i 100% this game (barring a couple achievements) in like 3 hours, it's really not that hard
it's also not that fun, but i'm not too upset about that
the story is odd but its meant to by artsy so i assume it probably works for some people and doesn't for others, me being the latter
the gameplay is the thing that's probably the most disappointing, being pretty underutilized for the most part
the first chapter is pretty disorientating, like walking around with one eye closed
the rest of the chapters were fine though, nothing wrong with them for the most part
though every other chapter except the first basically don't utilize the whole painting mechanic at all except for some other purpose like growing the vines or moving stuff around, and the building mechanic feels like it didn't need to be tied to the painting at all
i think if i could change something i'd make the painting mechanic only be used for the first chapter, then the other chapters just have whatever mechanic is used happen when you click without the delay of a paint ball
one thing i really didn't enjoy were all the artificial barriers to doing anything that the game didn't want you to
not just invisible walls in a bunch of random places, but also certain things being inactive unless you approach it from the right place (a specific thing in chapter two is entirely hittable with paint, but does nothing unless you climb up to it first)
a bit of freedom would have been very welcome in this otherwise minimal game
ultimately it's a pretty harmless game, though priced a little high for the content it offers

special little praise for the development material included in the game though, that's always a welcome sight to see in any video game and one that i wish more games included

"Uniquely Artistic, Not Very Fun"

"The Unfinished Swan" is still a pretty interesting concept for an adventure/puzzle game - fill a world up with paint to tell a children's story. However, it doesn't quite capitalize on its clever gameplay framing and quickly devolves into a pretty run-of-the-mill adventure game that doesn't take many risks. Its visuals and theme are fine, but it lacks a deeply compelling story and doesn't really change much of its gameplay up to stay engaging through to the end.

The visuals here are simple but help to give the sense that the game world is straight out of a children's book. Most colors are simple, and many stand out amidst a crowd of black, whites, and grays. The theme of painting the environment is cool enough, though I feel the game should have utilized more of what made Chapter 1 a bit more unique compared to Chapters 2 & 3.

The game changes pace and starts focusing less on paint puzzles and more on slight physics puzzles and puzzle-platforming. It honestly felt very unfinished with both of these aspects and leads to some clunky encounters down the line.

The story is also not too great, with a very slow pace despite the game's super short two to three-ish hour runtime. It's mostly telling you things you haven't seen yet or explaining what is right in front of you, and I think it could've had more subtlety. I never felt like I cared about the characters or the world, and a lot of cliche points are brought up.

Overall, I didn't like this game as much as I had hoped to. The story and gameplay were just far too limited to capitalize on the theme and visuals the game has going for itself. There's also no real replay value besides just experiencing the game again with slightly different powers, but they felt inconsequential to the experience. I would Not Recommend playing this one if you prefer more active gameplay and narrative, unless you are really into children's allegorical stories or are not too bothered by simple gameplay loops.

Final Verdict: 5/10 (Average)

Sometimes you can't tell with artsy indie games if it's going to be a fun time or something you can only appreciate from a conceptual perspective. The Unfinished Swan is not only unlike anything I've played before but also a genuinely fun little adventure that I've returned to quite a few times over the years.

At first you're staring at a white screen, but soon realize it's up to you to lob balls of paint to fill in the world around you. This in itself is really rewarding and unique exploration, but the game turns into something different entirely by the time you reach the next level. Giant Sparrow just constantly throws fun new mechanics and ideas your way which lead to a great little journey.

The storytelling is all metaphorical and went a little bit above my head but you definitely shouldn't miss The Unfinished Swan, a charming short game with a surprise around every corner.

Feels very...messy? At least narratively, where it both feels the need to nail down a certain allegorical tie to the bedtime-fable of its narrative framing, and have it be a child's own journey through grief by path of art. Maybe it's just a me-problem (as in, maybe I'm just an idiot), but the narrative overshadowed the gameplay, it reduced it all to mere set-dressing. Clever set-dressing, mind you, and not at all as trivial nor as numbingly repetitive as I feared. But everytime the story made itself known it lost me more and more. Everytime the story had to insist upon itself the gameplay receded further and further until the mechanics had been gulped up by self-indulgence. I like it less and less the more I think about it, and I feel that if they would've just let it be a puzzler about loss (instead of...whatever it ended up as) it would've been more effective.

I approached Giant Sparrow's debut game with knowledge of their next and more famous project and complete unknown regarding this project. And I was amazed.

The Unfinished Swan will amaze from the very first minute. The game begins... with a white room. There is absolutely nothing in it, and only by the cursor in the center you can understand that the game has even begun. The first intuitive action of the player will be pressing the left mouse button - and the first throw of a clot of black paint. At that moment, you understand everything and immediately raise your eyebrows in surprise. I didn't read the description or look at the screenshots (at least not long enough to remember) so this really came as a surprise to me. The mechanics of coloring the location and gradually orienting in the area in this way is really original and immediately immerses the player in this unusual world. Gradually, different uses are found for it, and even better, it evolves and changes. In each chapter, the player uses different methods of interacting with the environment, the design of locations and goals also change with this. I won't go into detail on these mechanics (because you should see them for yourself), but I'll just say that one of the most amazing things about the game is that towards the end, and even in the epilogue itself, new mechanics appear or new uses are found for them. In such a small story, such changes do not let you get bored and keep you constantly in a state of a little surprise. It's great that the developers did not get hung up on one mechanic and endowed each chapter with their own features.

Another striking aspect of the game is the story. It begins quite simply, but towards the end it develops into an extremely pleasant parable about the path of life, the process and meaning of creativity, and the inevitability of death. I am always moved by stories that can, in such a compact and easy to understand form, provide food for thought about the most monumental aspects and mysteries of our existence, and here is such a story. It also blends perfectly with the gameplay, creating a varied and memorable experience.

Everything else also works on the level. Sound and music, visual style, controls and interface do their job, and the lack of bugs is also nice. The game also has collectible items in the form of balloons, collecting them can open various additional items, such as a set of early game sketches and the ability to use mechanics previously available only at certain points everywhere.

Perhaps my long hiatus from going through story-oriented projects is taking its toll, but I can't help but love The Unfinished Swan. This is an extremely enjoyable little game that both perfectly showcases the talent and ideas of a small Californian studio (which will be even more evident in their next project) and gives a touching story with a galaxy of thoughts on various topics and, in the end, a warm moral. Projects like this are probably what I want to see more in the industry, and that's why The Unfinished Swan really excites me. If you fell in love with What Remains of Edith Finch, then this game will not yield at all in emotions, and if this is the first Giant Sparrow project for you, do not hesitate and boldly plunge into the world of colors and shadows, whiteness and night, creativity and the eternal mystery of our being in this world.