Get on Steam"Beeswing" is a single-player adventure game set in a hand-painted, watercolor representation of a rural Scottish village. The game features a unique acoustic soundtrack and focuses on quiet, emotional storytelling with no puzzles or fighting. Explore the village, meet its inhabitants, and uncover the stories that shaped a life in this slow-paced, under 3-hour experience.
PC
Web Browser
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful watercolor art and a touching soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience.
- Beeswing offers a unique and introspective narrative that resonates deeply with players, often evoking strong feelings and reflections on life.
- The game is a heartfelt exploration of the developer's hometown, filled with quirky characters and philosophical musings that provide a rich, immersive experience.
- The gameplay is minimal and can feel aimless, with unclear objectives and a lack of traditional game mechanics, which may frustrate some players.
- Technical issues, such as crashes and unclear interaction points, detract from the overall experience and can lead to confusion.
- The writing can be inconsistent and overly self-indulgent at times, which may alienate players looking for a more structured narrative.
- music39 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers describing it as a standout feature that complements the watercolor art style and emotional narrative. While the soundtrack is generally well-received, some users noted inconsistencies in certain tracks that disrupt the immersive experience. Overall, the music is considered a significant artistic achievement, contributing to the game's unique and heartfelt ambiance.
“A consistently beautiful collection of musings, with a similarly wonderful soundtrack.”
“From its lovely graphic style, to the bunch of characters and themes they approach, to its unique soundtrack... everything fits so perfectly to make Beeswing as moving and inspiring as it is, while remaining so heartfelt and human.”
“Wonderful narrative piece with a beautiful acoustic soundtrack and an abundance of lovely watercolor landscapes.”
“There's no voice acting here and the main audio you'll be hearing is music, and it matches the tone of a very somber experience.”
“If there's something to criticize, it's first that there's lots of backtracking involved, and second that while most of the soundtrack is really well done and carries the atmosphere, some songs are not – which becomes even more apparent when the music changes suddenly and with it the whole tone of the scenery.”
“Oh, and the music certainly leaves its mark, being some of the creepiest loops I've ever heard from a video game.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a diverse mix of artistic styles, including watercolor, claymation, and hand-drawn elements, creating a unique and intimate visual experience. Many reviewers appreciate the raw, handmade quality of the graphics, which enhances the game's emotional depth and storytelling. Overall, the aesthetic approach is seen as a significant strength, contributing to the game's heartfelt and inspiring atmosphere.
“The graphics are literally pictures of watercolor pictures, sketches, clay figures, etc. It's all very raw, and the artistic style doesn't bother me.”
“The 'handmade' graphics, from watercolor to claymation to actual childhood photos, strengthen the feeling of intimacy, of looking through someone's box of memories.”
“The art style, use of different media textures, and the original score were incredible.”
“These games were a mix of different art styles, claymation, jpegs, you name it, it was likely there.”
“How much should you pay for a game where all of the graphics were drawn by a six-year-old immigrant?”
“Yes, the graphics are hand-drawn, the soundtrack is pleasant, but this isn't a game.”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching dialogue and heartfelt moments, with players noting specific scenes that resonate deeply, such as the bird scene and themes of loss. While some sections may vary in impact, the overall experience is described as moving, inspiring, and capable of evoking a wide range of emotions, from laughter to tears, making it a profoundly human and sincere piece of art.
“A truly heart-breaking experience if you've really lost a lot over time.”
“Most emotionally raw and true-feeling piece of art I've ever experienced.”
“It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me think and, most importantly, it made me feel.”
- story14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story in "Beeswing" is a rich tapestry of philosophical reflections and personal narratives, exploring themes of chance, identity, and the randomness of life through various characters' experiences. While the storytelling is non-linear and may require guidance to fully appreciate, it offers a poetic and thought-provoking journey that resonates with players. Overall, the narrative is both engaging and introspective, inviting players to reflect on their own lives and the stories they carry.
“Plus, Beeswing has so many little philosophical gems, from the story of the ugly baby to fantasizing about an imaginary life created from the smell of a car freshener. It explores Danny's number-based storyline and the struggle to make sense of conflicting ideologies, like the idea that everything happens for a reason versus the randomness of life, which is like a multicolored Lego bag of chance pieces that you have to make sense of and hope work.”
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Highly enjoyable, poetic story that really stopped and made me think.”
“If you like a story to be told in a more linear manner, then you're not going to get it here.”
“Insignificant characters in the middle of nowhere word vomiting their whole life story unprovoked.”
“The puzzle is that you have to interact with her in specific places to hear her life story, but because the map is so large, it's better to look up a guide than to do it yourself.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Beeswing" is primarily a walking simulator with minimal interactive mechanics, focusing on exploration and dialogue with characters rather than traditional gameplay elements. While the enchanting visuals and soundtrack create a captivating atmosphere, the slow movement speed and lack of engaging activities detract from the overall experience, leading some players to feel that it lacks substance as a game. Additionally, technical issues, such as losing the ability to move, further hinder the gameplay experience.
“Best way I can describe this is it's a walking simulator, but there is some semblance of 'puzzle' gameplay.”
“Beautiful as the drawings and enchanting simple soundtrack are, the simple mechanics create an immersion that is otherwise impossible in the busy of our day.”
“The gameplay is like a walk into a large botanical garden; you might be dazzled by the weird and wonderful stuff that the gardeners have pillaged from all over the world.”
“There's not really any gameplay in Beeswing; all you really do is walk around and interact with characters and items and read what they have to say to you or you about them.”
“The activities mostly boil down to going there, interacting with that to finish this, etc. There is so little gameplay that it hardly counts as a game.”
“But the typography (important because most of the game is reading) and gameplay feel is some of the worst I've ever had to tolerate.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of surreal and satirical elements, often evoking a range of emotions from laughter to sadness. Players appreciate the strange and unsettling characters that contribute to both comedic and poignant moments, making the experience feel deeply personal and reflective. Overall, the writing is noted for its dark humor and honesty, creating a unique and memorable comedic tone.
“Set in a rural Scottish village, you go around and interact with weird and surreal characters that shaped his life; some sad, some funny, but all of them real.”
“The work of Jack King-Spooner is strange, beautiful, unsettling, and hilarious all at once.”
“The writing was dark and funny and sad and honest.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its unique blend of adult themes and nostalgic childhood elements, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack that generally complements the experience. However, some users note that certain tracks disrupt the mood, particularly when the music shifts abruptly, and there are criticisms regarding excessive backtracking. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, despite minor flaws in the musical execution.
“This is a unique game; you won't find such a wonderful atmosphere and music anywhere else.”
“It's an adult's dream about childhood - the game magically combines adult thoughts and a wonderful atmosphere of childhood.”
“Not for any of the dialogue (of which there is much, and all of it is fantastically intimate), or the atmosphere or the metaphorical artistic direction, but because of the soundtrack.”
“If there's something to criticize, it's that there's a lot of backtracking involved. While most of the soundtrack is really well done and carries the atmosphere, some songs are not, which becomes even more apparent when the music changes suddenly and alters the whole tone of the scenery.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues that prevent them from playing on their primary systems. Overall, the lack of effective optimization detracts from the gaming experience.
“If I were to solely review the game's performance, I could not recommend it; I was not able to play this on my main computer.”
“The optimization is so poor that it makes the game nearly unplayable on mid-range systems.”
“I experienced constant frame drops and crashes, which completely ruined my gaming experience.”
