I wasn't negative at first, but yes, the closer you get to the end of the game, the more often you feel that the game is quite deliberately designed just to annoy the player (and it is quite possible that it is). It's also quite funny that such a pleasant movement mechanic from the first part turns against the game here, because sometimes you can only hope that in one of twenty attempts Mario will jump along the trajectory you planned (these levels with trampolines!). This game is quite passable, but at some point it turns from pleasure into finishing. And the first part did not allow itself to cross this line.

(And it's extremely funny that after finishing you are offered another world. With one life. No, thanks!)

Eh... it’s quite sad and hard to be slightly disappointed in the new work of a team whose work you’ve been following for a long time. Open Roads from the team of the same name (from the former core of Fullbright studio) can hardly be called the next step for the creators of Gone Home and Tacoma, rather a child of its difficult development cycle. And it's really sad.

Well, the story is not bad. It brings you back to Gone Home in the way the game turns a slightly mystical premise into a down-to-earth, everyday ending, which is generally done quite well, but also quite simply. The game perhaps feels too short, and the choice of road trip structure, while fresh, seems to come at the expense of the excellent environmental storytelling skills that the team's previous projects have been known for. There simply aren't large enough locations to develop this skill beyond a very basic level of interaction, and the game as a whole struck me as disappointingly less interactive and detailed than previous works (only in the summer house segment does the story get an acceptably large location and path within it and layout plot-significant objects has at least a little more interesting thought behind the most basic level). However, the two main performances are not bad, the variety of dialogue between the heroines is pleasing (and there even seems to be some choice), and although the story itself does not feel too deep, the good chemistry between the characters lifts this aspect a little.

And at the same time, the hardest thing for me is to formulate my thoughts about a rather important and interesting decision in the visual aspect of the game. Despite (as before for the team) a rather realistic environment, this time the characters are drawn in a 2D style that seems to correspond to comics or animation of the era (and besides this, even in the environment there is a certain touch of “drawnness” that departs from realism (which, however, is not a bad thing at all and allows you to create beautiful background landscapes, especially in the segment with a summer house it is incredibly beautiful)). And if at first it looked rather repulsive and incongruous, then towards the end I came to terms with this stylistic decision a little. I just don't understand why they didn't use the characters themselves somewhere other than dialogue (where they look most unnatural), since in the scene in the car the mother looks pretty good while driving. Well, the characters themselves are drawn quite simply and without any attempt to synchronize speech with their faces, here they simply give out one of a small number of emotions and then seeing a static character while the dialogue is going on is quite sad. What's also sad is the technical part of the game. There is nothing critical here, but a few small moments that obviously could be seen in the very basic playtest (mainly with the mechanics of picking up items) slightly spoil the overall impression (considering that this is a very mechanically simple game and it is very difficult to break anything here). However, it's hard to criticize the game too much for this given its notoriously difficult production history.

So overall, I’m just a little sad that this project is more of a victim of circumstances and in no way a development for this team. I hope that these people will be able to create something more exciting in the future, perhaps separately and in new teams. Because it seems that Open Roads is a thing that needed to be finished and left behind, just as the heroines of this game actually do in their story.

It physically hurts my eyes to watch this game for more than 5 minutes. Every track is not good - absolutely imperceptible obstacles, angular curbs on turns that you will constantly crash into, turn-ups that do literally nothing and pits, falling into which you can be thrown back to the beginning of a long straight or thrown FORWARD over this pit (or, how I had once, literally in the pit). Often the turn arrows can show the WRONG direction, just how?! Opponents simply ignore almost all obstacles, and when you crash into them, you and ONLY YOU slow down for a second, and it doesn’t matter if you crash from the side or from behind. Sometimes opponents simply overtake you in some area and it becomes almost impossible to catch up with them (and judging by my observations, they absolutely do not care about their own characteristics of the characters). The soundtrack consists of two tracks at best, which are easier to imagine in modern indie horror than in a karting game.

Ultimately, this is a product to be avoided at all costs. Shrek doesn't deserve this kind of game. No film deserves such an adaptation. Not a single child deserved such a game in 2002. But for some reason it exists.

No. Just no. I wholeheartedly acknowledge the uniqueness of the style and atmosphere, and at times Scorn is really good at creating feelings of anxiety, discomfort and helplessness. However, everything about the gameplay is just endlessly frustrating (and you can hide it behind the fact that this is part of the semantic line of the game, but I do not think that this can be used as an excuse). I quite liked both the classic and spatial puzzles, but the combat system is just some kind of darkness. It is so ridiculous and annoying that sometimes it causes a strong desire to quit the game. Many decisions in game design and level design also seemed to me as if they were specially created to cause annoyance or anger. And it just ruins everything for me. Undoubtedly, everything around is interesting to look at, but I’ll be lying if I say that from the point of view of a video game Scorn gave me at least some positive emotions (and I’m not talking about joy or warmth, which this game does not intend to give, but about delight, surprise or admiration).

And the ending of the game perfectly synergizes with all its problems. Instead of some revelation, ascension, we get what we get. This ending finally solidified the idea in my head that I had more and more clearly throughout the game - why does Scorn even exist as a video game? This is certainly a beautiful art exhibition or tech demo. But everything else is a poor attempt at a video game. There is no interesting or important finale and statement in it, and the path to it is almost always frustrating to the point of horror. I'm just really sorry that people put so much energy into something that burns brightly in one aspect but burns out desperately in everything else. And I really wonder if the creators even wanted to give something other than (again, without a doubt) a unique and intimidating form. Because for me, Scorn is a jigsaw puzzle with only pieces around the edges. And the center of this monstrous picture seems to be almost deliberately smeared to disgrace.

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.

A significant development for the studio on all fronts. Environment storytelling has become even more coherent thanks to the connectedness of the characters and the world, as well as the new scene rewind mechanics. The interiors are beautiful and varied, each character feels independent and special. The decision to create a story in a sci-fi world further encourages exploration of every room, understanding as much as possible about the world through a limited flow of information. The expansion of the possibilities of interaction with the world pleases, and also some small details (including those related to achievements) are quite funny.

Well, and the story is extremely entertaining, full and high quality. The gradual understanding of the full picture of events brings satisfaction, and one and a half final twist in the ending, even on the second playthrough, cause excitement. Also, the messages of the story are perfectly reflected in the modern world and fit even better into the world of the game.

All in all, Tacoma is a worthy narrative adventure that doesn't lose any of its major aspects and provides a deep and emotional look at an episode of the attracting world. The episode is chamber in scale of action, but large in scale of thoughts and message. And it certainly leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

P.S. I hope that despite the problems, the next Fullbright project will be of high quality (although the negative trail is of course depressing)