Monochroma

 

Monochroma

Type	Puzzle-platformer
Single or multiplayer	Singleplayer
Developer	Nowhere Studios
Publisher	Nowhere Studios
Fun	4/5
Difficulty	4/5

 

Monochroma is a black-and-white game where you jump around and solve puzzles. The review would be over here and now, if it weren’t for certain details that separate it from the sea of Limbo-like clones that appeared recently.

The decision of the authors to use a monochromatic palette when making the game turned out well, not only from an artistic and visual standpoint. The world of the game is dark, in more ways than one, and beyond the dreary clouds awaits an equally dreary urban setting, which seems to hide dark secrets about its society. From time to time though, you will see bursts of color, similar to Spielberg’s use of it in Schindler’s List. This, along with the lighting, which plays an important part in the story, is why this game is not just another black and white artistic project. On the other hand, apart from average sound effects, all the characters in the game are mute. 

The gameplay is exactly what you would expect when you hear the words puzzle platformer. Your goal, which is always somewhere beyond the right edge of the screen, is only reachable by, jumping, running, hanging from ledges and climbing. The puzzles are not that difficult in the beginning and usually require you to be in the correct position on the screen, but in the later parts of the game it might be a bit unclear as to what is needed in order to progress. The endgame is also considerably more difficult than the parts before, but not enough to drive you crazy.

Another thing that made the difficulty grade go up are the controls. In certain situations, when you are required to act fast, the sometimes-slow response of controls will make you feel like you are in control of a tank, and a not a nimble character. However, this is rare, and platforming is generally quite enjoyable.

 

The story begins with two boys, seemingly brothers, playing together on the shore of a monochromatic sea. In a few moments, the younger one becomes injured, and it is up to you, presumably the older sibling, to take your brother to safety. This will take you from the sea, through factories, cities, all the way to the skies.

The story, which might seem wholesome from the previous paragraph, quickly becomes darker, once adults show up and you realize they have no intention of helping you but would much rather behave in an opposite way. The direction of the plot is evident from the first third of the game, and it resolves nicely by the time it reaches the poignant end.

 

Remember how the younger brother is injured? This is not only a story motivator, but also an influence on the gameplay. With your brother on your back, you will be slower, and you won’t be able to jump as high. Without him, you may be able to reach higher places, or those that require long jumps – but you cannot proceed without him. Another way he influences you is by being afraid of the dark, so you can only place him in places that are brightly lit. Even though this might sound like annoying behavior, I never felt that way about him. I don’t know if it was due to the lack of dialogue, but I felt much more sympathetic towards this kid than Barney in Richard & Alice – even though Barney has a much worse fate.

 

In conclusion, I have mostly good memories from Monochroma. It delivers on what you expect from a game like this, it has a decent story, a pleasing visual environment, and gameplay that works for the most part. So, wait for a rainy evening when you are free, take a few hours, and lead the brothers on their journey through a dark world.