Caravan SandWitch | PS5 Review

I’ve been in serious need of a “cozy” game lately. Life’s been tough, and finding something I could comfortably play was a challenge. Luckily, I had the opportunity to play Plane Toast’s Caravan SandWitch and it was the (almost) perfect gaming experience I was yearning for. It also happens to be one of my favorite titles of the year so far.

On the Hunt

You are Sauge, an individual whose sister died six years ago. One day, you receive a distress signal from her. The call comes from your home planet of Cigalo, so you travel there to discover what’s really going on. Once landing on Cigalo and traveling to the city of Estello, you realize the citizens there need help in both minor and major ways. It’s up to you to assist them alongside your journey of finding your sister. Oh, did I mention there’s also a wicked storm that’s threatening the planet? You also have to stop that as well. Luckily, you’re given the last caravan on this world to easily traverse the environment. What follows is an emotional journey of discovery and hope.

This game is excellent if you need to chill and relax. There’s absolutely no combat, death, or timed missions. In fact, the game encourages you to take your time and explore its small open-world. It took me nine hours to complete the main quest and the majority of the side quests, but this runtime will be different depending on how much you want to do in Caravan SandWitch.

A Helping Hand

The gameplay of Caravan SandWitch is simple yet doesn’t hold your hand. There isn’t a tutorial, so you’re left to discover the controls yourself. There are also gear-gated mechanics, which felt refreshing. I’d be driving my trusty van around and find a door that I couldn’t open or a zipline I couldn’t zip down. I knew that eventually I’d come back better equipped and continue my search of the area.

There are a couple of side missions that were a tad too fetch-questy for me, and the main missions currently have quest markers that give you absolutely no idea where to actually go. You have to figure out on your own where to go. Your mileage will vary on this aspect. It was a tad frustrating for me, but some players will relish picking their brain to locate the objective.

A Beautiful Post-Apocalypse

Caravan SandWitch is a delight not only to play, but also to look at. The graphics are bright and colorful, with character design being a treat. Everyone and everything was soothing to look at. The sound effects are also pitch-perfect. There’s no voice-acting, but you don’t need it. When reading the dialogue, you can almost hear the citizens of Cigalo speaking. My only issue I had in the mechanical department was the fact the camera sometimes zooms in too close to Sauge and causes the screen to shutter. It’s not a big deal, but it did pull me out of the immersion a bit.

The Final Verdict

Caravan SandWitch is an excellent game to curl up with and play just to chill out. There’s no punishment for doing something “wrong,” the visuals and sound design are wonderful, and Sauge’s journey to find their sister is a fascinating story to delve into. The refusal to hold your hand and gear-gated mechanics were refreshing, but the main mission having an objective marker later in the game that isn’t helpful was a tad frustrating. The camera also being occasionally wonky also pulls you out of the immersion. Other than those issues, I adored my time with Caravan SandWitch and it was exactly what I needed to calm down during a personally tough month. I won’t forget this experience.

To hear me talk more about Caravan SandWitch, be sure to listen to the September 26, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast.

This review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy of Caravan SandWitch provided by Press Engine for coverage purposes. It is also available on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.