I’ve always been a fan of the GTA games. I don’t relish the long-winded stories of them, admittedly, but I do enjoy the blatant chaos and crime-driven insanity that can be achieved by acting like a complete lunatic with no regard to morals. I also love raccoons, and while you may think those two things are completely unrelated, Raccoon Crime Spree is here to prove you wrong.

Raccoon Crime Spree is an indie sandbox gem developed and published by Jacob Weersing. As it turns out, checking out of reality and into a world in which you are a delinquent (and possibly sociopathic) raccoon is actually pretty fun, and it’s a delightful way to zone out of the worries of reality, as long as you can switch off your morality.

Like taking candy from a baby

No, literally. One of the first things you need to do in Raccoon Crime Spree, aside from learn to climb and generally move, is steal candy from a baby, but only after smacking it and sending it flying so that it drops the aforementioned candy. I have to admit that my guilt at the thought of taking candy from a child was eclipsed by the astonishment I felt at how far the baby flew, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

As you commit crimes, from stealing miscellaneous food items to stealing cars and even stretching as far as assault or even murder, you will start to be chased by the police. I’d question the state of the world if the cops looked the other way while I beat up an unsuspecting diner to steal their pizza, to be honest, but it is somewhat of a hindrance to any crime spree you might have going. Still, you can dive into any of the dumpsters around, which act as a safe space. 

There is no safer space for a raccoon than a dumpster, after all, provided it’s not trash collection day.

Ragdoll physics, except they apply to cars

One of my favorite things to do in Raccoon Crime Spree, aside from hoarding donuts like my little four-legged life depends on it, is stealing cars. In the demo, you can steal either taxis or cop cars, and both of them drive the same way: badly. 

There is nothing like a good bit of ragdoll physics, but in all my years of playing, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so effectively applied to automobiles. Imagine being in a car and crashing into another vehicle, only for that other car to go flying over your head in a physics-defying move that leaves you awestruck. Your own car can perform bizarre and unexpected flips, too, but it’s mostly present in other cars.

Whatever car you choose to steal with your bizarrely human-esque hands, it can be turned into a weapon to commit further crimes. These are, admittedly, more brutal than stealing a pizza or a slice of watermelon, but it’s a little too easy to end up responsible for death by dangerous driving. I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise; you can barely reach the pedals, and you’re unlikely to be able to see out of the windscreen. 

If you want to take a joyful dive into delinquency as an adorable, problem-causing raccoon, the demo of Raccoon Crime Spree is available now through Steam.