It recognizes that its audience, me included, may think they are objectively god-awful at art. But then it offers the tools and encouragement to try anyway, and goes farther to challenge those self-effacing beliefs by rejoicing in thoughtful effort without judgment. Chicory does this in large ways through story scenes, but also in small ways, like having its funny and adorable NPCs pop up unexpectedly in areas you've been through before to admire the art you did there.
Chicory a colorful tale metacritic full#
Whatever your skill level, Chicory is full of optional content inviting you to play around with its many built-in art tools. An art academy subplot lets you take art classes and attempt to recreate different pieces of art, with your recreations later posted and admired by NPCs around the world. If you're feeling limited by the four-color restriction per area, an NPC will eventually give you a brush style that lets you customize your colors with full freedom. You can also design your own brush style and clothing items. There's a built-in GIF-maker that lets you capture your painting process. And while you can paint any area however you like, there are multiple places set up in specific ways to invite explicit creativity, like a huge blank building you're asked to tag, or a mountain viewpoint where NPCs request you color a sky for them to admire.
Oh, and because color is utterly unnecessary for anything other than fun aesthetic, Chicory is fully accessible to colorblind players.įurthermore, rarely do I encounter games that have so expertly grasped the precise amount of everything they need to have. All of Chicory, from its length (10 to 20 hours, depending on how much you paint and explore) to its quantity of sidequests and collectibles to the length and difficulty of its puzzles to the amount of dialogue and discovery is just right. It is impressive in its exactness.Īll this alone would make for a very good game.Ĭhicory never overstays its welcome, concludes all its moments in a satisfactory way, and offers more for those who wish it without guilting or pressuring you into pushing past natural stopping points. It's difficult for me to explain why Chicory affected me so personally without getting into spoiler territory, but I think it's critical to highlight the story and character-centered reasons why it is elevated beyond being just a well-made Zelda-like with a clever paint tool. Chicory tells an earnest story about people who create things, and the ways in which being a creator impacts them. Though it's specifically about visual art, anyone who "makes" - whether that's artists of any school, or those like myself who fall more into the territory of "craft" rather than art - could easily find that something personal resonates with them here.Īnd critically, its story is beautifully suited to its gameplay, with its paint mechanics both subtly and overtly highlighting its themes at every moment.
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