I will never fail to be impressed by the artistic style of the Dordogne indie title. It’s a watercolor paradise that, if you’ve ever been to the south of France, you’ll do well to capture the colors and hues you’ll find there on a summer’s day. When the rain later clears, the sun splashes through the closed windows and pierces the thin edges of the leaves with that kind of green only found in nature. Everything is so rich and sumptuous it almost feels like the world is about to bleed to the edge of the pages in front of you, all the beautifully hand-drawn lines and splashes of color bringing the adventure.
The world contrasts beautifully with the more deliberate, hard hits used to bring characters like Mim to life. They pop against the hand-painted backgrounds, adding an extra, almost cartoonish dimension to the presentation. An analogy can certainly be drawn to the looser textures of the small house in Dordogne and its surroundings being blurred by memories here, as the game’s narrative sees you immersing yourself in childhood memories. Mimi resurfaces as she wanders through her grandmother’s empty house.
(Image credit: Un Je Ne Sais Quoi)
At this opening time, the first attraction is to discover a box of memories that Nora (grandmother) has made for her. But to get it, she has to return home to Dordogne, which is apparently off-limits to Mimi’s father, and I can’t wait to find out why. But Mimi too, so her return to this place where she spent entire summers of her childhood triggers all kinds of memories.
As you move through the sunny space, Mimi finds things that remind her of specific times from her childhood, which means the first hour is surprisingly emotional. We’re not just about the death of a grandparent and lingering parental drama, but also about a little girl’s feelings about being separated from her friends for an entire summer.
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(Image credit: Un Je Ne Sais Quoi)
What is particularly interesting with the Dordogne is that it is wonderfully tactile. As Mimi’s childhood emotions unfold, usually several at a time, they appear on screen as interactive objects. For example, at one point Nora has made breakfast and young Mimi complains that she cannot eat her usual cereal. The words ‘lonely’, ‘deep’ and ‘fear’ appear above the breakfast options, and to continue the dialogue, you must choose where to take the conversation by opting for specific breakfast items. These words then become physical stickers that you can use to personalize the folder Mimi received to document her summer with Grandma. It’s a really interesting way to approach a girl dealing with these big emotions, especially unlike Mimi’s adult emotions in other parts of the game.
This tactility is also reflected in the gameplay. Dordogne is essentially a point-and-click adventure, but with the various objects you find requiring manipulation in one way or another to solve the puzzle they present. This could be dismantling a mailbox to find the key to the house that has been deposited inside, or opening a box of matches to light and light the match to light up the dark house. This interactivity reminds me more of ustwo’s Assemble with Care than your traditional point-and-click. No mysterious combinations to decipher, no obscure answers to a riddle, just everyday objects and the satisfaction of turning a key here or fixing a latch there.
(Image credit: Un Je Ne Sais Quoi)
The fact that gameplay and storytelling are also so intertwined is also intriguing, especially since the word choices you make mean you’ve left something unsaid. Your sticker book will show a space where these connections could have been, which could well mean there’s a lot of replayability here too.
Which, when the Dordogne looks as fantastic as it is, I don’t think anyone wants to dive back to see what else it has to offer. Even after an hour, making Un Je Ne Sais Quoi hooked me, both narratively and visually, and somehow I’m even more excited for the Dordogne than before.
Dordogne doesn’t have a release date yet, but when it launches it will be available for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, and Switch. Keep track of all the exciting releases to come on the horizon with our roundup of next indie games.