Not every great adventure begins with a sword, spaceship, or epic prophecy – sometimes it starts with something as ordinary as a missing potato. SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato from StudioBando captures that exact sense of wonder through a small yet heartfelt story that turns a trip to the pantry into an odyssey across magical worlds. While it wears its influences like Spirited Away and Coco proudly, this is a journey that carves its own warm identity through humor, emotional depth, and cultural charm.
The story follows Miho, a young boy who sets out to help his Nana finish her soup, only to be whisked away into a surreal realm filled with talking frogs, floating towns, and bustling marketplaces. What begins as a simple fetch quest becomes an allegory about family, memory, and growing up, with each return home revealing subtle changes in Miho’s world. SOPA balances its whimsical fantasy with a personal, grounded tone that captures the warmth of intergenerational bonds, and tts dialogue, sprinkled with gentle humor and a touch of melancholy, helps make each encounter feel meaningful even during its shorter runtime.
Gameplay-wise, SOPA mixes classic 3D adventure mechanics with the sensibilities of point-and-click puzzling. Players explore compact but dense environments, interact with quirky characters, and use collected items to solve simple environmental riddles. It’s designed to be approachable – puzzles rarely stump for long – and its rhythm allows the story to flow naturally without constant interruptions. The downside is that the game can feel mechanically slight; those seeking challenge or depth may find its structure too linear and straightforward. Still, its playfulness and occasional absurdity, from grease-trading frogs to eccentric inventors, keep the journey engaging.
Visually, SOPA is gorgeous in a storybook sense. StudioBando’s art direction captures the richness of Latin American landscapes through vivid color palettes, expressive animation, and clever use of scale – small domestic scenes seamlessly transition into sweeping dreamlike vistas. The result feels handcrafted, somewhere between a Pixar short and a pop-up diorama. Performance, however, doesn’t always live up to the presentation. We saw frame-skips, occasional control hiccups, and even softlocks that break the illusion of polish. None of these issues are severe enough to derail the experience, but they do slightly dull what might otherwise be an immaculate production, and hint at a need for post-launch updates.
The soundtrack deserves special mention. Its blend of cumbia beats, acoustic flourishes, and atmospheric melodies underscores SOPA’s cultural grounding beautifully. Whether you’re drifting down a river or chatting with a market vendor, the music gives everything a soulful rhythm that feels alive. Voice performances and ambient sounds further enhance the sense of place – a world that hums, rustles, and occasionally bursts into song. It’s one of those soundtracks that lingers even after the credits roll.
Short but memorable, SOPA – Tale of the Stolen Potato is a cozy, emotional journey that finds magic in the mundane. It’s a few technical patches away from true greatness, but even now, its sincerity and creativity make it stand out among narrative-driven indie adventures. For those who appreciate heartfelt storytelling and light puzzle design over fast-paced action, it’s a dish best savored slowly – much like Nana’s soup itself.
Score: 7.5/10
Press Play Media 