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0 Swan Song is a casual puzzle game developed and published by Business Goose Studios. You play as Edith, whose mother (Amber) has passed away. The game begins with a letter from her father (Tristan), who gifts her this music box after his passing. Immediately, we see an uneven family dynamic with two people grieving. As we progress through, we learn that the Mother was a passionate pianist. Through sickness, Amber started to lose her musical abilities and eventually, her life to breast cancer. Already, the game reveals its raw and unforgiving emotions.
Swan Song will be available on Steam on the 4th of June. Have a look here!
Get your Kleenex ready!
Gameplay
Swan Song is very simple in the way it’s played. The player is presented with a music box and has to guide a swan from one end to the other. The swan has to be navigated along square tiles with a specific colour on them, i.e. pink, blue, yellow or green. In a drawer below this is a sheet of music paper with the same coloured music notes.
Once you turn the key on the side, the swan will start to move across the tiles. The player has to pre-plan where to place the available Quavers (music notes) on the correct part on the music sheet, which impacts the movement of the tiles. This is so the swan can reach the other end safely. Sounds simple enough!
After a few chapters, the game slowly introduces new challenges. You might have to use a Quaver to turn a tile instead of letting it move straight across. Sometimes you have a long Quaver and it moves two coloured tiles at once. It even introduces an enemy type that shoots its gun if you’ve activated its coloured tile at the same time.
Graphics & Audio
As I mentioned in the introduction, Amber was a musician. Through the form of family tapes, we hear her distress about her lack of ability to play beautifully anymore. The small snippet of music we hear of her playing showed years of dedication, talent and passion. Sometimes, all we need is a few seconds to make a judgment, and I knew from the music at the beginning that I was in for an emotional ride. The theme of music is prominent in Swan Song. Music can connect people, bring back memories that maybe you once forgot, or even be the start of a love story. For this game, though, Business Goose Studios utilised the power of music to show the impact of loss and the journey it takes a person on.
For someone who has experienced loss, listening to the main menu music was enough for me to understand this game completely. My ears were treated to the delicate strings of violins, the gentle press of piano keys, which all followed this melancholy tune; all while underneath this, a constant low note from the piano. It showed me the happiness of being close to someone and the grief you feel when they are no longer with us. I am unsure if this was intended, but it immediately made me connect to the game. Swan Song’s heartbreaking but very realistic story can resonate with anyone, and the brooding music was perfect for it.
Graphics-wise, Swan Song follows a minimalist style, which I can appreciate. Its almost paint-like features add to the artistic themes, all while running at a steady 30fps. I played this on my MacBook, which still ran smoothly despite how old the laptop is.
Longevity
For those who enjoy puzzles and gentler stories, Swan Song would be ideal. I personally adore smaller and slower-paced games as they’re usually packed with an unmissable story, and Swan Song’s is definitely that. The introduction of new challenges adds interest to each level, showing that there’s more to it than what meets the eye.
I will say that if you are not a fan of emotional stories, this won’t be the game for you. It’s a slow burner, with every level ending with a small insight into the story behind it. However, if you can appreciate that and connect to very real stories, give this game the time of day. It clearly had a lot of love put into it, and it had me unpack a lot of untapped emotions. Overall, I completed the game within a few hours, but I think that could be quicker if you’re a lot better at puzzles than me.
Final Thoughts
Each new hurdle Swan Song introduced felt like another hurdle Amber had to face through her sickness. It also felt like the hurdles Tristan and Edith also had to face, as family sickness affects everyone. Business Goose Studios clearly shows they understand this and presents this game with grace and empathy. I would recommend anyone to take the time to listen to and play a very real story, which Swan Song is. As stated, this is a gradual story with easy-to-solve puzzles. If you have a little patience, this could be a wonderful exposé into a realistic narrative.
For that reason alone, I would award Swan Song a Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
Have a look at some of our other PC reviews, like Rumbral here!
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