Art for the Artistically Challenged (A Review)
I am not what one would call a gamer. My video game skills really peaked with Sonic and Mortal Kombat (and mostly because the latter was just button mashing). Console games elude me: too many buttons to press at the same time in the right order just to walk forward (which is probably why I can’t drive a standard-transmission vehicle). I will watch my spouse play the games I wish I had the patience for (I’m looking at you, Assassin’s Creed and Tell-Tale: Batman). Baldur’s Gate 3 is about my speed, because it is turn-based and not timed. The polycule is playing Date Everything, which is also correct because…point-and-click. I’m down for that.
So why is my first “real” post a video game review? An excellent question, nerd. Thanks to Snowbright Studios, I get a monthly cozy magazine in the mail, and it comes with a Steam code for a cozy video game. This weekend I played Behind the Frame by Silver Lining Studios. In it, you are a young artist preparing to submit your works to a gallery. The puzzles help you find your paints and uncover the details of your life.
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I did a first playthrough over the weekend in 106 minutes. I say first because, apparently, I only got 5 out of 19 possible achievements. So we’ll obviously be going back and playing that again. The mechanics are simple enough: another point-and-click, a little bit of dragging objects around to complete puzzles. The game forces you to do things in a certain order (helpfully, your character leaves you a to-do list), but the routine of it feels true to life: what all the blogs and books tell creatives to do in order to harness their potential.
Next time I play (because I am a completionist and need those 14 achievements — and also apparently playing cards?), I’ll definitely be using my mouse instead of the touchpad on my laptop. But it was a nice way to spend a quiet, post-Halloween afternoon after a weekend of many events and people.
So maybe go check out Behind the Frame on Steam. And let them know Vader’s Valkyrie sent you. :)
*I assure you, I’m not making any money off these links.
