


And hey, just in case I’m making this all sound a bit too heady, this is still a game where you can design donuts, help a preppy snake throw a party, and paint butts on anything you want. Wandersong was a touch more abstract, while Chicory uses art and the creative process as a strong metaphor for working on yourself. Somewhat similar themes were explored in Wandersong, but they’re expressed more clearly and forcefully here. Doubts that may be tied to what’s happening in the world. Imposter syndrome and struggling with the weight of expectations are major themes here, as your character is desperate to prove they deserve to be Wielder, despite more-or-less lucking into the Brush, and Chicory is suffering from some pretty nasty doubts of her own. Like Wandersong before it, Chicory starts out goofy and upbeat, but darker themes and more complex motivations soon creep in around the edges of the canvas. From here, you claim the Brush and set off to re-color the world, and work through a few personal issues. Thankfully (or perhaps not so thankfully) you get your opportunity to shine when the world is mysteriously drained of color and you find the Brush abandoned. Your character dreams of being the Wielder and worships Chicory, the current holder of the Brush, but is stuck as the lowly janitor of the Wielder’s Tower at the beginning of the game. Gotham Knights Showcases a Surprisingly Badass Robin in a New TrailerĬhicory: A Colorful Tale takes place in the whimsical Picnic Province, where everything and everyone is named after edibles (answer wisely when the game asks your favorite food, because that will be your name for the game) and all the world’s colors are manually painted in by the powerful Wielder and their magic Brush. Lobanov is following up his winsome music-focused project Wandersong with Chicory: A Colorful Tale, an innovative new Zelda-esque adventure that lets players paint literally everything in its black-and-white world while exploring topics many creative types may find hit rather close to home.Ĭhicory’s coloring-book world is a neat concept that ought to appeal to kids, families, and those who just have an insatiable itch to doodle, but is the end result worthy of a spot on the fridge? Or does the game try to put too much on the canvas and end up a muddy muddle? Let the art critique begin! I don’t think I will colour every area I come across, but it was definitely fun painting one.Video games do destruction all too well, but Canadian indie developer Greg Lobanov seems to have made it his mission to focus on the constructive and creative. There were long sequences of time where I would get sidetracked painting while just listening to the music repeat itself as it plotted along. The music by Lena Raine is absolutely magical. “The stunning mechanics and intriguing story make Chicory an absolute must-play.” You can paint trees to make them change forms or to use them as a means of transportation. It utilises the mechanic to create quests and puzzles. However, Chicory isn’t all about painting the best landscapes either. The story is promising, and the demo ends right on a cliffhanger, leaving you to ponder what comes next. Fortunately, the Brush has been left behind, kickstarting your journey to paint the world back together. The colour is missing, and so is Chicory. After a few tremors, you inspect the building to find out the world is black and white. The demo places you at the heart of where the colour stems from Chicory’s tower. There is a deep narrative hidden under the service, as well as some enthralling gameplay. In Chicory, you travel through each area, restoring colour to the world.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is one of the games to feature at this year’s LudoNarraCon, and it is one of the best games I have played in a while.
