4/25/2023 0 Comments Artful escape![]() From the get go, everyone who hears Francis play electric guitar loves him. Francis’ journey to self-acceptance lacks the human struggle that makes similar stories, like Spirited Away, so resonant. The Artful Escape’s narrative has appeal, containing witty dialogue and excellent voice acting, but it is bereft of soul. ![]() Unfortunately, The Artful Escape falters both in its story and gameplay. ![]() Again, the bones are there for a wonderful story and experience. There are no attempts made to explain anything and the game relishes in the absurdity of the infinite. There’s an unapologetic whimsy that reminds one of Rick and Morty and Adventure Time. The Artful Escape oozes punk in everything from its dialogue to its world. So, the basic situation may not be novel, but the presentation and charm certainly are. The story has many similarities to works such as Alice in Wonderland and Spirited Away: a fantastical adventure unfolds whereby the protagonist comes to terms with their mundane, but burdensome, inadequacies. ![]() Wanting to escape but unsure how Francis finds freedom when an intergalactic rocker named Lightman whisks him away to tour the galaxy. This creates immediate intrigue as Francis is torn between his passion and the hopes everyone has placed onto him. Francis doesn’t like folk music, he doesn’t even like to sing. Instead, he loves shredding on an electric guitar. The problem for young Francis is that no one sees him they only see his uncle. The story follows fledgling artist Francis Vendetti, nephew to the iconic Johnson Vendetti, a folk singer with more than a few similarities to Bob Dylan. The Artful Escape begins with promise thanks to its compelling conceit. But sadly, developer Beethoven & Dinosaur fails to take advantage of their novel ideas and the result is a depressingly bland and boring game. Bursting with uninhibited creativity both in presentation and premise and boasting a remarkable voice cast, this musically themed platformer and adventure game have all the makings of a classic. No guitar solo sounds the same, which is quite the feat in a five-hour game.Developer: Beethoven & Dinosaur | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Genre: Adventure, Music | Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, IOS, PC | | Reviewed on: PCĪt a glance, The Artful Escape seems like another masterpiece from publisher Annapurna Interactive. You can feel the love of music in every chord you trash. It's a heartfelt love letter to music, which isn't surprising since the game is being spearheaded by a literal rockstar, Johnny Galvatron, former head of rock group The Galvatrons. Guitar shredding against a rich orchestral soundscape is so effortless and easy, anyone could do it. Testing the player's ability to copy a pattern of flashing colours isn't really the point of The Artful Escape. It's the audiovisual feast that does all the heavy lifting. It's essentially a musical Simon Says, but one that doesn't really change over the course of the story-you'll be doing the same things in the spectacular final performance as you were during the tutorial. This is where the music-making mechanic comes into play, tasking you with mimicking button combinations in a call and response style. There are occasions where Francis has to perform on stage, either at a show or to impress an all-powerful (but musically picky) alien overlord, no biggie.
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