The Spirit and the Mouse
- September 26, 2022
- Armor Games Studios
- 6h median play time
The Spirit and the Mouse is a heartfelt and relaxing game that’s well worth experiencing if you don’t mind a lack of action.
Get on Steam"The Spirit and the Mouse" is a narrative-driven adventure game where you play as a tiny mouse exploring the French village of Sainte-et-Claire. Solve character-driven puzzles, help troubled villagers, and placate mischievous Kibblins through mini-games. With a relaxing piano soundtrack, this game encourages exploration and collection while aiding those in need. Find the 120+ hidden lightbulbs and unlock new abilities in this charming and melancholic world.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Epic Games
PlayStation
Reviews
- Charming and cute graphics that create a warm atmosphere in a quaint European village.
- Relaxing gameplay with simple puzzles and a dedicated 'squeak' button that adds to the fun.
- Heartwarming story that emphasizes kindness and helping others, making it a delightful experience.
- The game is relatively short, with some players wishing for more content and variety in gameplay.
- Puzzles can be overly simplistic, leading to a lack of challenge for more experienced gamers.
- Camera controls can be awkward at times, making navigation a bit frustrating.
- story113 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "The Spirit and the Mouse" is characterized as simple yet heartwarming, focusing on a charming mouse on a mission to help the villagers and spread joy. Players appreciate the game's wholesome narrative, beautiful visuals, and engaging quests, which create a cozy atmosphere perfect for casual gaming. While the story may not be complex, it resonates emotionally, often leaving players feeling uplifted and connected to the characters.
“A delightfully charming bite-sized adventure with a sweet, wholesome, lighthearted story perfect for a cozy afternoon in.”
“Such a beautiful story about how everyone can make a difference in the world, made with such love and care.”
“The story is amazing and the entire game is so heartwarming.”
“The story is very light and childish, and there's no combat or danger whatsoever, and no annoying timer-based threats.”
“The narrative is clearly aimed towards a younger audience, and while it does attempt to inject some drama near the end of the story, the emotional beats it shoots for ultimately fell flat for me.”
“If you're wondering about the story, it's nothing to write home about.”
- emotional79 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "The Spirit and the Mouse" is overwhelmingly positive, with players praising its heartwarming story and charming characters that evoke feelings of joy and nostalgia. Many reviewers noted that the game successfully delivers a wholesome experience, often leading to tears of happiness by the end, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a comforting and uplifting adventure. Overall, it stands out as a beautifully crafted game that resonates deeply with players, offering a perfect blend of cuteness and emotional depth.
“The story was really heartfelt.”
“This game is wonderful, I love rats and the ending made me cry; it was so heartfelt.”
“I laughed, I cried (phew, it got me good).”
- music76 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, perfectly complementing the charming visuals and whimsical atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the beautiful soundtrack, which enhances the exploration experience and evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic platformers. Overall, the music is described as delightful, soothing, and integral to the game's enchanting ambiance.
“The atmosphere, visuals, and soundtrack are lovely.”
“The music is relaxing and the kibblins you meet are funny and charming.”
“The music and mood are perfect, and I never got tired of finding bulbs hidden in every corner.”
“The music makes me feel like cheese :)”
“The soft, gentle music and ability to sleep after not moving for a short period invites you to take your time with this game.”
“The music and the tone and the sound effects all blend together to make a cohesive little world that just fits.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by unique mechanics and a charming, casual puzzle platforming experience that keeps players engaged with its variety of quests and collectibles. While some find the gameplay loop simple and occasionally repetitive, others appreciate its relaxing nature and the emotional connection to the story. However, issues like slow cutscenes and camera control detract from the overall experience for some players, leading to mixed feelings about its depth and content.
“You can find some very interesting unique gameplay mechanics here that I didn't see anywhere else.”
“Very sweet and charming; I never once got bored as there were different mechanics used for each quest, which made it really fun!”
“It's an heartwarming experience through and through, with simple but enjoyable gameplay, cute visuals, a very sweet and relaxing soundtrack, and memorable and funny characters.”
“Lackluster game, lots of softlocks, so utterly boring that I had to use a mod to be able to skip the abysmally slow cutscenes by speeding the game up. When you flash past the dialogue, there's so little gameplay that you begin to realize the developer padded out the gameplay time with long, dragging, slow camera shots, and you genuinely realize it's a sheer lack of content.”
“I was looking forward to this, but I'm unable to find joy in the gameplay.”
“The camera is very wonky and can be unwieldy at times, and the gameplay slightly wears out its welcome near the end, which is a shame given the game's short length.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charm and beauty, featuring a delightful and colorful art style that enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the cute character animations and the enchanting soundtrack, which together create a heartwarming and immersive experience. While some note the simplicity of the graphics, they still find them visually appealing and well-executed, contributing to the game's relaxing and enjoyable nature.
“The atmosphere, visuals, and soundtrack are lovely.”
“Beautiful graphics, nice story, and no bugs.”
“The graphics and the musical score set an atmosphere which is just magical.”
“The platforming and puzzle elements are light at best, with not much diversity. It feels like a student project in terms of the quality, polish, and effort put into the various elements of the game, from the level design to the visuals and the soundscape.”
“I mean, the graphics are simple; there is no voice acting.”
“A really pretty, homey art style that doesn't try to look 'retro,' and it runs on a potato.”
- atmosphere17 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful art, charming environments, and warm, cozy vibes reminiscent of a small European village. Players appreciate the magical combination of lovely visuals and a soothing soundtrack, which together create an endearing and immersive experience. The overall ambiance is described as both enchanting and comforting, appealing to both children and adults alike.
“The atmosphere, visuals, and soundtrack are lovely.”
“The atmosphere in this game is phenomenal.”
“The graphics and the musical score set an atmosphere which is just magical.”
“The tasks are kind of repetitive, but the overall story and atmosphere is cozy and charming.”
“Clearly intended for kids in terms of character, atmosphere, and difficulty, it can easily charm adults as well.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its charming and humorous elements, featuring cute graphics and funny characters, particularly the endearing mouse and the kibblins. Players frequently find themselves laughing at the delightful dialogues and wholesome interactions, complemented by a relaxing soundtrack. Overall, it offers a heartwarming and enjoyable experience with a blend of humor and visual appeal.
“The music is relaxing and the kibblins you meet are funny and charming.”
“I frequently catch myself laughing and smiling at this dumb little mouse.”
“The village is super charming, the dialogues and the kibblins are hilarious, the music is soothing, and the mouse is so darn cute!”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its optimization, with users noting that it runs very smoothly and efficiently overall.
“The game is very well optimized.”
“Overall impressions and performance are excellent.”
“The game runs smoothly with optimized settings.”
“The game is poorly optimized, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Overall impressions of the performance are disappointing; it feels like the game was rushed and not properly optimized for various hardware.”
“Despite having a powerful PC, I still experience lag and long loading times, which indicates a lack of proper optimization.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, featuring smooth character movements and minimal visual glitches, indicating a well-polished experience for players.
“The game is really well polished with no glitches in my playthrough.”
“I experienced no crashes or bugs, which made for a smooth gaming experience.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I never encountered any issues during my sessions.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding elements of the game, such as collecting lightbulbs and sparks, to be tedious and lacking motivation, suggesting that the campaign would benefit from increased variety to alleviate the repetitive nature of these tasks.
“The ones I missed also pertained to grindy elements of the game (finding lightbulb collectibles, finding an arbitrary amount of sparks in each area, etc.), so those aren't really motivating either.”
“It can feel rather tedious after a while; the campaign could use more variety.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praised the character development for its engaging questlines and impressive character designs, particularly highlighting the kibblins as a standout feature.
“The questlines were great, as were the character designs, especially of the kibblins.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users generally find that the game's replayability is high, with various modes and challenges that encourage multiple playthroughs. The inclusion of different character choices and branching storylines adds to the overall experience, making each session feel fresh and engaging. Overall, players appreciate the depth and variety that enhance replay value.
“The game offers a wealth of choices that make each playthrough feel unique and engaging.”
“With multiple endings and diverse character paths, I find myself coming back to explore every possibility.”
“The random events and procedural generation keep the gameplay fresh, ensuring that no two sessions are ever the same.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”
