Review - Carmen Sandiego (2025)

         Hey guys, Chuck here. Well, it's been a while since we talked about the Netflix animated series Carmen Sandiego, and it was in my review of the series that I mentioned that a new Carmen Sandiego video game was being made for a 2025 release. Well, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Carmen Sandiego franchise, the game is officially here, and I have a few thoughts on it. 

       So, the game sees the player take control of Carmen, marking the first time in the game franchise that Carmen herself is the central protagonist. With help from her long-time ally, the White Hat Hacker known as Player, Carmen embarks on a globetrotting journey to follow clues, gather Intel, and help ACME bust the various capers being carried out by operatives of VILE. And, Carmen gets another ally in this game in the form of Agent Hyde, who is a new recruit for ACME. 

       Each caper is pretty straightforward. Carmen uses her skills and gadgets to locate two sets of clues: one set to identify which VILE operative stole the item in question, and the other set to determine which city they went to next. In order for ACME to be able to arrest the bad guys, Carmen must collect clues to narrow down the list of suspects, and if there is enough to go on for a specific suspect, a warrant will be issued and ACME can swoop in and make the arrest. However, each caper has a time limit of a pre-set amount of days to catch the bad guy, and hours are spent to collect clues in each location. If you're unable to complete the caper before time runs out, you can always try again. Also, after completing a caper, you can go back and replay it anytime. 

       Now, obviously a number of key characters in this game, such as Carmen, Player, and Chief are all based on their Netflix counterparts. But, there are a number of VILE operatives that, with the exception of Paper Star, weren't featured in the Netflix series but were repurposed from past Carmen Sandiego games. Fast Eddie B., for instance, was a prominent VILE operative in the classic games. 

        The gadgets and skills that Carmen showcased in the Netflix series are all back for this game. This includes Carmen's hangglider and grappling hook, and even thermal goggles, a listening device for safecracking, a device to mimic a key to unlock certain doors, and of course Carmen's gymnastics, stealth, and.pickpocketing skills. On top of that, there's also several mini games to help Player hack devices and listen in on phone calls or transmissions being just two examples. And, each skill Carmen utilizes, as well as each caper completed, gains experience, and allows Carmen to level up until she achieves the rank of Legendary Mastermind. 

        One important thing to note is that, when it comes to the main campaign, titled A Campaign Most Vile, Carmen will need to reach a particular level to unlock certain capers. But, as a remedy to that, the game also includes a side game called the ACME Files, which act as a set of capers for Carmen to complete to gain additional experience and level up. The overall design of the ACME Files is also a clever throwback to the the classic Carmen Sandiego games, but still keeps the overall story aesthetic of the main game. 

        Something interesting about this new Carmen Sandiego game is that the developers of the game have designed it to be perpetually growing, with new capers being added to the game's main campaign through free software updates released for the game. And, to find out when the next caper is available, players can check in to the official Carmen Sandiego social media pages to find out about it. 

       Another addition to the game is a set of limited time events called FestiViles. These are special events that, while playing in a manner more in line with A Campaign Most Vile, is typically activated through a caper in the ACME Files, and requires information collected through the ACME Files to complete. However, completing one of the FestiViles events before the allotted event time expires will grant a new special costume for Carmen. Cool. And, much like how they announce the next caper for the main campaign, players can find out about upcoming FestiViles through the official Carmen Sandiego social media pages. 

      I will say this much overall. The new Carmen Sandiego game is a lot of fun. It keeps the signature edutainment nature of the classic games, while adding in elements of the Netflix series that fans enjoy. I definitely recommend checking it out. It's currently available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Netflix Games, so check it out. 

        Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review.