By Joel Smart (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: October 24, 2012
A young boy named Monroe begins an adventure after a swan escapes from a painting “into a surreal, unfinished kingdom.” This is the creative genesis of the childlike, innovative new title from Giant Sparrow.
The level begins as an empty canvas, white and impossible to tell wall from ground. But, equipped with a “gun” that shoots giant blobs of black paint, the world begins to take shape as you lob heaps of splatting paint gobs in every direction.
It’s a joy to watch, to create, to explore. The Unfinished Swan doesn’t stop with this unique feature; they build on it throughout the game, implementing numerous twists and puzzles. It really feels like an interactive storybook brought to life.
There is an inherent art-like quality to every moment of the game; it toys with the contrast between minimalist design (a single colour introduced to highlight a balloon, for example) and the outrageous spectacle that comes with having a paint gun to freely blast the world with. The levels are cleverly designed with visual cues and the story is compelling and unlike anything else around. It also just really packs in the cute factor. For example, when launching a black blob into a swamp, a fish surprises the player by leaping from the water and swallowing it in one fluid motion. This game definitely knows how to play to its strengths.
It should be noted that the game doesn’t actually explicitly give Monroe a gun – the game plays from the first person (through the eyes of Monroe) and paint simply shoots from the screen (auto-adjusting distance according to what objects are near). It’s a solution that keeps the game kid friendly – though it isn’t a game “just for kids” either.
Developed by independent game design studio Giant Sparrow—employing only 12 people at its largest point—the game began as a student project in the Interactive Media Program offered at the University of Southern California. The initial plan was for the game to be played with a virtual reality helmet on, allowing players to twist and turn in real life to look around. In the end, the game settled for PlayStation Move motion controls (although they aren’t required).
The game has evolved a lot since its inception, and in its final form includes four chapters. Despite this, the game is still on the short side, with a full play through taking only about three or four hours. This is a serious complaint, especially because the game retails for $14.99. Yet, in the same breath, I appreciate the move to shorter, quality-packed games. You can tell that each part of each level was thought about, tested and re-evaluated. A larger game would probably have suffered from some dry, uninspired sections. Like the critically acclaimed Journey, The Unfinished Swan sacrificed length to ensure each part of the game was there for a reason. It’s also a more manageable size during midterms.
The Unfinished Swan was released on October 23, 2012, and is available now for the PlayStation Network.
