REAL WEB LEGENDS: Carter's Quest

Rlly rlly awesome!!!! so pretty and fun

I discovered Carter’s Quest through Twitter and was immediately intrigued by its queer Zelda vibes. I'm not a fan of Zelda titles post-Twilight Princess, but this game still felt like it was made for someone like me. Having played through the current build, I can confidently say I love it. That said, this review will be highly critical; not because I disliked the game, but because I genuinely want to see it reach its full potential once it leaves Early Access. It’s easier to articulate what needs improvement than what already shines, so please know: I think this game is a diamond in the rough. Spoilers ahead. [Combat] - The combat system is the most enjoyable part of the game. Floaty combos, varied attacks, and a decent weapon selection make for engaging encounters. - Unfortunately, the four magic spells you unlock feel underwhelming. Only the lightning spell stood out; largely because it’s overpowered. I couldn't get the wind spell to function as shown in the update trailer. - None of the pause-based combos ever worked for me, despite repeated attempts. It felt like I was missing out on a significant portion of Carter’s arsenal. - Locking on to enemies would feel more intuitive if mapped to the right trigger instead of the bumper. Since the bow is mostly used for puzzles, swapping these controls could improve comfort and flow. [Boss Design and Mechanics] - The flying-rock segment of the Malformed Homunculus: Urgum boss fight felt clunky. It’s almost a shoot-’em-up, but the delayed attack strings break the rhythm. A hold-to-fire mechanic would suit it better. - The King Lanky boss and its later reskins were awkward. The perspective and some cheap moves made the fight feel unrefined, though I did improve with each iteration, which felt rewarding. [Character Design and Naming] - Some character names are jarring. "Carter" feels generic, evoking the vibe of someone renaming Link to Kevin. "Kelly Ai" unintentionally evokes AI discourse, which is distracting. "Games Goblin" could easily be "Gambling Goblin," a missed opportunity for stronger alliteration. - Several characters are referred to by generic titles rather than names, which breaks immersion. - Villagers all share the same dialogue string. - The blacksmith mentions a child who never appears. - The clothing shopkeeper criticizes Carter’s outfit while she strongly resembles his second look. - The wizard outfit is uninspired and overpriced at 25 currency. Why would I replace Carter's new look with something so plain? Worse, it clips through Carter’s backside. - There’s a noticeable lack of body diversity. Most characters share the same height and build, and a lot of the characters look too similar face-wise. While the art style is cohesive, it restrains needed individuality. [Narrative and Character Presence] - Goba’s disappearance after the first area felt abrupt. He seemed poised to be a recurring character. - Helga and her counterparts currently feel narratively disconnected. It might make more sense for Goba to guide the player instead. Their designs also feel less polished compared to other characters. - Kelly’s absence during her fight with Ryval greatly strains believability. Her village collapses while she delays confronting a weak opponent, which undermines her entire character arc. - In Carter’s memory cutscene, he wears his current outfit instead of his original cargo shorts. This breaks continuity. - Carter’s father and presumed brother could benefit from stronger visual designs. It's the main character's family, but they look overtly generic. [Bugs and Technical Issues] - A recurring bug causes Carter to turn in the opposite direction when entering void-style doorways. I think it's when flipping into them. - The physics in rat-folk fortresses, those above the pit or near the ocean, are glitchy and need refinement. - The broomstick clips through Carter’s legs at certain angles and looks overly plain. A more stylish upgrade later on would be welcome. - Carter’s flip is the main travel mechanic before acquiring the broom. It could be enhanced; think Lara Croft’s acrobatics as a traversal mode. - Carter could benefit from action-based vocalizations, similar to Link’s grunts. Real-life mutes still make sounds, and this could add personality. [Customization and Visuals] - Yooba’s customization menu is buggy. Face options bleed into wing options, and the bottom palette can become cut off. - It would be great to apply those unlocked colors to Carter’s outfits. - Carter’s hairstyle should be customizable independently of his costume. His loose hairstyle sometimes disappears, giving the impression of a shaved head in certain terrain. - Earlier builds featured a pixelated, posterized graphic style that worked well. Unless the current level of rendering and details are upgraded, that older style would be preferable. - Environmental detail is lacking. Dungeons and fields often feel empty. If the game world remains sparse, consider scaling back the size to maintain cohesion. [Items and Upgrades] - The weapon designs are unremarkable. - The heart-piece equivalents feel too derivative. Comparatively, magic upgrades represented by hourglasses are a nice touch. More creative choices like this would elevate the game. [Final Thoughts] Carter’s Quest is brimming with charm and potential. Its combat, queer aesthetic, and Zelda-inspired structure make it a standout indie title. But to truly shine, it needs polish across systems, narrative cohesion, and visual diversity. I’m rooting for this game and hope my feedback helps it evolve into the masterpiece it’s clearly striving to be.

Stylish! Fun! Got it because I enjoyed seeing the creator's updates on social media; when I finally gave it a try, ended up having such a blast that I played until hitting the credits of Act 1. Nostalgic action-adventure romp. Combat moves quickly, with a variety of weapons and magic to build out your toolkit. The story and characters are charming, and the cutscene design/direction helps the game stand out tremendously.

I love this game! I love the characters, their design and their fruitiness! Many other players in the review section made good points about the imperfections of the game at its current state and I agree with them - however, I love it anyway! Please give it a try and support the dev! I can't wait for the next act!

Really great game especially if you think OOT is the pinnacle of gaming. You can feel the dev's confidence build as you play. Super excited for act 2!

8 Hours in, im in love with this silly game. I'm playing on NORMAL mode, so milaege may vary, but i find combat a little challenging but rewarding. Not overly punishing. The game visually a treat. NAILS the retro look and, while its still a work in progress, it really captures what made older games fun. The story is very out there but not so absurd that its impossible to follow, The character interactions are quirky (but NOT in millennial marvel slop fashion) endearing, and its easy to attach to them. It feels familiar, yet, something totally it's own. I could see myself curled up on a beanbag in the early 2000s playing this on a CRT monitor past my bedtime. The wardrobe unlockables? Peak. The UI needs adjustment in some spots but thats not enough to wreck the experience of playing this work in progress. Starting the playthrough my big worry was that that "Green Thing (tm)" was going to be an annoying hand-holder like many adventure game mascots are, but was pleased to find this game tends to have challanging but approachable puzzles that treat the player like they're intelligent. Carter needs a frat bro outfit then this game is perfect- looking forward to the next chapter release!

This is one of the best games I have played in recent memory, the combat is super fun and the story and world make it very easy to explore and get invested.