SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato Review (Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

My nana always used to say, “you can’t make a good soup without chasing a pink frog through raging rapids in a makeshift boat.” She also used to tell me that, should I ever mistakenly fall into a magical realm comprised of sarcastic dolphins and black market dealings, then I should bribe my way onto a bathtub and befriend a jellyfish. Well, technically, she never said any of that. Though, SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato might as well have.

It takes a great deal to make a feel good game that can not only warm your soul, but also give you something to chuckle about. But with SOPA, it all feels oddly natural. Bizarre, yet natural. Even with no major dialogue or sensical plot, it just feels strangely inviting. The accordion; the comical characters; the noble quest for a potato; and the tiny moments that make such a ludicrous premise hit all the right spots. SOPA, against all odds, has that special ingredient that puts a smile on your face and makes you hungry for another bite.

As the title openly states, Tale of the Stolen Potato is about a young boy who, after receiving a simple request from his nana to “fetch a sack of potatoes” from the pantry, accidentally falls backwards into a mystical world of talking animals, annoyingly catchy earworm anthems, and light puzzles that involve insects, grease, and impatient seagulls. And that’s barely scraping the tip of the iceberg, believe it or not.

A third-person adventure game at heart, Tale of the Stolen Potato sees you, a young boy, homeward bound in a short yet unforgettable journey that spans a tropical haven of luscious greens and banjo-boosted environments. With a simple goal in mind—to reclaim a stolen potato from a mischievous pink frog, naturally—you enter its domain with the intent to finalize your grandma’s famous soup. Things quickly go awry, however, and before long you find yourself knuckle deep in the underbelly of a giant fish. The plot thickens, and, well, you get the idea. It’s all a little far-fetched and confusing, but that’s all part of its charm.

Billed as an “emotional” experience at its core, SOPA takes the odd moment to season its oddly comical performances and grin-worthy animations with light coming-of-age elements, some of which come in the form of a question, others of which openly illustrate the importance of kin, and how “little moments” hold much, much deeper meanings. It’s still about soup — but it’s also about life and the subtle emotions that we get to experience with our relatives. That, and it’s also about frogs. Don’t ask. It’s an odd tale that leaves a lot open for interpretation.

If you’re looking for a game that implements complex puzzles and thought-provoking plot twists throughout its journey, then you might want to take your washing basket and broom elsewhere, because frankly, this isn’t one of those games. Rather, it’s a beginner-friendly adventure that primarily involves walking, talking, using items from your inventory, and making the occasional dialogue-related input. But other that that, it’s a simple experience that really doesn’t push the proverbial boat out. It’s a wild ride, and you, being the recipient, simply roll with the tide.

I will put my hand up and say that I did hit a couple of crossroads during the game’s brief journey. Being a little out of the ordinary, the “puzzles” often felt nonsensical, to the point where I would often find myself aimlessly roaming around without the slightest clue where to go or what to do. A parrot; an accordion; a hot cup of coffee; a deflated soccer ball, for example. At times, it took a while to piece it all together to create a plausible narrative. Once the ball began to flow, though, the pieces of the puzzle soon fell into place and revealed the path forward.

On the bright side, SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato plays as well as any low-budget indie adventure game should. That being said, I did happen to bump into a few technical issues during the two-hour expedition. For example, the camera would often pan out, lose sight of the character, or simply refuse to lock on to the correct location. In other situations, I’d find a lack of fluidity in the animation, with a low frame rate and a lot of jittery movement. To say that it all felt rather half-baked wouldn’t be fair nor true. Though, to say that it was all plain sailing would also be a bit of a lie.

To give credit where it’s due, Tale of the Stolen Potato is as equally inviting as it is visually wholesome. With a rich South American essence that radiates vibrancy, tropical landscapes, and harmonic scores, the game itself feels great to stroll through. To add, it features some brilliant dialogue, as well as some hilarious moments that, while not deserving of a complete belly laugh, tickle the right spot and hit all of the right notes. Again, it’s all rather peculiar, but then, that isn’t to say that it’s forgettable. Heck, I couldn’t forget the pink frog even if I wanted to.

With all of the above said, SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato is a great crowd pleaser. It might not stick around all that long or force a habit of stuffing its core with anything particularly extraordinary, but I can vouch for its quirks. It’s Frog Detective meets Harold Halibut. If that’s a combination that you can gel with, then you’ll probably adore just about everything that fleshes out this easy peeler of an indie.

Verdict

SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato lovingly bakes and serves a wholesome coming-of-age journey that waxes the best of both worlds, with a beautifully rich South American aesthetic and a charmingly comical plot that can leave you smiling from ear to ear from beginning to end. Although rather short and severely lacking in technical polish, it hits a lot of the right chords, thus making it an easy peeler that any fan of cozy adventure games will immediately fall in love with. That, to me, is enough. It might not be a masterpiece, but it is a journey that you’ll likely remember for the coming seasons.