Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery

A stunning tribute to a love borne of all the things that should have been said but were kept within, Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery made me full on sob after witnessing its incredible beauty.

85%Game Brain Score

story, music

grinding, replayability

94% User Score Based on 2,937 reviews

Critic Score 83%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.38

Buy NowGet on Steam$12.99

Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

Buy NowGet on PS Store$12.99

About

"Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery" is a heartwarming puzzle adventure game that tells the story of a struggling artist preparing for her final exhibit. Immerse in a vibrant and serene world as you help her complete her masterpiece, interacting with intriguing characters and uncovering secrets along the way. This game is a feast for the senses, combining beautiful hand-drawn art, soothing music, and engaging narrative into an unforgettable experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery screenshot

+13

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,945 reviews

story900 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Beautiful art style reminiscent of Studio Ghibli, creating a visually stunning experience.
Heartwarming and emotional story that resonates deeply with players, often evoking tears.
Relaxing gameplay with simple puzzles that enhance the narrative without being overly challenging.

Very short playtime, typically around 1-2 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
Puzzles can be overly simplistic, lacking depth and challenge for those seeking more complex gameplay.
The story can feel vague or confusing at times, leaving some players wanting more clarity and resolution.

story
1,994 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The story of "Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery" is a beautifully crafted, bittersweet narrative centered around art, love, and missed connections, often evoking strong emotional responses from players. While the game is relatively short, lasting about an hour, it effectively combines stunning visuals and a soothing soundtrack to create an immersive experience that resonates deeply, reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's storytelling style. However, some players found the plot predictable and the gameplay simplistic, leading to mixed feelings about its overall depth and engagement.
- “The story is so beautifully crafted, touching, and immersive.”
- “A very poignant, touching and bittersweet story (though even the regret is softened with gratefulness, fondness and kindness).”
- “The story is really lovely, I felt it was more melancholic than sad and emphasizes the bittersweet beauty of nostalgia and memories of the past and how we move forward from that.”
- “The story, however, seemed subpar to me.”
- “Moments are a bit disconnected, and overall the story feels lacking, with a twist at the end that is thrown for the sake of turning the tables on the player.”
- “The story just had no point to it and not explained well at all.”
music
767 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
32%
The music in the game has been widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, often compared to the enchanting soundtracks of Studio Ghibli films. Players describe it as calming, soothing, and emotionally resonant, effectively complementing the game's visuals and narrative. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience, making it a standout feature that players cherish and often revisit.
- “With its enchanting visuals, evocative soundtrack, and compelling storytelling reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's timeless classics, this game offers a deeply immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression, even after multiple playthroughs.”
- “Accompanied by a soothing soundtrack that enhances the game's contemplative atmosphere, it offers a sensory experience that captivates from start to finish.”
- “The music complemented the scenes beautifully and chapter III was probably my favorite due to the track and the rain mingling together so well.”
- “I personally wouldn't value this game at any more than $6, and the only reason I say that is because of the music and art.”
- “It had a sad feel to it that's not my favorite and I disliked the soundtrack; it was too melancholy or jazzy for my tastes.”
- “The only good thing about it are the visuals, as they are indeed quite lovely, but the rest is extremely weak; the puzzles (if can even be called such) are easy, the story is rather underwhelming and short, the music although nice is repetitive, gameplay is meh at best.”
graphics
623 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
40%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, Ghibli-inspired art style, which creates a visually rich and immersive experience. Players appreciate the beautiful hand-painted aesthetics, smooth animations, and the overall calming atmosphere enhanced by a soothing soundtrack. However, some reviewers noted the game's short length and simplistic puzzles, suggesting that while the visuals are captivating, the gameplay may not offer enough depth for those seeking a more substantial experience.
- “The graphics are stunning, adding a visual richness that pulls you deeper into the world.”
- “Visually stunning with hand-painted artwork that exudes charm and elegance, each scene is a masterpiece in itself, drawing players into a world of vibrant colors and tranquil landscapes reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's enchanting worlds.”
- “Absolutely gorgeous graphics, (definitely inspired by Studio Ghibli films), wonderful soundtrack, cute cat, and very short game length that still manages to be emotional.”
- “Honestly, I'm just getting so tired of indie games with a unique art style but a totally uninspired game.”
- “The art style, music, atmosphere and story are so up my alley that the extreme lack of content (I beat it in an hour with 20 minutes extra for achievements) and overly simple (if still effective and narratively fitting) gameplay hurts me and keeps it from being something genuinely astounding like I wish it was.”
- “While short, the artwork, music and story of Behind the Frame all blended together to craft a truly beautiful game that touched my soul.”
emotional
552 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, stunning visuals, and evocative music, often leading players to tears. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to create a profound emotional experience in a short time, with themes of love, loss, and nostalgia resonating deeply. While some players felt the narrative could be lacking in depth, the overall consensus is that the game offers a touching and memorable journey that is both heartwarming and bittersweet.
- “The story is so beautifully crafted, touching, and immersive.”
- “Every moment feels like a journey through an emotional and captivating narrative.”
- “A beautiful game that manages to tell a beautiful and heartwarming story without having to say many words.”
gameplay
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
66%
5%
The gameplay in "Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery" is generally described as simple and straightforward, primarily involving light puzzles and a painting mechanic that lacks depth. While many players appreciate the game's beautiful art and emotional storytelling, they often note that the gameplay is more akin to an interactive story than a traditional game, with low difficulty and limited mechanics. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a relaxing, narrative-driven experience rather than challenging gameplay.
- “Great gameplay loop, the puzzles were fun, art style is cute and fitting.”
- “Absolutely beautiful game, loved the graphics, loved the gameplay, loved the story, loved the soundtrack.”
- “Very beautiful and tender game with satisfying gameplay and nice music.”
- “Gameplay sucks, story is average, it's pretty though.”
- “The story is nice but the game is full of bugs and the gameplay parts are all narrated, giving you no chance to think by yourself.”
- “The gameplay is kind of non-existent as the 'puzzles' are simply no-brainers, so it plays more like an interactive story.”
atmosphere
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful art and a soothing soundtrack that evokes a range of emotions, from cozy relaxation to bittersweet nostalgia. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a unique sensory experience that captivates them throughout, despite some critiques regarding the simplicity of the puzzles and story. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a memorable experience for those who enjoy atmospheric and story-rich gameplay.
- “Accompanied by a soothing soundtrack that enhances the game's contemplative atmosphere, it offers a sensory experience that captivates from start to finish.”
- “Everything about the animation, the music, and the atmosphere is phenomenal, and the dev team has done an incredible job getting the emotions through to the players in regards to the story.”
- “A lovely atmospheric game – Behind the Frame mixes light puzzle gameplay with interactive storytelling to create an immersive cosy-yet-melancholic experience.”
- “However, with the random puzzles and the lack of flexibility in gameplay, the game design simply does not match with the cozy atmosphere it is going for, but made it more like an escape-the-room game and that distracted me a lot from the story.”
- “The art style, music, atmosphere, and story are so up my alley that the extreme lack of content (I beat it in an hour with 20 minutes extra for achievements) and overly simple (if still effective and narratively fitting) gameplay hurts me and keeps it from being something genuinely astounding like I wish it was.”
- “The story is a bit touching, but probably mostly due to the atmosphere, as the story doesn't really explain much and is very short.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
38%
58%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, often detracting from the overall experience and flow of the story. Many players feel that the mindless tasks required to progress are more of a chore than enjoyable gameplay, leading to a lack of replayability and diminishing the game's value despite some appreciation for the narrative. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant flaw that overshadows the game's strengths.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The gameplay also consists of repetitive motions that are more mindless actions as opposed to actual gameplay; they are so tedious and personally, any gameplay I did ruined the flow of the story for me.”
- “They’re just more tedious tasks I need to finish in order to unlock more story and animations.”
- “As a game though, it’s like a 4/10 due to the horrendous gameplay and tedious tasks that brought no joy to my poor heart that just wanted to witness a beautiful story.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
Overall, the game is noted for its low replayability, with many reviewers stating that it can only be enjoyed once due to its short length and the nature of its puzzles. While it offers a pleasant experience, the lack of substantial content and the predictability of outcomes significantly limit its replay value. Players seeking a game with high replayability are advised to look elsewhere.
- “It's a pretty peaceful little moment that doesn't offer any replayability, but is still just sorta nice.”
- “As a PC game, it lacks replayability.”
- “Replay value is limited, because much of the time taken is in figuring out the puzzles, and once you know the answers, the game is just images and music.”
- “Still, I feel the game can only be played once, so there's no replay value here.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, frequently freezing for around 15 seconds during gameplay, particularly in chapter 2, which prevents further progress. Users also report glitches related to the journal button and unexpected changes that disrupt the gaming experience.
- “Buggy, it gets stuck for around 15 seconds many times when I click something.”
- “Sadly, it always kind of freezes in chapter 2, so I've not been able to play further.”
- “[Hitting the journal button too much causes glitches, the noise accompanies the player until a restart, and sudden changes are too surprising, making it hard to see what's necessary to do next.]”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a charming mix of funny and emotional elements, particularly highlighted in the credits, which enhance the overall experience with a lighthearted yet poignant touch.
- “The credits feature a delightful blend of funny and emotional drawings that add a sweet touch to the overall experience.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Reviewers highlight that the character design and background work are intricately connected, enhancing the overall narrative and depth of the characters. This cohesive approach contributes significantly to the game's character development, making it more engaging for players.
- “The character design and background work tied a lot of things together.”