Remember those space pulp stories like John Carter from Mars, well this feels like one of those engrossing adventures that sucks you into many of those worlds. Thus the title The Artful Escape is perfectly fitting.
The game begins in a small folksy place that is known for being the birthplace of once famous singer Johnson Vendetti and it is the day before the twentieth anniversary of his debut album. The supporting act is set to be by his nephew, Francis played by you. Francis is struggling with a bit of an identity crisis. He’s a talented musician in his own right, although he feels compelled to follow in the folksy tones of his Uncle. Riffing on his own he plays out of this world space tunes. After meeting Violeta, an apparent stranger to the town and a no care attitude he is taken in the night by the space man name Lightman. Lightman takes him to be the opening act to his galactic space concert.
Space is radical in this game. From the colours to the floras and faunas. The artistry of the game is the major draw along with the amazing tracks you riff, which gives life to the background art. Watching as Francis grows into his new persona is an appealing arc as you choose to see him act more humble or cocky. You latter choose his new name and his apparel. Playing through twice and changing the choices I made previously change nothing to the narrative. So it’s just you essentially creating in your own mind the type of character you are perceiving him to be. The gameplay is simple with battles that have you mimic the opponent with little to no difficulty.
There are many famous voices in this cast of characters. From Jason Schwartzman to Carl Weathers, Mark Strong, and Lena Headey. I adore the game overall and it’s a great one to play in a sitting with headphones on. The game is roughly 3-4 hours, a length that doesn’t drag and doesn’t go too quickly. At the time of writing this the game is available to play through the PlayStation game catalogue.
A must play for gamers that want an exceptional, and artistic experience.
Robert Ring
KissTheGames 