Over three years ago, developer Dontnod had the opportunity to develop and present an episodic, story-driven experience mixing the absurdity of a girl who discovers she can rewind time with the realities of bullying & sexual assault and how it affects the victims & perpetrators. “Life is Strange” gained critical acclaim and encouraged both a prequel and a sequel with the latter coming out by this year’s end. Between those adventures, the developer decided to give fans both original and potentially new a chance to experience what is to come with “Life is Strange 2” by controlling Chris as he explores a world unseen and hidden from everyone who can’t delve into his imagination. Having enjoyed the original game in the franchise, I was excited to see how different & effective switching perspectives would be after following teenage girls in the middle of pure chaos to a boy as he tries to make a simple Saturday the best yet.
Did I Complete “The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit”?
Chris’ adventure is one of true exploration: a kid being left to his own devices as his father tries to take in a basketball game on a Saturday morning. But Chris isn’t just some simple child who just smashes toys together. In reality the boy the world knows as Chris is actually the superhero “Captain Spirit” – a powerful individual who can use his mind to move objects and crush danger. To help this budding superhero, the player is given the task of completing several goals – though a majority of the intended experiences aren’t necessary to finish the main story that focuses on the relationship between Chris and his dad. Though the main checklist is always easy to see with the touch of a button, finding all the available things to do is up to the player without any indication whether or not it means anything in the long run until the very end; allowing for more than one playthrough to see what a player did or didn’t miss the first time. There are no trophies or achievements, so completion is solely based on finishing the main story and discovering the world Chris inhabits as the player sees fit.
Did “The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit” Live Up to the Hype?
Several years have passed since the destructive events of “Life is Strange” featuring a pair of young women trying to stop a natural disaster while discovering the truth about several disturbing incidents that have and could occur around the quiet, ocean-front town of Arcadia Bay. Instead of focusing on the characters fans had grown to know and love, the setting & attention switches to that of Chris – a ten-year-old boy living with his dad in the snowy region of Beaver Creek. It’s obvious early that Chris is not only full of imagination; the kid truly believes he has superpowers that can help save the world. With some nifty camera work, the player is introduced to Chris’ creativity that makes one question whether or not there’s some truth to his proclaimed abilities. Chris’ attitude toward the wonders of life and how his powers can assist the people around him gives way to the player’s ability to turn a typical Saturday into a harrowing adventure where Captain Spirit – Chris’ superhero form – can fight the dreaded Snowmancer, check in on his flying fortress, and even recycle. All of these things and more come courtesy of a simplistic gameplay where the player can move Chris around with the left analog stick, either look at or interact with certain objects, and solve a few puzzles here & there.
After the first few minutes, the game presents an “Awesome Things to Do” list featuring eight objectives that don’t necessarily have to be completed to see the main story play out – a story where Chris has to deal with his alcoholic father who is trying to be a good dad, but is obviously under the pressure of something unseen or untold. Through the player’s exploration as Chris, the back story of how mostly everything came to be in this two-person household is revealed; adding a sense of true realism and at times dark levity to the entire experience. The environment isn’t the biggest with the game telling a player that Chris can’t even leave his yard; but there is enough in that yard to keep a boy busy for at least one afternoon.
Similar to the game’s predecessors, “Captain Spirit” features bright, solid coloring that is made even bolder courtesy of special effects when Chris starts reaching his super-powered potential. The new age folk-focused soundtrack returns again, springing into action to add more aural weight to scenes usually featuring Chris just taking in the scenery.
As memorable as the color & musical choices are, the dialogue options are definitely lacking. Chris’ audible interactions with humans and even a few toys are usually limited to only two choices. Considering how “Life is Strange” and games in the genre handle dialogue trees it’s definitely disappointing Chris can’t do or say a little more when the time comes to make a choice; epically when the main story reaches its climax. The biggest flaw for the unaware is the fact this is only a teaser for “Life is Strange 2” – a game set to release in September 2018. Some will want more from this offering than it can provide because it simply wasn’t made to be a full experience, but just something to figuratively whet the whistle of those who have been waiting for over a year to reenter the “Life is Strange” universe. While it obviously can’t compare to its predecessors in terms of length and even emotional depth, “Captain Spirit” encompasses everything that made the original games memorable while adding a new twist with a dash of innocence on the verge of corruption by the pressures of reality attempting to crush youthful imagination.
Should You Play “The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit”?
It’s hard to deny a free game; especially one that doesn’t last more than a couple of hours while providing an emotional story starring a determined would-be superhero. Though the main story of a son & father interacting in a time without the woman they cared for in their respective lives is what pushes forward the narrative, the fact is “Captain Spirit’s” heart & soul is making sure a kid succeeds in turning his potential lazy Saturday into a memorable experience. Fans of point & click adventures who love to explore every bit of a world to see what can or can’t be interacted with will definitely enjoy this teaser to a bigger game to come. Others unfamiliar with the genre will be hard pressed not to find something that melts their heart or takes them back to a time when a teddy bear was their second in command; or they were blowing up snowmen with firecrackers.
