Impasto

About

Impasto is a single player action game with horror, fantasy, mystery and historical themes. It was developed by alex tomkow and was released on November 2, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

Impasto is a first-person horror adventure game inspired by the works and legacy of Francisco Goya, the revered yet tortured Spanish painter. Set within a world irreversibly altered by his fraying sanity, the player must use both stealth and wits to survive.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 154 reviews

graphics18 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features a unique and visually stunning art style that effectively mimics the works of Francisco Goya, creating an immersive atmosphere.
The narrative is intriguing, providing a fascinating glimpse into Goya's life and the historical context of his art, which can engage players interested in art history.
As a free student project, the game showcases impressive craftsmanship and potential, making it a worthwhile experience for those who appreciate artistic storytelling.

Gameplay mechanics, particularly the stealth elements, are basic and can feel frustrating, with enemies being easy to evade and the overall experience lacking depth.
The game suffers from technical issues, including poor lighting that makes navigation difficult and occasional bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
Despite its artistic merits, the game is very short, often leaving players wanting more in terms of content and complexity.

graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
51%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and impressive art style, heavily inspired by the works of Francisco Goya, creating a captivating and atmospheric experience. While many reviewers appreciate the aesthetic and visual presentation, some note issues with muddiness and optimization, leading to mixed opinions on the overall quality. Despite these concerns, the art style remains a standout feature, particularly for art enthusiasts.
- “The art style is, of course, the draw here—everything is rendered in a grim, oil-painted aesthetic meant to mimic the work of Francisco Goya himself, and does so impressively well.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are amazing and immediately pulled me in.”
- “I absolutely loved the graphics style that often looked exactly like a painting.”
- “Graphics are a little dated.”
- “Bad graphics.”
- “The graphics are like playing the first Half-Life, so terrible, and after about 5 minutes into the game they get worse.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
59%
10%
The gameplay is characterized by basic stealth mechanics and puzzle-solving within a dark, surreal environment, which some players found lacking in polish and clarity. While the stealth elements serve their purpose for the game's short duration, they can be frustrating due to inconsistent detection and navigation challenges. Overall, the gameplay is considered solid but not revolutionary, with a focus on atmosphere and art rather than complex mechanics.
- “Gameplay mechanics involve navigating a darkened, surreal environment with stealth, solving puzzles, and avoiding dangers.”
- “Great graphics all around, great soundtrack, and gameplay that, while not on the level of Dishonored, doesn't get too much in the way of experiencing the story.”
- “There are interesting stealth mechanics and puzzles to solve that fit into the world very well.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it could obviously use a little polish, and maybe some more light because it is very dark and hard to see.”
- “The gameplay is okay, the stealth is quite forgiving but I also often felt a bit lost and wandered around despite the strict level structures.”
- “However, the stealth mechanic needs a lot of work; the gameplay is... interesting to say the least.”
story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
57%
11%
The game's story, inspired by Francisco Goya and set in a world reflecting his deteriorating sanity, is praised for its intriguing concept and immersive atmosphere, enhanced by poetic storytelling and stunning visuals. However, many players find the plot confusing and feel that it lacks depth and clarity, leading to a sense of an unfinished narrative. Overall, while the story is engaging and artistically presented, its brevity and complexity may leave some players wanting more.
- “The story is inspired by the works of Francisco Goya, set in a world warped by his deteriorating sanity.”
- “The ambiance created by the colors, lighting, and mesmerizing music, accompanied by poetic storytelling, truly pulled me into the experience.”
- “Wonderful game short, sweet game, with a very immersive story and absolutely beautiful art design.”
- “Not really replayable, unless you really want to understand the confusing plot and try to milk out the same things again.”
- “The story was short and I didn't exactly understand the plot; although somewhat understandable through personal studies, the ending seemed contrived in the context of the presentation.”
- “Definitely an art piece, though the story feels unfinished.”
music
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
44%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the haunting and beautiful soundtrack that complements the visual design. The end credits song, in particular, received acclaim, with some expressing a desire to listen to it repeatedly. However, some players found the game's focus on collecting music sheets somewhat disconnected from its painting theme, yet overall, the sound design and music significantly contribute to the immersive experience.
- “The ambiance created by the colors, lighting, and mesmerizing music, accompanied by poetic storytelling, truly pulled me into the experience.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are amazing and immediately pulled me in.”
- “Very interesting visual style coupled with brilliantly haunting music.”
- “The inventory bag was a nice touch, but it’s not clear why so much of the game is spent chasing music sheets in a game about painting.”
- “For whatever reason you chase after some music sheets, it doesn't make sense in a video game about a painter, at least to me.”
- “After you’re done dying, you have to find sheets of music for a blind guitarist to play.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a melancholic and immersive quality, drawing players into a world reminiscent of impressionist paintings, enhanced by stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack. Reviewers appreciate the balance of mild horror elements and artistic storytelling, creating a unique and engaging experience that prioritizes atmosphere over traditional gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as beautifully realized, leaving players craving more from this artful walking simulator.
- “The game features mild horror elements and a deeply melancholic atmosphere—both of which are essential for understanding Goya’s late works.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are amazing and immediately pulled me in.”
- “Beautifully realized, artful walking sim that fortunately doesn't rely on actual stealth or horror mechanics too much and instead convinces through highly atmospheric or overly ambitious, yet entertaining voice acting, a hand-painted style, tense soundtrack, and some gorgeous sceneries.”
- “It's very slow and mostly about the atmosphere either way.”
- “The game has a decent atmosphere to it.”
- “The painting atmosphere leaves you craving for more!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game features impressive visuals but is plagued by significant optimization issues, including performance drops, audio problems, and flickering lights. Despite these challenges, players find it enjoyable and playable, especially considering it is a free title.
- “The game features amazing visuals, but it does suffer from some optimization issues.”
- “Despite having some optimization problems like performance, audio, and flickering lights, the game is ultimately very playable and enjoyable, especially for a free game.”
- “Visually, the game looks quite nice, although there are some strange optimization issues that can be noticed in the first few minutes before getting into the main gameplay.”
- “I experienced a lot of optimization problems, including performance issues, audio glitches, and flickering lights, even with a 10GB setup. However, it's still very playable and enjoyable, especially for a free game.”
- “Visually, the game looks quite nice, but the first few minutes are marred by strange optimization issues before you even get into the gameplay.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have reported significant stability issues, including frustrating bugs that detract from the overall experience, with some experiencing game freezes that require using the task manager to resolve. This has led to a sense of unfairness and diminished enjoyment in certain sections of the game.
- “I really liked what I played, but I just don't want to try to get through this section that I'm only finding frustrating, not scary, not engaging, not fun, kind of buggy and unfair actually.”
- “As the game freezes and needs task manager to un-clog your PC.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has limited replayability, primarily appealing to those who wish to delve deeper into its confusing plot, as most players may find little incentive to revisit the same content.
- “Not really replayable, unless you really want to understand the confusing plot and try to milk out the same things again.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by the presence of a comically oversized character, which adds a lighthearted and amusing element to the gameplay experience.
- “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious!”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and funny characters.”
- “The comedic timing and clever jokes really made my day!”