For a kid with an obsession, it’s impossible to think about anything else. When I was really into skateboarding, every piece of architecture was filled with a potential for tricks that I could never actually pull off. When I was on a quest to complete Super Mario Bros. 3 on my own, any piece of paper became a sketch of a new level.
For eight-year-old Julián in the new game Despelote, that obsession is soccer, and it becomes the backdrop for a sweet, and short, slice-of-life drama about passion and memory.
Despelote is set in Quito in 2001, just as Ecuador is on the verge of qualifying for the men’s World Cup for the first time in its history. The story follows Julián through the qualifying stages, as he goes about his life – or tries to, at least. There’s a lot going on at the time, as the country is still dealing with the effects of an economic crisis. Soccer becomes something of a relief valve, a hopeful story to follow during difficult times.
The game plays out from a first-person perspective and takes place across several days, during each of which Ecuador has an important match. The scenes are small but surprisingly open, often forcing young Julián – and also the player – …
