The Unfinished Swan

The Unfinished Swan is a fairy tale told beautifully through the cooperative effort of the game's graphics, sound, and intuitive gameplay. Polished beyond belief, its hard to believe that this Picasso is going for a PSN price.

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"The Unfinished Swan" is a serene puzzle adventure game where players follow a swan into a mysterious, incomplete world. Using paint to reveal the environment, players solve puzzles and uncover the story of a king who abandoned his kingdom. The game blinds players with a blank canvas, only to slowly reveal a world of wonder and intrigue.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 848 reviews

story158 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

The Unfinished Swan features a unique and innovative gameplay mechanic where players use paint to reveal their surroundings, creating a captivating experience.
The game's art style is beautiful and enchanting, providing a visually stunning backdrop that enhances the storytelling.
The narrative, while simple, is heartfelt and resonates with themes of loss and creativity, making it a touching experience.

The game is very short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may not justify its price for some players.
Some players experienced motion sickness due to the game's visual style and mechanics, making it uncomfortable for them to play.
The puzzles can be overly simplistic and may not provide enough challenge for players looking for a more engaging gameplay experience.

story
416 mentions
38 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "The Unfinished Swan" is often described as simple yet charming, resembling a children's storybook that explores themes of creativity, loss, and the unfinished nature of art. While some players appreciate its whimsical narrative and unique storytelling mechanics, others find it lacking depth and emotional impact, especially when compared to the developers' previous work, "What Remains of Edith Finch." Overall, the game offers a lighthearted and visually engaging experience, though opinions vary on its narrative execution and complexity.
- “The story is simple, yet the mechanics of throwing paintballs to reveal or conceal things make the experience of playing this game unforgettable.”
- “The story is a sweet meditation on, frankly, pretty relatable things: an absent parent, a feeling of inheriting the family shame, a sense of 'great men' who keep trying to start things and never finish them.”
- “The unfinished swan has a storybook-like quality to it that feels both grounded and fanciful, a quality reinforced by the various unique ways it offers to interact with its world.”
- “The story is also barebones and clunkily told, so you really wouldn't be missing much had you put down the game after the first chapter.”
- “The story doesn't feel like it's going anywhere and left no impact on me.”
- “The story is childish and dull; those reviewers who describe this game as 'captivating literature' need to get a grip, I'm afraid.”
gameplay
305 mentions
34 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Unfinished Swan" is characterized by its unique paint-splashing mechanic, which allows players to reveal a blank world as they progress through the story. While the initial mechanics are engaging and innovative, many players feel that the gameplay becomes repetitive and less interesting as new mechanics are introduced, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall experience. The game is generally seen as a short, artistic journey that blends simple puzzles with narrative elements, though some find it lacks depth and can become tedious over time.
- “The gameplay is varied but remains cohesive throughout.”
- “The gameplay is straightforward and enjoyable, starting with puzzles that evolve into more complex mechanics, like creating your own platforms in mid-air, surviving dark areas filled with dangers, and even escaping a flood.”
- “The unfinished swan is a captivating blend of art, philosophy, and unique mechanics that creates an experience like no other.”
- “Gameplay is often halted to deliver story instead of having a flow between the two, and the story is often just text on a wall…”
- “The gameplay is pedestrian -- it is more of a walking simulator than the puzzle game I was expecting from the information on the Steam page.”
- “The unique mechanics are either used once in passing and then forgotten, or stretched to its utmost to the point of exhaustion.”
graphics
89 mentions
51 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful and unique art style that complements its narrative, while others find the visuals either simplistic or overwhelming. Some players appreciate the charming aesthetics and dreamlike quality, but note that the minimalist approach can lead to a lack of memorable moments. Overall, the visuals are described as engaging and creative, though opinions vary on their effectiveness in enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “The visuals have a timeless quality to them.”
- “The artwork and style of the game is just incredible.”
- “Beautiful story, great visuals, overall a very creative game.”
- “Pure white graphics put me into actual shock; pitch black graphics had me squinting like I'm 70 years old.”
- “Graphics are just annoying at some point after the novelty wears off.”
- “There's intentionally very little art style present in the game because most of the game is designed around being eye-searing white, and that combined with the lack of FOV settings gave me actual nausea.”
music
54 mentions
56 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players describing it as relaxing, charming, and memorable. The soundtrack complements the game's aesthetics and storytelling, creating an immersive atmosphere that resonates with players long after they finish. While some noted a lack of variety in the music, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's emotional impact and enjoyment.
- “The music is gorgeous and utilized flawlessly.”
- “The soundtrack is inviting and the environment a treat to paint.”
- “The music is relaxing and beautiful.”
- “Music - well, hardly any lol.”
- “The soundtrack is fairly minimal and I played with my headphones off for most of the game.”
- “Closing music at the end of the game was missing :'(”
emotional
34 mentions
97 % positive mentions
-6 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits mixed responses from players; while some find the story heartwarming and charming, others feel it lacks depth and emotional resonance. Many appreciate the unique art style and creative mechanics, but some criticize the narrative for being flat or tedious. Overall, the game is seen as a wholesome experience that can evoke feelings of nostalgia and joy, though it may not deliver the emotional impact expected from similar titles.
- “The story is very heartwarming, especially if you end up playing the extra levels as well.”
- “I adore the storytelling component; it made me feel like I was taking part in a fairytale, which was so exciting.”
- “Pairing a heartwarming story with breathtaking art is such a great idea, and with this one, it was implemented close to perfectly.”
- “The gameplay is dull, the story is uninspired, and the overall experience lacks any emotional depth.”
- “I felt no connection to the characters or their struggles; it was all just flat and forgettable.”
- “The emotional moments fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent rather than moved.”
grinding
18 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is marked by tedium and repetition, with players finding the core mechanics—such as throwing paint and growing vines—monotonous and slow. Many felt that the novelty quickly wore off, leading to a frustrating experience that detracted from the overall enjoyment, despite some moments of interest. Overall, the gameplay is described as more tedious than challenging, with a lack of engaging content to sustain player interest.
- “For 85% of the game you are doing the exact same thing and it gets pretty tedious.”
- “The novelty of splatting paint wore off after about 30 seconds, and after that it was incredibly tedious.”
- “Unfortunately, there is almost no 'game' here, and the limited mechanics of painting become very tedious in the vines chapter, which takes up a large chunk of a very short play time.”
atmosphere
17 mentions
65 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating, fairytale-like quality, featuring dreamy settings and beautiful art that create a soothing and explorative experience. While the initial chapters are particularly enchanting, some players note a shift in tone that detracts from the overall relaxation as the game progresses. Overall, it is described as a creatively atmospheric adventure that balances gameplay with a deep, human story.
- “It is a lovely fairytale with brilliant gameplay and a captivating atmosphere.”
- “Surprisingly creative game with a very soothing atmosphere.”
- “The first two chapters are great, but after that it gets weird and the whole atmosphere is not relaxing anymore and you just want to finish it.”
- “The atmosphere is more cute than liminal but that's okay.”
- “Artsy and cute with a fairytale atmosphere.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the optional collectibles and unlockable features that encourage revisiting, others feel the short length and limited gameplay mechanics diminish its long-term value. Many suggest waiting for a sale due to the lack of substantial content, though some still find it enjoyable enough to return for additional achievements or puzzle-solving.
- “Good fun if you like puzzles, with some replayability due to going back and finding all the balloons.”
- “The collectables add to replayability.”
- “The optional unlockable toys and features create a ton of replay value!”
- “Worth a first playthrough, though I'd recommend a sale seeing as the game length isn't particularly meaty nor the gameplay replayable.”
- “It seems like half the game design went into replayability, which makes no sense for a short story game.”
- “Because of almost no replayability, aside from achievements, the game needs about twice the amount of content than current to warrant a $15 price tag.”
stability
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent glitches, crashes, and slow pacing that detract from the overall experience. Players report issues such as softlocks and visual bugs, which can force them to replay entire levels without checkpoints. While the mechanics are creative, the technical shortcomings significantly hinder enjoyment.
- “It is two hours of 'fun' stretched out to four via slow pacing, glitches, and softlocks that force you to replay entire levels (of which there are four, with no checkpoints unless you unlock them).”
- “The game seems to be a little buggy sometimes; it loved to crash if I skipped a cutscene while redoing chapters for achievements.”
- “I ran into several visual glitches and game glitches that I didn't encounter in the PS3 version.”
humor
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and original concepts, such as amusing scenarios involving dangling from bridges and unexpected interactions like shooting sparkly balloons. Players appreciate the clever use of visual themes, which adds a layer of humor while drawing comparisons to other titles like "What Remains of Edith Finch." Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay elements.
- “You will go up a lot; dangle from under bridges and other funny things.”
- “Funny and very original concept.”
- “It's funny this game plays with visual themes of light and dark because it sits squarely in the shadow of What Remains of Edith Finch.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has faced significant optimization issues, particularly in Chapter 1 and certain levels, leading to poor performance that detracts from the overall experience. While some users speculate that the design choices may prioritize narrative pacing, the performance problems remain a notable concern.
- “The game is designed for performance, ensuring that the narrative pace remains engaging while allowing for smooth movement.”
- “I appreciate how the optimization allows for a seamless experience, even in more demanding levels.”
- “I had terrible performance issues in chapter 1.”
- “Maybe it's designed for performance, but it doesn't break the slow pace of the narrative when I needed to run.”
- “My other main issue was the performance in some levels.”