It’s always wonderful to see a game developer that embraces creativity rather than chase trends, and see it shine through in the art they create. Doing something like that is always a risk, because as an artist you’re choosing to break away from the status quo in the pursuit of something different. Especially risky when they’re an indie developer with no safety net of success to fall back on.
It’s interesting that this is also written to be a part of Francis’s character arc. Francis being the main character of The Artful Escape. Although, there is a lot more to it than that. It’s also about him having to live under the shadow of his uncle, a legendary folk singer who has made music history. Now Francis has his home town, which is starting to decline economically, place all their hopes onto his shoulders by trying reshape him into something he’s not: a folk singer.
Throughout this narrative you’re shown the pressure that Francis is put under. His fears, insecurity, and the risks that come from trying something new and unusual. How he longs for creative freedom, to be his own person…not the ghost of a beloved folk singer. Even though I don’t create music, I still felt this was all really relatable because I think deep down a lot these issues are something almost every creator struggles with. I just love this story, it dares to be different because it doesn’t rely on sadness to get an emotional response like many indie games do. It was just a feel good game where it was great to watch Francis grow as a character and to overcome his fears.
The art style of this game is simply breath taking. The developers put 3D character models into a 2D world which I loved. It kind of reminded me of a pop up book I’d read as a kid. It was also amazing how they blended the colors together with the music and how everything in the world just seemed to flow together so naturally. It’s pure psychedelic eye candy.
The gameplay is a weird mix of a side scrolling platformer and a rhythm game. Strangely, I found they mix quit well, but I did find the overall gameplay to be a little underwhelming only because there are large sections where you’re just either running or sliding across the landscape, with the only real player input being an optional wail on your guitar. I really like the rhythm aspect of it though and found that part to be really fun. I just wish these segments were a little longer, but I also feel that about the entire game in general.
The game does offer some replay value because the game gives the player an array of things to pick from for Francis. For example, you can pick out his clothes, the name of his on stage persona, and his dialogue throughout the game. I thought it was pretty fun and they give you a lot of variety to experiment with. Sadly, most of it is purely cosmetic and the dialogue choices have no real effect on the outcome of the story. However, since I loved the story that wasn’t really a problem for me, though it might be a little disappointing for others.
Overall:
The Artful Escape might not be everyones jam (yes, the pun is intended), but for me it was truly a flawed gem with a beautiful message. This is just another jewel in Annapurna library and I can’t wait to see what Beethoven and Dinosaur create next!
Pros:
+ gorgeous art style
+ great story
+ good soundtrack
+ excellent voice acting
+ easy trophy/achievement list
Cons:
-underwhelming gameplay at times
-too short
It’s interesting that this is also written to be a part of Francis’s character arc. Francis being the main character of The Artful Escape. Although, there is a lot more to it than that. It’s also about him having to live under the shadow of his uncle, a legendary folk singer who has made music history. Now Francis has his home town, which is starting to decline economically, place all their hopes onto his shoulders by trying reshape him into something he’s not: a folk singer.
Throughout this narrative you’re shown the pressure that Francis is put under. His fears, insecurity, and the risks that come from trying something new and unusual. How he longs for creative freedom, to be his own person…not the ghost of a beloved folk singer. Even though I don’t create music, I still felt this was all really relatable because I think deep down a lot these issues are something almost every creator struggles with. I just love this story, it dares to be different because it doesn’t rely on sadness to get an emotional response like many indie games do. It was just a feel good game where it was great to watch Francis grow as a character and to overcome his fears.
The art style of this game is simply breath taking. The developers put 3D character models into a 2D world which I loved. It kind of reminded me of a pop up book I’d read as a kid. It was also amazing how they blended the colors together with the music and how everything in the world just seemed to flow together so naturally. It’s pure psychedelic eye candy.
The gameplay is a weird mix of a side scrolling platformer and a rhythm game. Strangely, I found they mix quit well, but I did find the overall gameplay to be a little underwhelming only because there are large sections where you’re just either running or sliding across the landscape, with the only real player input being an optional wail on your guitar. I really like the rhythm aspect of it though and found that part to be really fun. I just wish these segments were a little longer, but I also feel that about the entire game in general.
The game does offer some replay value because the game gives the player an array of things to pick from for Francis. For example, you can pick out his clothes, the name of his on stage persona, and his dialogue throughout the game. I thought it was pretty fun and they give you a lot of variety to experiment with. Sadly, most of it is purely cosmetic and the dialogue choices have no real effect on the outcome of the story. However, since I loved the story that wasn’t really a problem for me, though it might be a little disappointing for others.
Overall:
The Artful Escape might not be everyones jam (yes, the pun is intended), but for me it was truly a flawed gem with a beautiful message. This is just another jewel in Annapurna library and I can’t wait to see what Beethoven and Dinosaur create next!
Pros:
+ gorgeous art style
+ great story
+ good soundtrack
+ excellent voice acting
+ easy trophy/achievement list
Cons:
-underwhelming gameplay at times
-too short