Launched in 2020, Little Orpheus is a cinematic adventure platformer is by Brighton-based indie devs The Chinese Room. It’s out on all consoles, PC, and smartphones.
Players take control of Soviet cosmonaut Ivan Ivanovich, who has crashed landed in the Earth’s core and lost an atomic bomb. The game then plays out as a comedic caper type game, doesn’t take itself too seriously, and offers some fun sci-fi concepts.
Explore the Comedic Chops of Little Orpheus
The game is set in 1962 and kind of styles itself like a ’50s type sci-fi show. There are episodes to unlock as the plot develops, with Ivanovich having a regular conversation with his suspicious superior as he attempts to explain his fantastical story.
Sent to explore an extinct volcano at the centre of the Earth, he’s crashed, is lost, and goes off exploring.
Rediscover in 1965, he explains what’s happened to his boss as the player assumes control of Ivanovich.
This type of cinematic platformer (think of classics such as the spectacular INSIDE) places heavy emphasis on happenings. It’s not like a classic platformer as you get limited controls—everything is more about discovering set pieces and enjoying all that stuff.
Little Orpheus is much more of a casual experience than INSIDE, and various other titles we’ve played in this genre, placing full emphasis on fun.
That’s how it stands out. The episodic nature breaks up the constant moving to the right, which does also lead to some great fun little plot developments and visual splendour.
Little Orpheus is absurd. We like that type of thing, so we took to it pretty well. It’s definitely a unique take on cinematic platformers, although the Soviet Union tropes wear a little thin after a bit.
The conversations between Ivanovich and his General also get a bit boring after a while and we just didn’t find it very funny. It’s very kitsch, slap your thigh and say “Gosh, that’s a corker!” But that’s what they were aiming for anyway, with the ’50s sensibilities, so fair enough.
Puzzle and platformer elements can also be jarring. The flow isn’t great and sometimes you’re left completing frustrating drag/move object type moments that could have just been left out.
However, our reservations about the above aside, the core of the game is its graphical appeal and the various stuff you discover as Ivanovich.
It’s all very appealing, at its peak, with an inquisitive T. Rex, ancient tribe, and a demolished spacecraft hurling all sorts of creative happenings at the player. This is the game at its best and where it’s most enjoyable.
To go with that, the game looks cool as a cucumber. Plus, the orchestral score by Jessica Curry and Jim Fowler is a fine piece of work. Here they are discussing how they went about their creative process.
The result is stuff like this, clearly influenced by Disney classics, but also having a distinct life of its own.
Little Orpheus is a good game, rather than a great one, but must get full credit for trying new and interesting ideas. As cinematic platformers go, its concept and skewing of genre mechanics makes it a fun little romp.
It’s a welcome distraction and (by crap bags) do we all need that in the world right now, comrades.
