The Lords were live at the Anime NYC Convention show floor. During the convention, Lord Sonic got a closer look at Captain Corgi: Planetary Problem Solver by WhaleFood Games.
What is Captain Corgi?
As described on the developer’s Steam Page, they say the following on this space-fairing adventure game.
Play as Captain Corgi in this space adventure! Hop on your cosmic sailboat and explore the Milky Way, land on floating worlds, and lend a helping hand to the eccentric inhabitants of this storybook universe.
Gameplay of Captain Corgi
The demo playable at the Anime Expo took place on a beach/forest planet, where Captain Corgi and his brother Lem help out the residents however they can. The controls were simple, with a dash button on the right trigger and being able to interact with objects with the A Button.
While the area was basic in scope, the gameplay’s charm is talking with the colorful animal residents and reading the charming dialog they say.
One major aspect of the game is its narrative, having a Saturday cartoon-inspired tone for it’s writing. Corgi is such a lovable fellow, just wanting to help everyone he comes across, regardless if they want his help or not.
This involves exchanging items found across the level, which thankfully everything was close to one another. This results in the adventure game elements not feeling frustrating, as backtracking was a non-issue in the demo.
Charming References
One touch I noticed and mentioned to the developer, was a clear love for the classic 90’s platformers. One of the objects Corgi can collect is puzzle pieces, which are a clear homage to classics like Banjo Kazooie. When asked if they were going to be used in the full game, the solo developer didn’t have a clear plan for them.
But with how I collected a number of them across my time playing the demo, I could imagine seeing them be used to unlock new planets to explore, considering Captain Corgi is exploring space.
Engine & Development
In a surprise amongst the other games playable at the Anime Expo, Captain Corgi was running on Unreal Engine 5. The developer was running the game via a Steam Deck, with performance largely being stable. Using a Steam Deck for a demo build this early on in the development process implies the title will run well on the handheld when it launches on Steam in 2025.
No other platforms are considered at the time of this writing. Regarding the development, this is a solo developer making this adventure title. The polish in such an early build, with smooth character animations, charming visuals, and enjoyable writing; I was very impressed when I finished playing it.
Regarding game length, the developer mentioned a target of two hours or so, with the possibility of optional side planets to explore.
Closing Thoughts on Captain Corgi
Adventure titles are more common nowadays, so it’s important to have a strong idea to stand out. Captian Corgi easily stands out in the crowd thanks to its lovable protagonist, charming writing, and a lot of promise.
If you want to learn more about the title, feel free to wishlist it on Steam! Stay tuned for more Anime Expo 2024 coverage on Lords of Gaming!
