There's no topic on this? For shame! Only cost me $7.50 on special yesterday.
Firstly, many websites will claim this is only an hour long. Well, I've spent 2 hours on it and have only just reached the end of Chapter 2 (there are 4 chapters). Plus there's bonuses to unlock, making me think this is a solid 4-5 hour game. Just right for a download.
The basic premise is there's no colour in the world, so you throw black paint blobs to show the way. The physics for this are brilliant, with fences, benches and scenery getting covered in it to different degrees depending on how you throw it. Imagine an FPS with only paint and no enemies.
This is only the first chapter though. The second one gives you water blobs, and you need to active gates to let the water return to an abandoned city. Later you use the water to make vines grow and then climb around the collapsing castle.
Atmospherically it's like a cross between a first person Ico and Mirror's Edge, except with the free climbing. Beautiful visual style, and perfectly suited music.
I'll be honest, I haven't liked a game this much in years. Everyone will go on about how arty it is. They might compare it to Journey even. In my view, Journey was ****. All style and no substance. The Unfinished Swan on the other hand has a very tangible pleasure to it. Do you remember when you were a kid and you smeared chocolate on the walls with your hands, or were sitting in the sandpit at nursery school and you put fistfuls of sand down the other kids pants just to see how they reacted? Here there is a tremendous satisfaction to throwing paint. You can dirty every surface if you like. Mess up paintings. Ruin bookshelves. Harass fish. Plus there's a selection of "toys" you can unlock, such as an instant clean up, which removes all paint. Or the ability to make paint float in the air.
Although the trailers focus on the opening black paint level, it continues to change, and the second level you can see everything due to shading. It's not just a one trick pony. Chapter 3 has you surrounded by darkness, which looks promising. it's also a joy just exploring the world. In the second chapter there's green vines everywhere and hedge mazes, plus you can find paintings which detail the sad story of a mad king and his gradual downfall.
The story is exquisitely beautiful, plus a bit dark at times. People relieving themselves in terracotta pots, children being swept away by rivers, etc.
You know me. I hate most games. Most things piss me off. And I am very difficult to please. But this so far has been a whimsical adventure that rekindled so many memories from childhood, or just messing about with blocks, or lego, or actual paint. Glorious!
SPLAT!
Firstly, many websites will claim this is only an hour long. Well, I've spent 2 hours on it and have only just reached the end of Chapter 2 (there are 4 chapters). Plus there's bonuses to unlock, making me think this is a solid 4-5 hour game. Just right for a download.
The basic premise is there's no colour in the world, so you throw black paint blobs to show the way. The physics for this are brilliant, with fences, benches and scenery getting covered in it to different degrees depending on how you throw it. Imagine an FPS with only paint and no enemies.
This is only the first chapter though. The second one gives you water blobs, and you need to active gates to let the water return to an abandoned city. Later you use the water to make vines grow and then climb around the collapsing castle.
Atmospherically it's like a cross between a first person Ico and Mirror's Edge, except with the free climbing. Beautiful visual style, and perfectly suited music.
I'll be honest, I haven't liked a game this much in years. Everyone will go on about how arty it is. They might compare it to Journey even. In my view, Journey was ****. All style and no substance. The Unfinished Swan on the other hand has a very tangible pleasure to it. Do you remember when you were a kid and you smeared chocolate on the walls with your hands, or were sitting in the sandpit at nursery school and you put fistfuls of sand down the other kids pants just to see how they reacted? Here there is a tremendous satisfaction to throwing paint. You can dirty every surface if you like. Mess up paintings. Ruin bookshelves. Harass fish. Plus there's a selection of "toys" you can unlock, such as an instant clean up, which removes all paint. Or the ability to make paint float in the air.
Although the trailers focus on the opening black paint level, it continues to change, and the second level you can see everything due to shading. It's not just a one trick pony. Chapter 3 has you surrounded by darkness, which looks promising. it's also a joy just exploring the world. In the second chapter there's green vines everywhere and hedge mazes, plus you can find paintings which detail the sad story of a mad king and his gradual downfall.
The story is exquisitely beautiful, plus a bit dark at times. People relieving themselves in terracotta pots, children being swept away by rivers, etc.
You know me. I hate most games. Most things piss me off. And I am very difficult to please. But this so far has been a whimsical adventure that rekindled so many memories from childhood, or just messing about with blocks, or lego, or actual paint. Glorious!
SPLAT!
I wanted a bit more info on the King and Queen. 
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