Mario Bautista
The Epic Games Store and its free game promotion is like a grab bag of goodies; it’s a complete wild card as to what games will be made free, or even how many will be given away, each week. This means that not every fan of specific genres or experiences will be happy, but others will feel like it’s their lucky day, as something unexpected may be exactly what they’re looking for. For example, right now is the perfect time for fans of Annapurna Interactive’s Stray to pick up a freebie on the Epic Games Store that goes hand-in-hand with the adventure as a cat.
For those unfamiliar, the Epic Games Store changes its free games every Thursday at 10 AM CT. This week, The Spirit and the Mouse may break the recent streak of two games being available with just one, but its being offered for free to celebrate the whimsical title’s two-year anniversary. While The Spirit and the Mouse isn’t exactly similar to Stray, players should still enjoy the overlap between the two games, as fans go on an adventure as a mouse and a cat respectively.
Epic Games Store Free Game The Spirit and the Mouse Explained
Why Stray Fans Will Have a Good Time With The Spirit and the Mouse
It may seem like a simple comparison, but the similarities between Stray and The Spirit and the Mouse go beyond the fact that players navigate the world as an animal. Yes, the two will likely feel familiar playing one after the other due to that fact alone, but they also share themes of helping the people of the world as just a critter, making an unexpected friend to complete said quests with, and being a fun journey regardless of the destination. The two even have a similar playtime of around 5 hours.
Both games also start out similarly, as Stray begins with the cat falling down into the city below, and Lila the mouse ends up in a bit of trouble after narrowly avoiding (ironically) a cat. Eventually, as both of these critters make their way through their surroundings, they run into a curious ally in the form of B-12 and Lumion the Spirit. With these new companions, the cat and the mouse are able to bring some good to the worlds they inhabit. For the nameless cat, it’s helping the robots free themselves from their prison underground, while for Lila the mouse, she restores power to a city during a dire thunderstorm.
What Sets The Spirit and the Mouse and Stray Apart
These cute animal protagonists do have different aspects to their stories that should be made known to newer players. For starters, Stray is a post-apocalyptic story with a twist. As part of that, Stray carries weight with its story, and some sequences, such as against the Zurk enemies and when hiding in boxes from security, can be rather gripping and stressful. The Spirit and the Mouse, on the other hand, is much more lighthearted in nature. As part of that, though, The Spirit and the Mouse has hardly any stakes in what little action sequences it has.
These differences shouldn’t make or break the experience for fans, though, as long as they know that these games won’t exactly be the same in tone. With how popular Stray proved itself to be, The Spirit and the Mouse could serve as a great game to relax with for many players. On the other side of the coin, Stray could serve as a perfect extra challenge for those who enjoy The Spirit and the Mouse after getting it for free who want a bit of an extra challenge or harder-hitting story. For those not interested in an animalistic adventure, though, they’re a bit out of luck, as next week’s game continues the theme with Bear & Breakfast. Perhaps October 10 could offer something different, but right now, animal lovers who regularly visit the Epic Games Store have plenty to enjoy.
Epic Games Store
A digital video game storefront for Windows PC and macOS created and operated by Epic Games. Originally launched in December 2018, Epic Games Store is both a website as well as a standalone launcher.
