PC Gamer - UK (2022-02)

A

t the start of Chicory:
A Colorful Tale, the
paint that flowed
from my magic brush
felt like more of a tool
for traversal than anything else. But
as my abilities grew and I brought
more and more colour back to the
world, I was encouraged to paint
more. As I pondered puzzles, trees
were turning green, lakes and rivers
blue, my protagonist, Tiramisu,
brown, yellow, and pink.

Later, instead of a colourless world to
restore, the game gave me a blank
canvas and asked me to paint a
portrait of Chicory, a cape-wearing
hare. Taking the limited tools at my
disposal into account, I was pleased
with my efforts: blotchy, but at least
discernibly lagomorphic. Chicory’s
painting of Tiramisu was somewhat
more accomplished, but I’m guessing
whichever artist was responsible for
it wasn’t using the game’s primary
colour-based palette and a gaming
mouse to create their work.
Later still, Tiramisu faced another
canvas, this time tasked with painting

a self-portrait. I took up the ‘brushes’

again, but now with more confidence

than before. The controls were still a

bit awkward, the colour-scheme kind

of random, but by the time I’d

finished, I was impressed. And that

new-found assuredness leaked into

the rest of the game, entire swathes

of the land of Picnic recoloured by

both the game’s increasing

complexity and my drive to paint.

I studied art all the way up until I

left school, but since leaving

university, I can count the number of

“I’m grateful to it for helping to

reignite a forgotten passion”

times that I’ve sat down and tried to

draw something on the fingers of one

hand. Every time Chicory handed me

its charming but simple set of artistic

tools, I found myself wanting more.

The game itself wasn’t designed to

give it to me – Tiramisu is notably

not an accomplished artist – but I

wanted something that would let me

create as freely as Chicory was

prepared to let me.

ART SQOOL

Eventually, having never used one

before, I asked my girlfriend if I could

dig out her old drawing tablet. Now,

some of the time I might have spent

playing a new game is spent learning

how my new art gear works. As well

as rediscovering old skills, I’m

working out new ones, such as how

to use layering and opacity to build

up an image, digital blending, and not

reaching for a non-existent eraser

when I make a mistake. Chicory: A

Colorful Tale doesn’t ask for any of

that know-how, but for all the wit

and charm that it offers, I’m most

grateful to it for helping to reignite a

forgotten passion.

CHICORY: A COLORFUL TALE has gotten me drawing again

THE GAME GAVE ME A BLANK

CANVAS, AND ASKED ME TO

PAINT A PORTRAIT

ALI JONES

THIS MONTH

Wanted to replace his headshot

with a self-portrait.

ALSO PL AYED

Ruined King: A League of

Legends Story

EXTRA LIFE

NOW PLAYING (^) I UPDATE I MOD SPOTLIGHT I HOW TO I DIARY I WHY I LOVE I REINSTALL I M U S T P L A Y
Tiramisu, ‘Self’.
Magical paintbrush on
digital canvas.