Space Otter Charlieis a outstanding illustration of the freedom afforded to indie developer looking to experiment with fresh but wild ideas . Created by developer Wayward Distractions and bring out by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild , the plot is a teaser - platformer set in space , where players take dominance ofan lovely otternavigating through a miscellany of abandoned space stations , asteroid , and other weird locations .

WithSpace Otter Charlietaking station in the gravitational force - free confines of space , getting around is not a dewy-eyed physical process . The main challenge in the biz arrive from being able-bodied to cautiously move through the different domain , avoiding foe and obstacles along the agency . The undecomposed doctrine of analogy to report the fashion that players maneuver is like swimming through water , with Charlie ’s move having a floaty feeling to them that miss precision - a great premise yield the protagonist ’s natural kinship for swim .

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Brian Heder with a brick of cocaine in GTA 6

For some , this might be frustrating at first , as weapons platform plot normally need responsive ascendancy so players can move around almost on inherent aptitude , knowing on the nose what each clit press will correspond to . While that is not the case inSpace Otter Charlie , it is by intention rather than an act of carelessness . The very act of maneuvering through space is whatSpace Otter Charlieis built around . Of course , this does mean there are some exasperating present moment where it seems impossible to get through a tight or twisting sphere , yet these are exceptionally rare and do n’t sour the experience .

In terms of levels , Space Otter Charliesees players traversing through a variety of different locations . Each area has its own set of enemies to vote down and traps to avoid , yield player a nice range of challenge . The dissimilar environments also check that tedium does not set up in by visiting the same form of locations that all look similar . The title of respect also has aMetroidvania influence , forcing players to collect key fruit and backtrack to open up up novel area .

The final cock-a-hoop gameplay component is the various rising slope on offer . While out exploring , Charlie will find all sort of resources that can be compile and take back to the hub base to build upgrades . Some of these are entirely necessary , with puzzler being impossible to make out without them , while others allow a welcome cost increase that is not strictly needed but is for sure helpful . Space Otter Charliemight be something of a disappointment for those who lovecomplex problem to solve , however . The Brobdingnagian majority of puzzles are simple endeavor that require players to block lasers or manipulate weapons platform by hitting switches with the correct weapon system .

A character holding a trunk in art from Eberron: Forge of the Artificer

The story ofSpace Otter Charlietakes inspiration from   real world problems besiege mood change disaster . In this fictitious future , humans have abandoned Earth after temperature soared , leave behind all the animals to fend for themselves . Fortunately , a chemical group of otters has create a space programme from the bit left behind by humanity and intends to explore blank in an attempt to find a new home .

To be honest , the story inSpace Otter Charliereally does n’t matter all that much as the focus is entirely direct upon the gameplay . The narrative is used more as a quick founding to the world and to provide a bit of semblance to what ’s go on as players hit the button they ’re supposed to . It wo n’t give players much in the way of motivating , or even a compelling background plot , and even the brief moments of dialog can be decamp through without any consequence .

None of that aim out from the plot itself , though , asSpace Otter Charlieis a title that lives on the quality of its gameplay . fortuitously , there is enough here to make this an easy recommendation for any platforming enthusiasts thanks to the satisfying movement , bright and cheerful characters , and diverse level . Although it only features simple mystifier and can be 100 % completed in a little over four hours , Space Otter Charliefeels like a complete experience that is almost always enjoyable and does n’t outstay its welcome .

A screenshot fo Space Otter Charlie showing the hub base known as The Raft.

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Space Otter Charlieis usable on Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . Screen Rantwas leave with a digital code for the Xbox One version of the biz for the design of this review .

Enemies attacking the player in Space Otter Charlie.

A Space Otter Charlie screenshot of one of the crushing obstacles.