Developed by mobile gaming giant Gameloft, Carmen Sandiego (2025) is a puzzle-adventure game inspired by the popular Netflix animated series (2019–2021) of the same name. Based on a decades-old franchise that blends education with entertainment, this title tries to revive the spirit of the classic games while offering a new, more interactive experience for a younger audience.
While the character gained new fans in Iran thanks to the dubbed Netflix series, Carmen Sandiego (2025) has the challenging task of living up to its nostalgic legacy. The question is—does it succeed in doing so?
Playing as Carmen for the First Time
For the first time in the franchise’s history, players step into the shoes of Carmen herself, rather than chasing her. Unlike the classic portrayal of Carmen as a mysterious thief, this time she’s working with ACME to hunt down members of the criminal organization VILE—a narrative twist taken directly from the Netflix show.
This shift transforms Carmen into a clever, justice-seeking anti-heroine, offering a new perspective that feels fresh and empowering for younger players.
Gameplay: Clues, Time, and Deduction
The core gameplay in Carmen Sandiego revolves around collecting clues, solving puzzles, and managing a ticking clock. Players travel to global cities such as Paris, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Cairo, interacting with NPCs to gather intel about suspects. Each case in the game acts like an interactive mystery file, and players must carefully manage time—each action consumes a portion of your in-game day.
Make the wrong deduction or visit the wrong city, and you’ll likely run out of time and be forced to restart. This system adds a layer of strategy and replayability, while also emphasizing critical thinking.
The game includes mini-games like lockpicking, hacking, and ziplining to add variety, but these mechanics are overly simple and become repetitive after a few hours of play.
Educational Content Blended with Fun
True to its roots, Carmen Sandiego continues to walk the line between learning and gaming. Clues are cleverly embedded with real-world geography, history, and cultural facts. For example, a hint about “the great carnival” may lead players to Rio, while a reference to “a river flowing through Europe’s heart” directs them to the Danube and Vienna.
This organic integration makes the learning feel effortless, especially for children aged 9–12, the game’s primary audience.
Visuals, Dialogue, and Performance
Visually, the game adopts a cartoonish, colorful art style that mirrors the Netflix series quite well. The humorous dialogue, familiar voice acting, and lighthearted tone make it a nostalgic delight for fans of the show. However, on consoles, players may encounter long loading screens (5–30 seconds) and frame drops in busy scenes—technical issues that hamper the experience compared to the more optimized mobile version.
Puzzle Design and Game Length
While the game borrows design elements from modern puzzle titles like Clue or Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, its depth falls far short of genre leaders like Professor Layton or Ace Attorney. The puzzles are designed to be accessible rather than challenging, which makes the game suitable for younger players but less rewarding for older or experienced gamers.
Moreover, the game only includes 16 cities, which feels surprisingly limited for a title focused on global exploration. This limitation, combined with the game’s linear structure, diminishes long-term engagement and replay value.
A Mixed Bag for Older Fans, A Valuable Tool for Learners
In terms of educational value, Carmen Sandiego (2025) shines. It promotes deductive reasoning, geographical knowledge, and even helps non-native English speakers enhance their language skills. For Iranian teens, in particular, this could be a fun and beneficial way to build vocabulary and cultural awareness.
However, the $30 price tag on PC and consoles may be hard to justify—especially given the free mobile version available to Netflix subscribers. That said, the mobile edition is likely the best way to enjoy the game for casual players and younger audiences.
Final Verdict: A Balanced Entry for a New Generation
Carmen Sandiego (2025) successfully reimagines a classic franchise for today’s kids. With charming visuals, an educational twist, and fun world-traveling mysteries, it’s a solid pick for younger players or families. But the repetitive puzzles, limited scope, and shallow gameplay may leave older fans yearning for something deeper.
If you’re a parent looking for a safe, smart game—or a fan of the Netflix series—it’s worth a try. Just don’t expect it to challenge your brain like the classic detective games of old.
