Despelote

Despelote's creators tell a remarkable, pseudo-autobiographical tale about football, Ecuador, and community - but also one about the act of remembering, and the creative act itself.

Set during Ecuador's 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, this fascinating, semi-autobiographical game gives you control of the life of a soccer-mad eight-year-old

Like the drive back home from an away day loss, you’re left wondering: what was the point? Despelote laudably captures the emotion surrounding Ecuador’s qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but it struggles to craft a satisfying video game about it.

With its distinctive presentation and light-touch mechanics, Despelote builds a mesmerising feeling of a community brought together by a fleeting football obsession. The historic moment of Ecuador's journey towards World Cup qualification grounds the story in time and place, perfectly capturing the author's salad days. Whether you play, watch, or avoid football, this is a beautifully-told story you can enjoy.

Whether or not you're a football fan, Despelote has a lot to say about the sport, its fans, and the impact it has on them, and much of it is worth listening to.

Despelote is a moving and masterfully rendered game about soccer, growing up, and so much more.

Despelote is a unique documentary around Ecuador and the country’s newfound obsession with soccer in the early 2000s, but it sometimes misses the goal of being an entertaining game. Definitely worth playing, but more so as education than entertainment.

This is Despelote's most glaring weakness and its highest strength. It's ability to ferry you to another place and time, if only to experience what it was like living during the Ecuadoran hype of the World Cup. To help you understand why Soccer and sports in general, really traverse cultural barriers and bring people together. United in a search for representation.

Despelote is a great autobiographical narrative that will likely strike a chord with you if you grew up watching events such as the World Cup. While the repetitive gameplay and strange controls are frustrating, the presentation, story premise, and charming moments are more than enough to immerse you in a specific and unique era in history. Plus, with the short runtime and small price, if you like short and sweet games and have a passion for football/soccer, then this is a must-buy.

despelote is a short game that might only take two or three hours but it’s worth every second. It’s a very charming game that only costs $14.99, so it’s worth a buy.