The Excellent Pencil instantly grabbed my consideration with its putting hand-drawn artwork type, however after spending a while with it, I noticed there’s way more beneath the floor. Like many video games on this style, it explores themes of self-reflection and interior demons. The darker material won’t be for everybody, however for some gamers it could provide one thing surprisingly relatable. You play as John, who wakes up in an odd world full of unsettling creatures and surreal environments. The story leans closely on symbolism reasonably than a simple narrative, and along with his distinctive evaluation means, John should fairly actually use his head to uncover the secrets and techniques of the weird world he’s trapped in.
The gameplay is traditional 2D Metroidvania. You’ll discover interconnected areas, unlock talents, and backtrack to uncover hidden paths. Fight is straightforward however satisfying; you utilize a large pencil to fend off enemies whereas navigating the panorama. Boss fights pop up sometimes, usually representing fears or challenges tied to the story, and so they add some memorable selection with out feeling overwhelming. The designs for a few of them are downright gross, in a disturbing Silent Hill sort of approach. Seeing the entire completely different enemy designs was one among my favourite elements of the sport. This sport jogs my memory of a Tim Burton movie, however the focus is psychological well being and your child doesn’t need to go see it.
The Excellent Pencil’s standout mechanics is John’s evaluation means. Outfitted with a projector-like head, he can scan objects, environments, and NPCs to disclose hidden lore and secrets and techniques. It’s a neat system that encourages curiosity and exploration, rewarding gamers who take their time to analyze the world as a substitute of speeding from one struggle to the following. When you pay shut consideration and truly scan every little thing, you possibly can uncover so much about ol’ John, his story and his psychological state. And let me inform you, issues will not be going properly.
Visually, the sport shines. The hand-drawn type offers every little thing a cool, typically creepy allure, and every space feels distinctive. Alot of those monsters are how John truly views himself. Coupled with the eerie sound results and music, it builds a surreal ambiance that’s each fascinating and unsettling. It’s an ideal match for the sport’s story and provides loads of persona to the exploration. My essential grievance with the gameplay is how far you must journey earlier than you attain one other save level. I needed to surrender a couple of instances simply because I didn’t really feel like repeating a complete space or sequence once more. In any other case, The Excellent Pencil runs easily in most conditions, and the controls really feel responsive for exact platforming.
Whereas the gameplay isn’t revolutionary, the mixture of exploration, unusual characters, and storytelling makes it a memorable expertise that’s value taking part in. It gained’t be a cheery journey, however will probably be an attention-grabbing one, with loads of darkish themes and self exploration. When you get pleasure from platformers with a surreal twist and don’t thoughts piecing the story collectively, The Excellent Pencil is unquestionably a sport value testing.
