Video Game Gems: The Unfinished Swan

I'm really not sure what to say about The Unfinished Swan. Truthfully, I wasn't wholly prepared for what this game might entail. My first impression was that it was something of a cop off of Epic Mickey, what with all of the 'painting' that occurred in the trailer that I'd seen when it first came out. However, since this was another PlayStation Plus exclusive this month, and free is always the right price for anything, I decided that I'd finally give it a go, and I have to say that I'm glad I did!

Synopsis - You play as Monroe, a recently orphaned boy who wakes up one night to find that the only painting of his mother's that he is allowed to take with him is her "Unfinished Swan" piece. That night, when Monroe wakes up from a sleep, he discovered a mysterious door in his room that leads him into a wholly white world. If you're at first disoriented, don't worry, by either pressing the touch screen or the bumper buttons (on the Vita) you begin to throw giant globs of black ink. The more you throw, the more you realize that you're actually painting what was once an entire white landscape! This is the part of Unfinished Swan that mystified me. I was able to paint the environment around me with an amazing blend of minimalism and something that I wanted to peg as German Expressionism. Monroe's only clues that he's going the right way is a set of swan footprints in bright orange, contrasting the stark black and white imagery that he's helped to create around him, peppering the landscape periodically.

As you progress, the environments and Monroe's globules change from ink to water, to a 3D terrain altering tool that allows him to build around him to progress through the levels. At times I was reminded a little of Mirror's Edge with the first person view and the stark white surroundings, but Swan keeps your feet on the ground long enough in the game to not feel like you have to start running for bright red objects in the distance.

I didn't expect to be so captivated with this game's narration as I played. At times I really felt that I was being read to from a children's book, but the story was so charming that I wasn't put off by its simplicity. I felt like I was being told about a watered down version of Game of Throne's Mad King, which after having just binge watched the entire show (yes, I know, I'm sorry!) I was very much okay with. The music was also a lovely addition that made the game feel elegant - a delightful combination of classical with some modern electronic twists. I never felt that I was overwhelmed at all at any time during gameplay, and although there was one small aspect of the game that bugged out slightly I was able to play The Unfinished Swan from start to finish in one sitting!

That being said, The Unfinished Swan has quite the surprise ending that was a little sad but also very pleasant, as you learn the truth about his mother's painting, and what has brought Monroe to this strange, colorless world. If you have a few hours to kill,  can find it on sale ($15 is a bit of a steep asking price, but if you're feeling generous or find it on sale it's worth a go) and feel like playing something that's both engaging and remarkable, The Unfinished Swan should definitely become a finished game in your library!