When I first heard Capcom was publishing a game based on the Sour Patch Kids candy, I honestly didn’t think much of it.  How are we supposed to get excited over a licensed product based on candies?

Well I recently had the chance to get a first-look at World Gone Sour in San Francisco, and after about 15 min or so, my mind quickly changed.  The premise of the game first begs the question: what would happen if a Sour Patch Kid got lost?  Surely their role in life is to be eaten by children and movie goers, but what if a candy or series of them never made it to their “final destination”?  Well that’s simple: they go crazy!

From the start, a red SPK ends up getting lost, while you, a green SPK is put in a candy bag that makes its way to the movies.  However, while at the movies, you accidentally fall out of the bag and end up getting lost as well.  Obviously the first level puts you inside a movie theater as you try to find your way out.  This is where things get a little comical.  Rather than simply letting gamers figure out how to play, the game’s narrator, played by Creed from The Office, walks you through the various mechanics and abilities.  Fans of The Office will obviously get the fact that Creed is a little “off”, or weird, if you will.  With a unique sense of humor, Creed will teach you how to play while throwing in a few one-liners that are shall we say, a little adult oriented, that will make you laugh.

As for the mechanics, the game plays out like an action-platformer.  Aside from jumping around and trying to get to the end of each level, players will be able to perform stomps, grapples (ala Bionic Commando), and more.  As you progress through each level, your green Sour Patch Kid can also capture followers, not unlike Pikmin that will follow you around.  With followers, you can grab them and throw them to collect items or activate things, while also allowing you to pull off a Kirby-style move by swallowing them and becoming larger.  This of course gives you more physical power and weight, as physics do play a part in the game.  You also get bonuses for collecting followers and you can eat them to regain health.

In one instance, we were shown a boss battle with the aforementioned red Sour Patch Kid.  In the showdown, he comes at you with a javelin made of stuff he picked up off the floor at the movies.  The trick was to let him get stuck on the wall when he tried to stab you and then pounce on his head.  We’re told that beating him down won’t be the last we see of him either.

World Gone Sour does also support co-op, in which two players can pass followers to each other and can obviously help the other in various puzzles.  And while the goal is still to reach the end of the level, players will still try to attain the most points possible, as it’s technically a competition.

Before the end of the demo, we get a little tease for an upcoming level that takes place in a little girls’ room.  Apparently our Sour Patch Kid gets stuck on the bottom of a little girl’s shoe, who takes us home.  We did get to look around her room, which was actually quite twisted, with knifes and burned toys lying around.  Something tells us this little girl won’t be on Santa’s good list.

The game was more or less easy to pick up and play though there are some gameplay elements that do take some practice, especially when you’re trying to figure out how to proceed.  For the most part, it’s easy to pick up and play but does become more difficult in later levels.  Again, Creed’s narration easily seems like the coolest part of the game that had us saying “wow” a few times, due to his crude humor.

World Gone Sour is expected to be released this spring on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and on the PC for $4.99 (or 400 MS Points).

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