The Unfinished Swan Review

Posted on by

Developer Giant Sparrow

Publisher Sony

Platform PS3

Release Date Out Now.

Sony have never shied away from the more abstract and creative side of gaming where the “is gaming art?” debate finds legs and it is quite evident in the Unfinished Swan that the lines between game and art are intertwined.  

 

 

You play a character called Monroe, Monroe is coming to terms with the recent loss of his mother. Monroe’s mother was a keen artist and one of the paintings he treasures most is the one titled the Unfinished Swan. Monroe wakes one night to discover the canvas is now blank and armed only with his paintbrush and curiosity he steps into the world beyond the canvas.

The game has a story book narrative that is brilliantly performed and add real character to the game as the voice over fills you in on the happenings of the mysterious world and its unfolding story.

The opening stage is just simply white, this caught me by surprise and it did take a few seconds to realize what was going on. Everything is white but you can flick blobs of black paint to highlight objects as it hits them. You use this to reveal pathways, objects and hidden puzzles.

 

 

The game consists of around 4 hours of gameplay over four different levels, the first involves the flicking of paint, the next has you use water to encourage vines to grow and aid your path building bridges and ladders. Stages three and four see you manipulate light and shapes as you take on a dark forest and some of the most intelligently thought out puzzles you could encounter.

It is a simple yet beautiful game that will at times have you stopping to marvel at what is unfolding in front of you especially in the first level as it creates your own unique view of the game world with every flick of paint.

 

 

Overall : The game uses a fairy tale appearance mixed over some stunning art and gameplay to tackle quite a complex issue of a child coming to terms with the grief of losing a parent. While that might sound off putting it really shouldn’t be The Unfinished Swan is a delightful experience that comes highly recommended.

Score 8/10

 

 

Please Join us on your Social Platform of choice