Memories tend to become hazy over time, altering our perceptions. For years I tried to find a copy of MAD Magazine from the ‘80s that featured a faux toy catalogue, in which said playthings were constructed from unsafe materials. Searching Google was fruitless, even after trying various terms and phrases. Luck would have it that this catalogue spoof was reprinted in a recent issue…only it wasn’t quite how I remembered, being nowhere near as grotesque. No wonder not even the almighty Google could help, especially when one of the toys was the tired cliché of ‘Divorce Edition Barbie’.
Viewed from first person, Caligo taps into the concept of altered, not wholly accurate, memories. You play as a softly spoken individual who wakes up in a small windowless room and is confronted with a floating metallic orb. What then ensues is a jaunt through the protagonist’s memories, all of which have become warped and exaggerated over time. A grand pillow fort with twinkling stars projected onto the cover is one early example, and later a beach filled with giant shells and washed-up dinosaur bones.
You’ll meet a variety of NPCs along the way, including a salty sailor, before things become darker and more demonic, including a trek around a battlefield populated by fantasy creatures. So dark, that the main theme centres on death.
Caligo is described as a game where you look and listen. In other words, it’s a walking simulator. Interactivity comes from collecting a handful of hidden drawings, which fail to expand the narrative, and choosing one of two possible endings. It looks nice enough, although not quite befitting for the PS5 and Xbox Series with minor pop-up and smudgy textures to blame. The PC version launched in 2017, so it’s fair to say it’s a generation behind the times.
Considering one of the selling points is that the whole thing is fully voiced, with dialogue playing almost throughout, it’s a shame the writing isn’t snappier. The voice acting is borderline adequate. A few lines are a little muddled and awkwardly delivered, while the demonic force who attempts to fill in the blanks as you explore clearly has a stock voice changer applied. Although hokey, it does give the illusion of an otherworldly presence, so it’s passable.
We’ve seen a few games similar to Caligo over the years – such as Sometimes You’s own Drowning, along with eastasiasoft’s Purpose 1951, Genie, and Cions of Vega – and I definitely feel that this is one of the weaker examples of the genre due to its muddled themes. What was probably a looker in 2017 now looks par for the course in 2025, and the plodding pace accompanied by the lack of puzzles and interactivity makes for something largely unengaging.
It succeeds in some areas more than others. The fantastical opening didn’t quite manage to convey the sense of whimsy and cosiness that was intended, whereas the final moments fairs better at creating a sense of dread and despair, making for a stronger second half. As a whole, it comes across as rather awkward. Not pretentious, but certainly cackhanded at delivering its themes and all-encompassing message.
The chapter select screen makes it possible to return to the final area and choose a different ending, which is always appreciated. Less helpful is that it has no tally of collectables found – so if you’re aiming for a 100% completion, you’ll need to return and scour for any overlooked.
As there’s less than an hour of playtime here, it’s difficult to recommend. It won’t liven up a dull afternoon or keep you occupied during a wet weekend; it almost took as long to playthrough as it did to download. If you consider yourself extremely philosophical on life and death, you might be able to see it in a different light, otherwise this is one for the achievement/trophy hunters.
Krealit’s Caligo is out 3rd April on consoles. Published by Sometimes You. A PC version was released in 2017.