There are secrets and collectables scattered around the map to please the casual players as well as those who enjoy working toward that 100%. With distinctive areas full of quirky characters to meet and lend a brushed-hand to, there is a depth to Chicory’s world that makes you want to explore every inch. While it is initially overwhelming to be thrown into a black-and-white world with the power and responsibility to colour it however you want, the ability to play around with brushes and colours only gets more enjoyable as the game goes on (and especially once you get the fill tool that saves you so much time)!Įven in black and white, the design of Picnic Province is delightful. This is a game that is full of personality and asks you to bring even more. More importantly, however, comes the mysteries of the brush itself as well as its previous owner Chicory. With the power of the brush comes the problems of the residents from dealing with cave-ins to designing shop logos. But things aren’t quite as simple as running around a real-world colouring book. You play as a dog quaintly named after your own favourite food, who takes on the role of Wielder: the artist chosen to carry the magical paintbrush that brings colour to the world of the even more quaintly named Picnic Province.
Offering unique gameplay and a story that is contemplative without being cliché, this top-down adventure will surprise you in all the best ways. How many of those are big budget games?Ĭhicory: A Colorful Tale, from a small team led by director Greg Lobanov, has easily become one of the games that exemplifies the brilliance of indies. Think of the games that tackle mental health issues, or are diverse in their representation, or experiment with how they can be played. I don’t mean that in a way that belittles AAA games (or sounds ‘hipster’-ish), simply put indie games can provide poignant challenges to the norms of the industry.