Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 77 | 16 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 92 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 73 | 9 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 14 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.3, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 9,422 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 40 reviews sampled · 34 total reviews in window · weighted 25.2 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (27)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Carto's main concept is compelling, but it runs out of steam in the mid-game and succumbs to repetition far too swiftly. It's nonetheless a beautifully-drawn title that's often a pleasure to play, but when it's tedious, it's really tedious. It's arguably the perfect title to play with kids and novices who are likely to be more forgiving of Carto's many shortcomings, but everyone else should approach with a little more caution.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Having played so many of them, unfortunately the first thing I assume I’ll see when approaching any sort of puzzle game is that it will be something I’ve seen before...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Carto is a strong contender for the title of 2020's best adventure. Involved, intimate gameplay and incredible attention to detail make even the smallest islands feel remarkably rich and expansive.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A real strength of Carto is its cast of NPCs, written with real warmth and charm. The world they inhabit is also surprisingly well fleshed out, even though you can breeze through it in six or seven hours. This is a puzzle game, but it also tells a sweet, worthwhile tale about tradition and companionship. Combined with lovely visuals and chilled out music, this is a refreshing, relaxing game that's worth marking on your map.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Carto’s creativity is constantly on display in ways that surprised and delighted me essentially at every turn. It’s a tightly packed shot of brilliance that manages the balancing act of spending just the right amount of time in an area and on an idea. I was left satisfied but still wanting more at the end of the adventure. The blend of soothing puzzle gameplay and optimistic story makes Carto both a top-shelf Switch indie and a welcome respite for this year.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s hard to imagine someone who would play Carto and have a bad time. It’s that committed to low-stress, just-engaging-enough fun and a world you’ll like traipsing about for a couple of hours. It doesn’t transcend to something that will be many players’ all-time favorite, but few games do. As it is, maybe you want a game that restores just a bit of your faith in community. That bolsters your hope that things will work out. That makes you feel like you are going to multiple different places that are not your home. Carto is great for that.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Carto is inoffensive. It’s unambitious. It’s a perfect storm of blandness.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Carto is a feel-good kind of game. Most of the puzzles feel clever, and the brisk pace means that the concept never lingers for too long. The story is very good with a cast of friendly characters and nary a conflict. It's the kind of game that you want to play at least once and feel good about once you reach the end credits.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Carto is a unique experience that perhaps doesn’t make the most of its central puzzling mechanic. The puzzle-solving itself is fun, but the story ends up quite forgettable. If you’re after a short experience to keep you busy for an afternoon, then Carto is for you - just don’t expect to be blown away. ”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Carto is a wholesome and relaxing short title that could help you to make a rainy afternoon a bit better.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Carto has a lot of heart at its core, with its endearing title character and family-driven narrative. The map-altering mechanic is user-friendly and offers a unique approach to the puzzle-adventure genre. While deceptively simple on its face, there are some challenges ahead and the going can get tough at times. With every map “riddle,” there seems to be but one solution to allow progression. The joy is in solving a particularly vexing one, when it all lines up just as it should. The main drawback was that at times, things felt somewhat disconnected and flat. The developers clearly wanted a game that was puzzle-driven, first and foremost, and the exploration elements aren’t nearly as developed. But Carto has so much charm and wholesome appeal, that it’s genuinely easy to like. The storybook visuals are so pretty and I love the upbeat soundtrack. The perfect cozy game to curl up in a blanket with, on a rainy afternoon!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Carto is a nice, very clever puzzle-game which offers brand new mecanics to change the world by twisting map pieces. Thanks to beautiful landscapes and very well thought enigmas,Sunhead's game only suffers from a lack of clues, which might drive the most impatient players crazy.”
read full review ↗
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LadiesGamers.com
Gameblog…and 15 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update on Control Remapping!Dec 28, 2020