Little Orpheus
A 2.5D adventure-platformer with Soviet-themed storytelling and cinematic gameplay.
Little Orpheus is a 2020 adventure-platform game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Sumo Digital. It was initially released on Apple Arcade on 12 June 2020 for iOS, macOS, and tvOS, with ports for other platforms following on 13 September 2022 via the subsidiary label Secret Mode. The game is notable for its cinematic 2.5D platforming and environmental storytelling, set in a world inspired by Soviet space technology, Russian mythology, and ancient creatures.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Little Orpheus
- Developer
- The Chinese Room
- Genre
- Adventure, platform
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- iOS · macOS · Microsoft Windows · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · PlayStation 5 · Xbox One · Xbox Series X/S
- Modes
- Single-player
- Released
- 12 June 2020 · Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S · 13 September 2022
- Publisher
- Sumo Digital / Secret Mode (PC, console)
- Composer
- Jim Fowler / Jessica Curry
- Director
- Dan Pinchbeck
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game follows Soviet cosmonaut Ivan Ivanovich, who in 1962 was sent into an extinct volcano in an atomically powered exploration capsule named Little Orpheus to explore the center of the Earth. He disappeared until 1965, when he reappeared claiming to have lost the capsule and was taken into custody. Ivan then tells an unnamed General a fantastical story of his journey through untamed wilds and extreme terrain, attempting to rescue Little Orpheus from the insane Eduard von Toll, who enslaved humanoid Menkv and sought to manipulate time. The story becomes increasingly absurd and logically flawed, revealing itself as a cover for Ivan's desertion from the faulty capsule. The General, entertained by the tale, spares Ivan from execution and allows him to retire with a pension under an insanity defense. Ivan returns home to his dog Laika, whom he had apparently rescued from orbit.
Reader's Guide
Little Orpheus received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic, with OpenCritic noting weak approval (recommended by 34% of critics). Critics praised its story, voice acting, and art but criticized its core gameplay. Forbes' Matt Gardner gave a mixed review, noting the game over-relies on its strongest assets without matching them in gameplay. Nintendo Life's Lowell Bell criticized the lack of narrative payoff or memorable conclusion. Despite mixed critical reception, the game earned accolades: Develop awarded it Best Mobile Game at the Star Awards in 2021, and Pocket Gamer awarded it Best Platformer Game in 2021. Its release was delayed from March 2022 to September 2022 due to its Soviet themes in light of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Creative Director Dan Pinchbeck described the game as applying the studio's arthouse background to traditional genres, with a world filled with ridiculous Soviet space technology, Russian mythology, and ancient creatures, akin to a homage to Ray Harryhausen movies.
Did You Know?
- The game was first shown at an Apple Arcade showcase during the Apple Event on 25 March 2019.
- Creative Europe awarded a grant of up to €72,339 with 50% co-funding for the project in August 2017.
- A new game plus mode was released on 9 October 2020, and an episode 9 update arrived on 15 January 2021.
More in Platform Games of the 2020s, Part 1 1-24
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