Perhaps a bit too simple for its own good, The Unfinished Swan is nonetheless a delight from start to finish.
Cons: Kid's voice is pretty annoying; Little reason to go back once finished with the main quest
To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from The Unfinished Swan going in. All I had seen was a small bit of paint splattering gameplay footage and some positive reviews. I didn't realize that I would be getting a lovely storybook-as-game experience that constantly surprised me every step of the way-even if I don't really feel like going back.
The Unfinished Swan has one of the strangest, but most awesome intros of any game I've experienced. The first chapter begins with the narrator reading about Monroe and his painter mother in a fashion that ought to remind anyone of bedtime stories. Then suddenly the screen fades to white except for a reticule in the center of the screen.
Inevitably curiosity sets in and, if you're like me, you randomly start pressing buttons. Suddenly a black paint blob splats onto the screen revealing a wall. Rotate the camera and press the button again: more paint, and more walls. Nothing is visible initially, requiring you to splat paint on anything you wish to see.
This sounds like it might be annoying, but it's not. In part because there's no threat of death, and in part because the Pollock-esque art style is as stunning as it is simple, throwing paint is a simple, relaxing way to explore the environment so that it feels fresh. But, key emphasis on "simple:" if this was the only mechanic, things would get old fast, no matter how cool the introduction.
Fortunately, this is far from the case. Without spoiling anything (surprise and discovery are paramount to The Unfinished Swan), new mechanics are introduced, the game gradually introduces new puzzles, and the art style changes drastically. And all the while you get told the delightful fairy tale story of the king's quest to create the perfect kingdom.
It's fitting that you play as a kid in The Unfinished Swan (one who I wish would shut up sometimes), because the game makes you feel like one. Throughout the two-to-three hours it takes to finish the game, it constantly surprises you with its new gameplay twists and wondrously preposterous king's story. It's tough to gauge how much you may want to replay the game in the future, once the surprise is gone, given that it's not too deep and doesn't have too many secrets, but the experience is well worth having at least once. Signed on with Sony for two more games, Giant Sparrow is off to a great start, and I look forward to seeing what else they will create.