Review for Carmen Sandiego (2025)
Carmen Sandiego (2025) by Gameloft and HarperCollins Productions is the latest addition to the much-loved educational mystery game series begun in 1985. It is published on Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android via Netflix as well as PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
In this genre-defying series a V.I.L.E. thief is pursued across various famous locations, and clues are gathered as to the thief's identity and next destination as a time limit runs down. In this instalment, fedora-wearing Carmen Sandiego is no longer the target but now works alongside "ACME" to retrieve stolen artworks from pun-tacular villains such as "Lotta Cash" and "Miss D Meaner".
The formula of visiting capital cities to collect clues about the villain's next move is simple, but does not quickly become stale. It’s enhanced by interruptions from informants contacting Carmen, news from the ACME head office or the V.I.L.E. villains themselves, animated scenes, as well as an impressively broad range of mini-games. Navigation of cities and clues is accomplished using a fluent menu system and puzzles and clue locations are unpredictable.
The geographical educational aspect is incorporated via the hints about the thief's next location and tested at forks in investigation paths. I found that knowing facts – like whether Iceland is a presidential republic or not – can save you time, which can and does run short whilst pursuing your target across the globe.
Whilst not jarringly difficult, the mini-games are diverse and can be tricky. They include pick-pocketing a target, traversing rooftops and laser arrays, using infra-red goggles to follow tracks, and picking safes, locks and electrical circuits. Some of the puzzles are console specific, and are either simplified or absent in the PC version. Often a "which-way" choice is given between an unknown question and a puzzle, and here you can gamble on your knowledge or rely on your skills.
The graphics are consistent if not mind-blowing, and satisfying animations accompany the solving of goals and puzzles. The dynamic characters might be familiar from the 2020 Netflix animated film Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal. The main mission contains 3-dimensional re-creations of bazaars and temples in famous cities, whilst the retro "ACME files" missions are done in a more pixelated style, a nod to the Carmen Sandiego games of the 1990s.
While lacklustre for a large 3D PC or console game, the visual elements are competently rendered – understandable, considering the simultaneous release to mobile devices. Only a handful of undecorated vault-like locations and overused characters stick out negatively. The menu system, which is used frequently in the game, is composed of screen-spanning buttons more common on a tablet\phone.
The game is not fully voiced, although ambient sounds accompany the animated locations and menus. Phrases like "got it" supplement actions and solutions to mini-games. A tense theme is looped for the introduction, villain database, and choose-location screens, and a very Pavlovian guitar pluck comes after solving a puzzle. A pun-based humour is present in all the conversations; several of them made me audibly groan. I particularly liked the taunting dialogue by a hacker who penetrates the ACME data system.
In many ways, Carmen Sandiego (2025) is an unforgettable game, both accessible and educational, with many unexpected diversions, plus the concentrated nostalgia that comes with a 40-year-old series. It is unfortunate that levels must be replayed to unlock the main story, and the urban locales do become familiar after too many capers. The span of mini-games, while limited on PC, are often masterful and engaging – by far the most compelling part of the player’s journey. I would say that for a younger or casual player using a touchscreen device, the forgiving difficulty level would suit, and the repetition and the sometimes-bland graphics would not affect the experience.
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD Carmen Sandiego
Carmen Sandiego is available at:
We get a small commission from any game you buy through these links (except Steam).Our Verdict:
A charming educational adventure, Carmen Sandiego (2025) is casual-ish in difficulty. Grinding and replaying are required, but some excellent mini-games make the experience worthwhile.
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