The Spirit and the Mouse review – Come for the cuteness, stay for the satisfying gameplay

I’d been looking forward to narrative-driven adventure The Spirit and the Mouse since first hearing about it during the Wholesome Snack indie games showcase in late 2021. However, if I’m being honest, I had moderated expectations for this debut title from two-person indie dev studio Alblune, and publisher Armor Games Studios. I loaded up the game with the belief I’d be playing a cute, family-friendly experience, but also a very simplistic one, which would be over in a few hours.

As it turns out, The Spirit and the Mouse is a short experience, with a thorough playthrough sitting in the four to five hour bracket. However, the game is far from one note. This wholesome tale, of a little mouse who wants to help the inhabitants of a quaint French village, offers players a surprising amount of gameplay diversity and depth, without ever feeling overwhelming. It’s likeable and engaging, both cerebrally and emotionally, for players of all ages. And, yes, it’s hella cute. There’s even a dedicated squeak button.

In The Spirit and the Mouse, you play as Lila the mouse, who, during her daily struggle for survival, still yearns for something more – a greater purpose in life. That wish comes true when a summer evening thunderstorm strikes the town of Sainte-et-Claire, and Lila finds her fate intertwined with spirit guardian Lumion, a self-absorbed sky entity now trapped on earth.

For Lumion to leave the mortal plane, he needs to charge up on human happiness. That means helping several people in Sainte-et-Claire’s various districts, all of whom have been frustrated by loss of electricity (South Africans will sympathise) due to the storm. Gifted with some of Lumion’s lightning powers, sweet-hearted Lila volunteers for the task, which means she must recruit mischievous spirits called Kibblins, which are basically little electric Minions, but more charming.

As already mentioned, The Spirit and the Mouse has considerably more gameplay depth than you’d imagine. To win over the different Kibblins (which range from quirky inventors and track stars, to mischievous adolescents and engineers with imposter syndrome), you must complete different tasks. Mostly that involves exploring Sainte-et-Claire at the level of a rodent and finding items, but each Kibblin has a different minigame requirement.

Players must locate clues to decipher riddles and codes, complete routing puzzles, solve turn-based navigation tests, utilise quick reflexes, and much more. The Spirit and the Mouse promises a relaxed game but it certainly isn’t always a cake walk. And if you want even more of a challenge you can fiddle around on the game’s accessibility screen to remove the default assist features.

Adding further nuance to the gameplay is an upgrade system that will make your time in the near open-world environment of Sainte-et-Claire more enjoyable. Lumion gives you new abilities later in the game, which allow you to access previously hard-to-reach places, but there are also almost 140 lightbulbs to collect around the village. When returned to a certain Kibblin (to help re-illuminate the town square), they unlock new powers and features, including a photo mode that players are sure to love.

You’re going to spend a lot of time scampering around picturesque Sainte-et-Claire, which you soon realise is a lovingly designed and credible village. The Spirit and the Mouse isn’t a next-gen powerhouse but it is has a charming, distinct aesthetic fitting for an animated movie – which seems to be the effect that Alblune is going for. Stray meets Ratatouille is how the game is being marketed, which also feels suitable. For the record, if you were worried about Lila dying during play, she can drop off high surfaces without harm to herself.

Completing the game’s winsome package is some light humour and a heart-warming tale about how it doesn’t matter about one’s size or power – even the smallest and most unassuming creatures can have an impact on the world around them. And that’s pretty much The Spirit and the Mouse itself. This modest little indie game is much more than it appears, with the ability to brighten the day of all players, whether kids or adults.

The Spirit and the Mouse is out today, 26 September, for PC (via Steam, Epic, GOG, and itch.io) and Nintendo Switch.