laurels, so I hope this isn’t the last we see of her.
![[1:24] - Release Date Trailer](https://cdn.gracza.pl/galeria/filmy/640x360/1036939546.jpg)
