If there is one game at E3 that stands out from the rest, it would be DONTNOD’s The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. The game is meant to introduce new players to the Life Is Strange universe, but is just so wholesome and charming that it could easily be the best thing to come out this year.
The goal of the game is to simply explore a day in the life of 10-year old Chris. A child who doesn’t have many friends and spends his time pretending to be a superhero. Despite this, there is no combat; with players simply making this or that choices that affect the overall storyline.
This almost complete lack of conflict is a bit jarring in the middle of an expo that seemingly thrives on violence and bloodshed. Which is perhaps why it stands out so much. The innocence of a 10-year old at play doesn’t belong out here among the massive triple-A titles.
Watching the demo being played at shows just how far other games have shaped the expectations of an entire generation of gamers. In one scene, you see Chris’ newly widowed father drinking alcohol at breakfast; when confronted, he chooses to playfully brush it off while being supportive of his child. A far cry from the traditional media portrayal of drunk single father chugging a beer while stumbling off to watch “the game”.
DONTNOD promises that this will be a very short experience, and won’t take more than a couple of hours to complete. Maybe more depending on how many times a player wants to go back and try alternative choices.
If anything, it’s a nice break from every other bleak and grimdark game currently being marketed. The fact that it’s being released for free on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC only means that everyone should give it a try. It’s also fantastic marketing for the upcoming Life is Strange 2; which is due out next year.
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