Of all the conflicts that have tested mankind in recent memory, World War 1 is not often portrayed in any form of media. In the video game space, we have been fortunate to have the wonderful WW1 series developed by Windmill Games that includes Verdun, Tannenberg, Isonzo, & soon to be released Gallipoli. However, we haven’t had much in the way of great storytelling about this time period. The Caribou Trail seeks to remedy that. An indie game set in the early stages of the Gallipoli Campaign, Unreliable Narrators attempts to give the player a glimpse of a war whose repercussions we are still living with to this day. Have they succeeded in telling a tantalizing tale? Let’s dive in and find out!

For those who don’t know, The Caribou Trail is a first-person narrative game where you experience the Gallipoli Campaign through the eyes of a soldier known as Fisher. Part of a trio of characters, Fisher and the others have to navigate a variety of problems from saving downed pilots to evading snipers to cooking meals for you and your friends. Fisher’s experiences help to ponder a lot of questions that humanity is still grappling with today and contextualize aspects of a war that is primarily remembered these days through various black-and-white photographs that linger in the pages of history books, museums, and some documentaries. What is the purpose of war? Who benefits from all of this bloodshed? Why can’t these opposing sides find a civilized way to resolve their problems?

The first thing that I noticed that seemed like an unusual choice was the art style of The Caribou Trail. It is very cartoony, almost to the point of feeling like an early version of Team Fortress 2. I worried at first that this would diminish the impact of the game, but this stylistic choice helps to illustrate the darkness of certain areas and situations that a more realistic art style wouldn’t have necessarily been able to. Furthermore, I believe that this art style would lend itself well to teaching World War 1 in classrooms. While a more brutal showing, such as All Quiet on the Western Front, may be more capable of putting the fear of war into many young people, it is my personal belief that show horrific topics sometimes need a softer introduction. The Caribou Trail may be just what is needed to teach the human experience of World War 1 in a classroom setting, especially for the middle grades.

The true experience of The Caribou Trail lies within its writing. From eclectic characters to surprising situations to unexpected dialogue, everything blends in such a way that it draws you in. All of the voice actors do a phenomenal job bringing the characters to life, so it feels like something that actually happened as opposed to a work of fiction. Fisher, Gordon, and Lonnie (played by Sean Henderson, Colin Cowan, & Daniel Brochu, respectively) are a great trio of characters that each have a unique background and an odd brotherhood that gets them through the worst of the war.

My favorite parts ended up being the campfire conversations, as each time you would get to learn something new about at least one of the trio, with situations and tales coming up which ranged from heart-warming to gut-wrenching. These moments were amplified even more throughout the game by the wonderful sound design and score, which helps to fully flesh out the tense tone of being on the frontlines of the First World War.

Overall, I find that The Caribou Trail is an important new take on World War 1 and the horrors that exist with such a bloody conflict. A cautionary tale that shows both the best and worst of humanity when we drive ourselves to the brink of insanity instead of talking to each other. While this game will likely not make as much of a splash as the upcoming Gallipoli game, I hope that this story persists throughout the years in order to show us the true cost of war without us having to dive into a conflict of our own. I very much look forward to seeing what other games come from the Unreliable Narrators development team! If you are looking for any other story-heavy games on PlayStation 5, consider checking out my review of Hollowbody right here.

A PS5 review copy of The Caribou Trail was provided by Unreliable Narrators for this review.

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The Caribou Trail

12.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• A Story That All Should Experience
• Great Score and Sound Design
• Variety of Game Mechanics
• Good Price

Cons

• Art Style That Won't Land With Everyone
• Almost Too Short