With several highly anticipated Triple-A releases like “Mass Effect: Andromeda” or “For Honor,” it's easy to overlook smaller indie games; they struggle to gain visibility and traction without big developer names, pristine graphics or unlimited budgets, typical of the games currently saturating the market. “Holy Potatoes! We're in Space?!”is one of those unnoticed games with a glint of quality in this overpopulated race to be noticed.
“Holy Potatoes! We're in Space?!” centers around two young potatoes, Cassie and Kay, traveling the galaxy on their spaceship to find their missing grandfather.
The gameplay is divided into three types. First, there is travel to and exploration of distant planets in an “Oregon Trail”-text-adventure-style; events are relayed to the player in text boxes providing options for the player’s course of action. Second, the player can assume responsibility for ship maintenance and upgrades that can be purchased at hubs and shops in each solar system. The game also allows the player to assume command of the ship and crew for turn-based spaceship-on-spaceship combat against the Eclipse, similar to Star Wars’ Empire.
While gameplay becomes simple once the player masters the caveats and rules, the game is initially overwhelming for a casual gamer. The interface has many small menus that leave the player punching random buttons and experimenting rather than working from a concrete keyboard guide. Moreover, the game's tutorial provides little help, offering vague directions as to where each button is. The bright orange arrows meant to point out the different menus do not stand out in this otherwise slick, vividly colored world.
The visuals are compelling. The cartoonish style of the game exudes a professional feel compared to some of the free, crudely done, independently produced PC games now available on Steam.
The gameplay is interwoven with cutscenes rife with banter and potato puns but the story is not crucial to the game; the cutscenes offer humor alone. However, the protagonists are well designed with amusing personalities and entertaining wordplay, creating a break from repetitive gameplay.
Unfortunately, it is only the creative visuals and witty writing that allow “Holy Potatoes! We're in Space?!” to stand on its own. The gameplay itself is uninspired and reminiscent of “FTL: Faster than Light,” a more intuitive spaceship simulator with more pixelated graphics and simpler-to-grasp controls. The crafting and commerce of supplies and weapons feels like working at the rest stops and centers of questing RPGs. The story is hackneyed, like a typical “Mario” game where the story centers around navigating multiple worlds to save the Princess — except, in this case, the "princess" is a wizened old potato.
While “Holy Potatoes! We're in Space?!”is a fun romp, it can get old quickly, and is not worth the $15 price tag.
Grade: C+
"Holy Potatoes! We're In Space?!" Entertains, But Fails at Innovation
Courtesy of Daylight Studios
