The Artful Escape is a coming of age space opera about being true to yourself that is also a complete audiovisual treat. The story is simultaneously simple and over the top but remains well written throughout and it's also nice to see an Annapurna game with a star studded cast have more to work with than previous attempts this year, fitting in more naturally with solid performances and not overshadowing the game itself.

Outside of some light platforming and Simon Says sections there isn't a whole lot in terms of challenge, but for me the lack of a challenge is actually a benefit to the whole, tying in with a theme about playing what you want to play in the way you want to play it.

The slick animations and vivid, colourful landscapes certainly help with this as does an absolutely killer soundtrack, from folksy beginnings to full-on electrifying Bill & Ted-esque solos. Another boon is having a dedicated button in each level to shred your guitar along with the background music of each environment you visit, something which never got old.