This game feels unfinished. I don't mind games being on the shoter side, but this game is full of ideas that lack growth and development. It's only four levels long, and its mechanics peak at the second level in terms of creativity. If you find it on sale, it's a well-made experience with some cute storytelling, but don't go into this expecting a challenge.
This game has some delightful features, the start is so utterly minimal, and I love how it exploits the way your brain processes what you see. It's gentle and highly original.
However, it lacks a compelling narrative or sense of threat, and doesn't have the emotional depth of the studio's other title, What Remains of Edith Finch. It feels more like an intriguing demo than a complete game.
Worth picking up on sale (I got it 70% off on Steam), but might disappoint if you paid full price.
However, it lacks a compelling narrative or sense of threat, and doesn't have the emotional depth of the studio's other title, What Remains of Edith Finch. It feels more like an intriguing demo than a complete game.
Worth picking up on sale (I got it 70% off on Steam), but might disappoint if you paid full price.
It is a decent game, however it didn't blow me away. I played What Remains of Edith finch first which blows this out of the water. The concept of it is still cool, however it is kind of just boring in many ways and the story never caught me. It is still worth playing, but it doesn't feel especially special.
knew i would probably be let down by this considering how much i love edith finch and with how lukewarm the response on this is, but wow this has like nothing interesting about it
chicory if it didnt have anything to say and the only thing compelling about it was its art direction (which peaks in the first 5 minutes and never really lives up to it again)
chicory if it didnt have anything to say and the only thing compelling about it was its art direction (which peaks in the first 5 minutes and never really lives up to it again)
This review contains spoilers
The concept of the game is very cool, and perhaps the story is too, but I split it up over 3 nights despite it being a short game and didn't feel connected to it. I plan to re-play it at some point though because I feel that I should play it in one sitting and take in the story more.
This is a game that made quite the impression on me back in my PS3 days, where these artsy "experience" type indie games were less common. Painting your environment into existence is still a great concept, as are the later-introduced concepts of spraying water to create climbable vines and making blueprint blocks to climb. These gameplay elements, however, are not expanded upon too much; they're a novelty, but a really cool novelty, just interesting enough to propel you through the game's narrative. Said narrative is presented like a fairytale, and hovers somewhere between absurdist, charming, and provocative, though I personally wish it committed more to only one of these elements. Like other games of its ilk, what it all means is mostly left up to your interpretation, but it resolves in a satisfactory enough way regardless. There are minor collectibles, unlockables, and a brisk pace that makes finding everything not feel tedious. The visuals are very simple, but tactfully so, as your ink and vines are what make the mostly monochromatic world look distinct. The music is subtle and ethereal, appropriate for this type of game, but perhaps lacking in character.
I see massive potential to expand on both the game's story and gameplay mechanics, but as is, the Unfinished Swan is fairly straightforward, pleasant journey.
SPOILER:
...I just realized you never actually finish the swan, and I don't know how to feel about that.
I see massive potential to expand on both the game's story and gameplay mechanics, but as is, the Unfinished Swan is fairly straightforward, pleasant journey.
SPOILER:
...I just realized you never actually finish the swan, and I don't know how to feel about that.