The Master's Pupil
- July 28, 2023
- Pat Naoum
Get on Steam"The Master's Pupil" is a puzzle adventure game that lets you explore the eye of Claude Monet and experience his journey to complete his masterpieces despite personal losses and cataracts threats. Almost every visual element in the game is hand-painted using real-life paintbrushes, providing unique and reminiscent-of-Monet's artwork visuals. Solve puzzles related to color, space, and timing while considering the impact of each wrong move on the painter's journey.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning hand-painted visuals and a beautiful soundtrack that creates a relaxing atmosphere.
- Puzzles are engaging and progressively challenging, providing a satisfying experience as players solve them.
- The game pays homage to Claude Monet, integrating his artwork into the gameplay in a unique and creative way.
- Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks significant complexity, with puzzles not scaling much in difficulty.
- Frequent bugs can disrupt the experience, sometimes making puzzles unsolvable without restarting levels.
- The narrative connection to Monet's art feels superficial, lacking depth and engagement with the character or story.
- graphics28 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful hand-painted visuals and immersive sound design that enhance the overall experience. While some criticism is directed at certain simplistic elements, the majority agree that the artwork is a standout feature, making the game visually captivating and enjoyable to play. Overall, the combination of gorgeous visuals and calming music creates a delightful atmosphere that resonates with players.
“I absolutely adore this game so much, the beauty of the artwork to the paintings as you shape it back together through puzzles is so incredibly done and you can see how much time was well spent on bringing it all together on the very last level.”
“The artwork is an outstanding ode to Monet, with an unbelievably satisfying soundscape to match.”
“Every environment, every sprite was physically hand-painted, made for a wildly interesting and unique art style.”
“However, if some cons need to be addressed, it's the simplicity and stale art style of the green vines that make most of the game boring to look at.”
“The game plays so generic; the physics, the aesthetic, the sounds, the gameplay... there is no life at all in this game, no passion for gaming.”
“Wasn't a fan of the silence/random noise for the artwork and the weird noise the smeller things made.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players finding it repetitive and lacking in complexity, while others appreciate the clever puzzles and smooth mechanics. Many noted issues with bugs that disrupt immersion and gameplay flow, but some praised the gradual introduction of mechanics that lead to more challenging scenarios. Overall, while the art and concept are well-received, the gameplay experience varies significantly, with some enjoying the unique mechanics and others feeling it lacks depth and polish.
“Breathtakingly lovely, the puzzles are clever, the gameplay and controls are very smooth which I greatly appreciate.”
“The gameplay is intuitive and fun - the puzzles are thoroughly engaging and they build level by level to keep you on your toes.”
“Love the game, love the mechanics, love the way art was infused into the game, love the fact that the developer put a piece of himself into the game through subtle storytelling; it mixes fun, serenity, and complexity.”
“Gameplay is somewhat repetitive, tedious, and doesn't scale much in complexity or difficulty.”
“The puzzles do not get much harder beyond minor new mechanics being introduced here and there, and given how large some of the environments, these new mechanics just make for more back and forth walking you have to do.”
“For gameplay that is so simple, soft-locking bugs become unbearable.”
- music24 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the immersive experience, complementing the stunning visuals and creating a calming atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the clever choice of soundtrack, which suits the game's artistic themes, although some expressed a desire for a more consistent classical or piano focus. Overall, the sound design and music contribute significantly to the game's relaxing and engaging environment.
“Furthermore, the hand-drawn environment is astonishing, and the choice of music is clever and suits the paintings and zen atmosphere perfectly.”
“From the moment you start this game, you enter a beautifully painted world full of wonder, puzzles, and a relaxing soundtrack.”
“An incredible blend of stunning visuals, fantastic music, and mentally stimulating yet still enjoyable puzzles.”
“Ended up listening to my own music while playing.”
“Overall relaxing after I turned off the 'human noises' and only had the music playing.”
“Although you’re constantly followed by calm music, the rare sound effects can sometimes be heard as you move forward.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often described as non-existent, with players simply entering a painted world without context. While some appreciate the subtle storytelling and artistic infusion, others find the lack of a coherent narrative disappointing. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay mechanics and aesthetics rather than a strong storyline.
“Love the game, love the mechanics, love the way Monet's art was infused into the game. I appreciate how the developer put a piece of himself into the game through subtle storytelling, creating a mix of fun, serenity, and complexity.”
“Be sure to give this a go if you're into delicately put together puzzle games with a good level of challenge and abstract storytelling, complemented by a great soundtrack!”
“There is no story being told here whatsoever.”
“There’s no story, you simply appear in this painted world without any reason.”
“The painting and the story of the artist aren't that involved in the game, and unfortunately it is very buggy, requiring me to restart the levels a few times.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive quality, featuring stunning hand-drawn environments and a carefully curated soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers commend it as a masterful blend of art and intrigue, making it a must-play for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.
“I 1000% recommend playing this if you are into atmospheric puzzle games with art that leaves you wanting to see more.”
“Furthermore, the hand-drawn environment is astonishing, and the choice of music is clever and suits the paintings and zen atmosphere perfectly.”
“All in all, a game that focuses on atmosphere, as I believe this one tries to do, needs to be immersive.”
“The atmosphere felt flat and uninspired, failing to draw me into the game world.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere was lacking, making it hard to feel engaged.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent bugs causing players to restart levels and experience softlocks. These glitches detract from the overall gameplay experience, leading to frustration and interruptions.
“The painting and the story of the artist aren't that involved in the game or gameplay, and unfortunately, it is very buggy. I had to restart the levels a few times.”
“I got softlocked a couple of times and had to reset, sometimes due to the glitches and sometimes due to a slip-up permanently ruining the solution.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive and tedious, lacking in complexity and difficulty progression, which can lead to a monotonous experience.
“The gameplay is somewhat repetitive and tedious, lacking in complexity and difficulty scaling.”
“Grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated.”
