HomeFeatures
TFI Friday: 3 new indie games about art and feelingsFeeling a little drawn? Step right into Inked: A Tale Of Love, Behind The Frame and Ambition: A Minuet In Power
Feeling a little drawn? Step right into Inked: A Tale Of Love, Behind The Frame and Ambition: A Minuet In Power
It’s been ages, TFI friends! I’m sorry. There’s been a lot on. But today I am pleased because this week has seen some absolute banger games released into the wild. Aside from what I’ve gathered into a little ball here, I’m excited to tryMosaic Chroniclesover the weekend, am stoked about the existence ofStrange Horticulture.
But this column isn’t about games that I haven’t played! It’s about those I have, and this week the ones I’ve got for you are proper fun. They’re all chilled puzzle games, I suppose, although the form of their puzzles are very different. But they’re also all about art (kinda; you’ll need to trust me on the third one) andemotions, and are perfect for a bank holiday weekend.
TFI Friday | 3 New Indie Games | Inked - Behind The Frame - Ambition: A Minuet In PowerWatch on YouTube
TFI Friday | 3 New Indie Games | Inked - Behind The Frame - Ambition: A Minuet In Power
Inked: A Tale Of Love
Inked is a slightly weird one because it came out once already, like,a bunch of years ago. Developers Somnium Games wanted to improve the story, puzzles and controls, and though I never played the first version of Inked to compare, I like this new one just fine. You play a little samurai hero, armed with a sort of magic pen, and solve platforming puzzles with some physics bits thrown in. Alongside this is the story of you and your wife Aiko, as well as the artist’s own story. Meta meta.
I didn’t find the actual love story bit as compelling as playing it. Inked is set in a world that’s drawn entirely in ballpoint pen, and it realises this extremely well. It looks absolutely lovely, using only a few colours. Because you don’t have a jump, the puzzles involve you moving different platforms or blocks around to reach switches and levers, and the pacing of the puzzles is satisfying - they’re not so tough you can’t figure them out, but you definitely have to engage your brain.
Behind The Frame
You’re working on quite a big, bold piece, and you get to splodge your paint everywhere (though the game helpfullly puts up some invisible lines so you don’t ruin your work). And you also look at your neighbour across the way, an old man who is a much more accomplished artist than you and who has a large ginger cat. But almost immediately you spot some weird coincidences, start finding notes from someone you can’t remember, and have odd dreams about the past.
It’s a short and very sweet experience that is incredibly relaxed, at the same time as being a very bright, sunshine-filled thing that really inspired me to go out andcreatesomething myself. In this case it was some cheesey pasta but, you know. One day: art!
Ambition: A Minuet In Power
You also have to dress for your busy social calendar. Gowns can be purchased and your sartorial choices will gain and lose you favour depending on the hosts of the party. You also need to keep your wardrobe fresh, but new dresses are expensive. Luckily, you can sell gossip to the paper, getting more for how fresh and dangerous it is. But asking around for gossip about the revolution can itself be a risky move. Well played if you manage to survive it all at the end.
