Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
The notion of two disparate species of animals coming together to help each other isn’t particularly new to the world of storytelling. The trope returns to the likes of peter rabbit, in which our fearless titular hero enlists the aid of Squirrel Nutkin to help fend off the evil fox, Mr. Tod. It is a concept that simply construction and is immediately endearing to children and adults; so it’s no surprise that Blanc resonated with so many when it was first revealed. But does the actual gameplay hold up? Most of the time, but with some important caveats.
Blanc features two playable characters, a wolf cub and a fawn, who have been inadvertently separated from their respective families during a sudden snowstorm. As the two try to find their bearings, they end up on opposite sides of a frozen river and ultimately decide to help each other find their parents and siblings. Considering there’s absolutely no dialogue in Blanc, developer Casus Ludi has done a stellar job of communicating exactly what’s going on with the two main characters in question, despite the admittedly simplistic plot.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
You have several options for setting up your game. It’s mostly a co-op experience, so you can play locally or online with relative ease. Local play requires you to share your Joy-Con between two players or use two separate controllers entirely. Alternatively, the game allows solo players to experience it; you can use the left analog stick to control one character and the right to control the other, with the bumper buttons assigned to the other gameplay mechanics. It’s a bit of an odd setup that takes some getting used to, but if you don’t like cooperative games, we think it works just fine.
The opening section gradually introduces the basic mechanics of the game, and you really only have two options available to you at any one time: “jump” and “action”. The action command is context sensitive, so if you’re playing as a fawn, you can use it to turn it into some sort of makeshift platform to help the wolf get to high ledges, or you can just use it to grab or break things. two with the jawbone of the wolf. It’s very simplistic, but we think it’s beneficial to the overall experience. Blanc’s real joy is in its atmosphere and visuals, so introducing complex game mechanics would certainly encroach on that significantly.
That being said, there are plenty of puzzles to get your teeth into: literallyin the case of the wolf. These mostly consist of moving objects or changing the environment to help one or both characters reach new areas. They’re not overly demanding for the most part, but the game would do well to point you in the right direction at times, as the obvious lack of hints or hints can cause brief moments of frustration. Also, some of the later puzzles include animal NPCs that effectively mimic your movement. Therefore, you not only need to keep an eye on what your own characters are doing, but also make sure that you guide NPCs correctly. This can be a little tricky at times and comes very close to negatively impacting what is a mostly uneventful experience.
We must also mention the camera, which unfortunately does not always behave well. Naturally, with cooperative play of this nature, the camera is essentially still and zooms on its own depending on where you are in the environment; if the two characters are close, the camera stays close, but if you move away, it will pan around to give you a better view. That’s fine for the most part, but there are times when the camera gets a little stuck or blocked by objects in the area. Again, this takes you out of the immersive experience and reminds you that, yes, you’re playing a video game.
Despite our issues with the game, Blanc really shines when everything sings from the same score. Because the puzzles are usually so simple, solving them requires little effort and is a truly enjoyable experience. There are also moments that pay direct homage to titles like Journey and Abzu, where you glide on snow through multiple environments set to truly beautiful music.
Not only that, but Blanc looks quite gorgeous at times. When the camera pans to give you a proper panoramic view of the surroundings, you really realize how successful the unique abstract art style is. This helps create a great sense of place, and this is greatly enhanced by small details like the snow trails left by the characters and the layers of snow cascading over rooftops or planks. The developers have done a great job of making the most of the extreme lack of colors available.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Offline)
In terms of total time, you’re probably looking at around two hours to complete the entire game, and that’s generous. It is certainly quite short, but the content which are here you feel very precious. It’s a nice little story of hope and triumph through hardship, and though there are times when we think the emotional stakes could have perhaps been pushed a bit more. bit Plus, it’s definitely a story that will especially resonate with kids.
conclusion
Blanc is an enjoyable and easy-going co-op experience that will give you a few hours of fun as well as a few frustrations. The camera can get a bit messy at times due to the two-player setup, and the game could definitely do with a hint system in some areas, as we imagine kids in particular would struggle with the general lack of direction. . That being said, it is an engaging game and a completely harmless experience that anyone can easily pick up and enjoy. If you’re looking for a new, emotional co-op game, then Blanc is an easy recommendation.