Unique is probably the first word that came to my and every other gamer or journalists’ mind when we first set eyes on this “first-person painter” developed by Giant Sparrow. I know using your imagination isn’t something this generation is particularly used to with games, generally more familiar with a completed story that guides you through a linear landscape instead of attempting to penetrate your senses. The Unfinished Swan proves that with a little imagination (and not much else), you can create an unparalleled gaming experience.
You play as Monroe, a young boy whose been placed in an orphanage after the death of his mother, his only keepsake being an unfinished painting of a swan. At the orphanage where you live, the swan comes to life and escapes through a magical door in your bedroom. Armed with healthy supply of black paint, you chase after it and find yourself in a strange and empty world.
At the beginning of the game you’re presented with a blank white canvas and a reticle in the centre of your screen. The pull of a trigger releases a shot of black paint and as you shoot you reveal more and more of the surrounding landscape. Structures emerge and you navigate your way through corridors and walkways, spashling paint to guide your way. The only colour you encounter will be that of the swans yellow footprints – to track it with – and that of yellow letters suspended mid-air. Splash some pain on the letters to reveal a narrated piece of the storyline.
While you walk through the game, flinging paint every which way, you will also encounter coloured balloons. Splashing them with some paint will allow you to “collect” them. You can then later spend them like tokens on rewards such as the ability to detect nearby balloons, stopping time or erasing all of your splattered paint.
The Unfinished Swan is not all black and white, though. As you progress the previous spray and feel navigation is replaced by a simple 3D landscape in a more traditional first-person puzzle game. You’ll find yourself in a city of clean lines and shadows as well as your black paint replaced with water. No longer will you blindly navigate a whiteboard world but instead spray water about in order to solve a particular puzzle. One level will have you shoot water in order to direct the growth of a never-ending vine to climb over walls or obstacles. On another, the clean white is replaced by darkness as you attempt to feel your way through a nighttime forest. A lot of the mechanics are typical of any puzzle game, such as spinning a crane into position or figuring out which lever opens a doorway but, the challenge in Swan is the of the paint-flinging mechanic in which you’re currently exploring. Puzzles are generally simple and there’s never a doubt that you’ll be able to solve them or make it through the game unscathed.
Unfortunately though, Giant Sparrow abandoned the best feature of the game after the first chapter. The core painting mechanic in the first chapter is replaced and you never get it back. That abandonment mixed with their attempt to pace the game a bit too perfectly by drastically changing each chapter’s formula was mildly disappointing. Although the first half of the game was absolutely stunning, more than pleasing aesthetically and defines innovation in this industry, the second half of the game felt, ironically, unfinished. I can’t help but wonder the potential of the original “paint to see” concept if Giant Sparrow had built the game entirely around it.
Nevertheless, The Unfinished Swan is a stellar experience. Beautiful and appropriate music, implemented perfectly into this fairy-tale world, set the tone for each setting. Simplistic design, smooth lines and innovative mechanics create a journey that will not soon be recreated for gamers. Although short (clocking at around 2 hours), what The Unfinished Swan lacks in the time department it greatly makes up for in a truly unique experience that no PlayStation 3 owner should miss. Giant Sparrow proves that you don’t need combat to be engaging and you don’t need colour to strike a chord with your imagination, The Unfinished Swan is an unforgettable experience and easily earns the nod from me.
The Unfinished Swan is available now on the PlayStation Network for $15, buy it.
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