Space Otter Charlie | Xbox Series X Review

Have you ever found yourself in a bit of a mental rut? You know where even your favorite hobby can’t shake the overwhelming depression looming in your mind? That’s been me (and countless other people, I’m sure) over the past few months. When a copy of Space Otter Charlie came across my desk, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Don’t get me wrong, I had nothing against the game. Let me explain: another member of my team was slated to review the game, but we were sent a copy on a platform unavailable to him. This rested the responsibility of covering the game on my shoulders.

As it turns out, this charming zero gravity platformer from Wayward Distractions was exactly the prescription I needed. I was pleasantly surprised by the constant smile I had on my face while working my way through this gem of a game. It was never overly difficult, yet from a completionist’s standpoint, it felt rewarding from start to finish.

One Small Step for Otters

Humanity has abandoned Planet Earth. Apparently, we’ve used up enough of our natural resources to force us to find an alternative home. In our selfishness, we left behind all other organic life as well. That includes otters. These adorable marine-dwelling mammals started living it up without those pesky humans to worry about. But once global warming starts to set in, the otters needed to follow in humanity’s footsteps and pursue other options.

After a couple failed attempts at space travel, the otters finally learned the proper way to construct a rocket. Yes, it happens that fast in this universe. Now the otters must travel the galaxy looking for resources and eventually a habitable place to call their own. You assume the role of Charlie, the member of your crew who seems to have drawn the short straw in terms of responsibility. You’re sent out to each location to find fuel sources, weapon upgrades, and other collectibles to help your clan reach their goal.

If the plot sounds ridiculous, it totally is. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying Space Otter Charlie. In its own quirky way, the story tells an uplifting, charming tale. Sure, I never took any of the narrative here seriously, but I was never meant to. It succeeded in doing what it intended: putting a smile on my face. And that was only the beginning.

One Giant Leap for Otter Kind

Space Otter Charlie sets itself apart from traditional Metroidvanias in a number of ways. For starters, each location takes place in zero gravity. This means there’s no jumping whatsoever. Instead, you’ll wind up relying on physics instead. Charlie can launch himself in any direction while attached to any solid surface. The idea is to jettison yourself to another platform to work your way through the environment. This doesn’t mean you don’t have a bit more control, however. Charlie also has a jetpack at his disposal, which allows him to control his trajectory mid-flight. It has limited power, though, so you’ll need to use it sparingly more often than not.

Charlie also has the ability to fire weapons at enemies, while either affixed or in the air. This gives the gameplay a bit of a twin-stick shooter vibe as well. But don’t worry: it never gets too difficult to manage. In fact, the various guns at your disposal get increasingly more fun to play with. One such weapon is a laser beam that bounces off certain walls. This not only makes for interesting ways to take down enemies, but ends up playing a part in puzzle solving as well.

The puzzles themselves are a crazy anomaly to me. I can’t remember the last time I played a game that was not challenging or frustrating, but still felt immensely satisfying. I can’t tell you why it felt so good to complete a stage and see each area marked off with 100% completion, especially since I didn’t have to spend hours mopping up collectibles. Everything was very accessible and didn’t stretch my brain in ways that put up road blocks. The entire thing is an immensely rewarding experience.

Just a Little Bit More

The only real problem I have with Space Otter Charlie is that I selfishly wanted it to be a bit more than it was at times. The puzzles early on were somewhat reminiscent of those found in games like The Legend of Zelda series. Sure, they never reached that kind of complication, but I was using newly-acquired weapons to take down bosses in interesting ways. Unfortunately, that took place mostly during the first half of the game. Things took a different direction in the back half. That’s not to say the game wasn’t enjoyable. In fact, sometimes leaving you wanting more is a good thing.

While I personally didn’t have an issue with it, i could see how some might be turned off by the cute nature of this title. Even the visuals remind me of a highly-polished educational game. If you require blood and guts or intense narrative in your video games, this one won’t be for you. But if you’re looking for some good old-fashioned fun, this bite-sized “Metroidvania-lite” is an easy recommend for me. Between this and Roundguard, you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be keeping a close eye on future titles from publisher Quantum Astrophysicists Guild. They clearly have a keen eye for games that provide pure enjoyment. And that’s something that’s sorely needed right now.

To hear me talk more about Space Otter Charlie, be sure to listen to Episode 336 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on an Xbox One copy of Space Otter Charlie (played on an Xbox Series X). The game was was provided by Quantum Astrophysicists Guild for coverage purposes. The game is also available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam (PC and Mac), and Linux.