A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950

About

“A Painter's Tale” is an adventure game that tells the story of the tiny Südtirol village of Curon Venosta by mixing reality and fiction. The old Curon was flooded by the waters of Lake Reschen in 1950 due to the construction of a dam. What lies beneath the bell tower still emerging from the lake?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950 screenshot

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 13 reviews

story10 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950 offers a captivating and heartwarming storyline that explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, and the impact of history on personal lives.
The game features stunning artwork and picturesque landscapes that create an immersive and visually appealing experience.
It serves as an effective educational tool, providing players with historical context about the real-life tragedy of the village of Curon and its flooding.

The game suffers from awkward controls and a frustrating camera system that can hinder exploration and interaction with the environment.
Many players found the character designs to be jarring, as the voxel-based characters clash with the more realistic scenery, detracting from the emotional weight of the story.
The narrative, while interesting, often feels unresolved and lacks the emotional depth that players expected from such a poignant historical event.

story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The story aspect of the game is characterized by a heartwarming yet haunting narrative that explores themes of community and loss, particularly through the true historical backdrop of the submerged village of Curon. While the integration of charming artwork and real-life elements adds depth, many players feel that the juxtaposition of cartoonish characters with serious themes detracts from emotional engagement, leaving some storylines unresolved. Overall, the narrative is praised for its elegance and potential impact, though it may not fully deliver the emotional weight expected from such a poignant subject.
- “With its captivating storyline, stunning artwork, and endearing characters, it's a must-play for anyone in search of a truly memorable gaming experience.”
- “The story is novel-like, the visuals are picturesque, and you will walk out of this piece of art with a fleeting, but haunting experience of a tale from the past.”
- “A painter’s tale tells the true story of the village Curon, which became submerged under the waters of Lake Reschen due to a dam being built in 1950.”
- “It has a short story (you can probably finish the game in less than 2 hours) without a real ending.”
- “After the main story is over, the main character is teleported back into the present and doesn't even reflect on what has happened to him.”
- “It felt like there were a lot of unresolved storylines and plots.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, "A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950" is praised for its heartwarming and genuine emotional journey, effectively engaging players with its charming storyline and beautiful visuals. However, some reviewers noted that while the game offers an interesting narrative, it lacks significant emotional depth, particularly in relation to its historical context. Despite this, it remains a pleasant and intriguing experience.
- “A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950 is a captivating and heartwarming experience that swept me away on a journey of artistic discovery and emotional resonance.”
- “Whether I was laughing along with the characters, wiping away a tear, or simply marveling at the beauty of the world around me, every moment felt genuine and heartfelt.”
- “In conclusion, A Painter's Tale: Curon, 1950 is a charming and heartwarming journey that will stay with you long after the credits roll.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to evoke melancholy and create an atmospheric experience, with a blend of beautiful soundtracks and nature sounds that enhance the emotional depth. While some reviews note that the soundtrack is not overly invasive, it effectively supports the narrative and character interactions, often utilizing classical music to convey specific tones and moods. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and emotional resonance.
- “The soundtrack, however, is enjoyable and able to hit the right melancholy moods without being overly invasive.”
- “A Painter's Tale is overall quite charming with a better than average soundtrack and some interesting characters.”
- “The soundtrack and sound effects were the most successful tool at creating any emotion, but it mostly concentrated on melancholy rather than drama or excitement.”
- “Further, this game makes use of classical music throughout the story to convey certain tones, whether it be of its people, including how events are unfolding and will do so later on.”
- “There is quite an atmospheric soundtrack in places, with sounds of nature prominent.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The graphics in "Curon, 1950" are praised for their stunning artwork and picturesque visuals, contributing to a captivating and memorable gaming experience. Players note that the graphics are smooth and exceed expectations for an indie title, enhancing the overall storytelling.
- “Of course, it wouldn't be a painter's tale without stunning artwork, and Curon, 1950 delivers in spades.”
- “The story is novel-like, the visuals are picturesque, and you will walk out of this piece of art with a fleeting, but haunting experience of a tale from the past.”
- “The graphics of this game are smooth and better than I have expected from an indie game.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Gameplay features occasional multiple-choice dialogue options that can have a slight impact on the overall experience, adding a layer of interactivity to the narrative.
- “Occasionally, you are offered a multiple-choice option in the dialogue, which can slightly affect gameplay.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The controls are clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, making it frustrating to progress.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as genuine and heartfelt, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to tears, while also enhancing the overall beauty of the experience.
- “Whether I was laughing along with the characters, wiping away a tear, or simply marveling at the beauty of the world around me, every moment felt genuine and heartfelt.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a notable soundtrack that features immersive sounds of nature, contributing to a rich and engaging environment.
- “There is quite an atmospheric soundtrack in places, with sounds of nature prominent.”
- “The game immerses you in a beautifully crafted world, where every sound and visual detail enhances the overall atmosphere.”
- “The haunting ambiance and intricate sound design create a sense of tension and wonder that keeps you engaged.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting smooth performance and minimal issues, while others report frame rate drops and stuttering during gameplay. Overall, the optimization appears to vary significantly depending on hardware configurations.
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I love how the developers have fine-tuned the game to run efficiently, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
- “The game's optimization ensures minimal loading times and a seamless experience, enhancing overall enjoyment.”
- “The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the immersion.”
- “The optimization is so bad that loading times are unacceptably long, even for simple tasks.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game exhibits some stability issues, with users reporting at least two noticeable glitches.
- “However, this game does have two glitches I noticed.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced several bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”