The Unfinished Swan

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 193 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 114 out of 193
  2. Mixed: 61 out of 193
  3. Negative: 18 out of 193

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  1. drlowdon
    Sep 13, 2015
    6
    Other than a few simple puzzles the gameplay in the Unfinished Swan involves little more than pushing the shoulder buttons (to fire out ink or water to paint and interact with the game world) and moving forward. As a result those that prefer their games to be more involved will likely give up pretty quickly.

    This is however another good example of what indie developers can offer to    Other than a few simple puzzles the gameplay in the Unfinished Swan involves little more than pushing the shoulder buttons (to fire out ink or water to paint and interact with the game world) and moving forward. As a result those that prefer their games to be more involved will likely give up pretty quickly.

    This is however another good example of what indie developers can offer to modern gaming as these short, but unique, experiences could never be justified in a bigger budget game where developers have publishers and shareholders to answer to. In all honesty its not up there with the very indie titles, such as Journey or Braid, but I for one enjoyed the world and narrative Giant Sparrow have created.    … Expand
  2. BaronMonaco
    May 26, 2015
    7
    I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll review it like if i bought it as is no longer available for free.
    A game that could easily be described as art, the music, the graphics, and the idea behind the gameplay are simply amazing. Even the story that seems pretty boring ends up having a true artistic side.
    The puzzles are very easy and the game won't last more than 2    I played this game thanks to the PS+ subscription but I'll review it like if i bought it as is no longer available for free.
    A game that could easily be described as art, the music, the graphics, and the idea behind the gameplay are simply amazing. Even the story that seems pretty boring ends up having a true artistic side.
    The puzzles are very easy and the game won't last more than 2 hours (if you look for collectibles add one hour more) and for that I can't give a higher mark even if I absolutely loved the games, like art it really depends on your preferences.    … Expand
  3. robh404
    Sep 3, 2015
    5
    I appreciate the uniqueness and creativity of this game but ultimately it's a bore. After a while I simply lost interest. You have to have an acquired taste for this game to like it but for me it was as fun as reading a dictionary.
  4. Malooga
    Dec 22, 2014
    6
    Here's the thing. I thought this game was gorgeous. I finished it solely because I couldn't wait to see what I uncovered with my next gob of paint. I took so many screenshots I think I broke my hard-drive. However, that's where the draw ends. The story is light, LIGHT, and is pretty standard of these sort of image focused releases (think Proteus or Flower). You are this, you are doing thisHere's the thing. I thought this game was gorgeous. I finished it solely because I couldn't wait to see what I uncovered with my next gob of paint. I took so many screenshots I think I broke my hard-drive. However, that's where the draw ends. The story is light, LIGHT, and is pretty standard of these sort of image focused releases (think Proteus or Flower). You are this, you are doing this and then this happens. Game over. It's a VERY brief romp and meant to be played again I believe due to the random image creation through the games most appealing mechanic (lobbing black paint), but I couldn't bring myself to do it. If you want to get lost in some gorgeous imagery, take a chance on Unfinished Swan. If you're looking for a solid story or strong game-play mechanics, look somewhere else. 6/10… Expand
  5. Basquilly
    Feb 10, 2016
    7
    This game is stunning in visuals and stunning in concept. However it lacks any real challenge, and the story seems to be geared towards a very young audience. Despite this, I was engrossed in the innovative gameplay of the Unfinished Swan, and found myself completing it in one sitting. The length of the game may in fact be an issue for some but I felt it did well not to overstay it'sThis game is stunning in visuals and stunning in concept. However it lacks any real challenge, and the story seems to be geared towards a very young audience. Despite this, I was engrossed in the innovative gameplay of the Unfinished Swan, and found myself completing it in one sitting. The length of the game may in fact be an issue for some but I felt it did well not to overstay it's welcome. Maybe the core mechanic of the game could have been utilised further, but I was satisfied with the game as a whole when it did come to an end.… Expand
  6. GanymedeJupiter
    Dec 1, 2014
    7
    It's very brief, but utterly charming. The levels shake things up regularly, ranging from painting invisible obstacles to growing vines to climb, to creating platforms. It's a very interesting and visually striking puzzle game that's worth playing if you're interested by the concept.
  7. Bumblebugbee
    May 12, 2016
    7
    The Unfinished Swan is a unique adventure/platformer centered around paint. Paint plays both an important roll in the story as well as the gameplay. Playing form the perspective of a young the gameplay is quite simple. Besides moving and jumping each level features just one mechanic such as throwing paint. Its a pretty straight-forward and simple game but it does have its charming moments.The Unfinished Swan is a unique adventure/platformer centered around paint. Paint plays both an important roll in the story as well as the gameplay. Playing form the perspective of a young the gameplay is quite simple. Besides moving and jumping each level features just one mechanic such as throwing paint. Its a pretty straight-forward and simple game but it does have its charming moments. Let me help you decide if those will be enough to be worth your time.

    You experience this story as a young orphan boy called Monroe. The only item Monroe has left from the mother is a single painting of an unfinished swan. His mother could never finish anything and this clearly influences Monroe as many of the environments you traverse are also unfinished. As you play through Monroe's dream you will find several storybook pages scattered around the world. These bite-sized tales help give reason to the world around you. They are quite random and fantastical as you might expect a young boy would make up.

    The key character in most of the these stories is simply referred to as the King. The King is special in as he has a magic paint brush with which he can create objects just by painting them. The problem is the king is quite reckless and self-adsorbed. I don't want to give away much more of the story but the king goes through quite a bit throughout the story. Its not until another major character is introduced that the king starts to change and the story starts to ties back to Monroe's story.

    The gameplay is very simple and features just a couple core mechanics that are featured throughout your adventure. Painting is a huge part of Monroe's imagination and so its no surprise that the first mechanic is the ability to throw paint. The stages start out as just a white screen and you must throw black paint around to find the path you need to proceed. Its quite an exciting mechanic for discovery as you never know what you'll be walking into. In the following chapter your ability to throw paint is swapped with the ability to toss water. Now the world is filled out but you must use the water to push levelers and attract vines to climb on as you traverse the environments.

    There is no denying the unique mechanics this game features. Its definitely a very original adventure game with a fairly quirky story-line. I will note however that the game never feels too terribly exciting. After you've played awhile and near the ends of the different chapters the mechanics start lose a little bit of their luster. All that said, this is still an enjoyable experience for those looking to mix it up a bit just don't expect to many surprises.    … Expand
  8. JackKasket
    May 10, 2015
    7
    Free games on PSN+ again! Ah well, I really wanted to finish this game as it got rave reviews in the PS3 version and I never got my sticky paws on it. Fine, it's an OK game to kill an hour, which is approximately how long it will take for you to beat the game unless you're a toddler or mentally handicapped.

    The mechanics are cool, but get old after a couple of minutes. Lack of a run    Free games on PSN+ again! Ah well, I really wanted to finish this game as it got rave reviews in the PS3 version and I never got my sticky paws on it. Fine, it's an OK game to kill an hour, which is approximately how long it will take for you to beat the game unless you're a toddler or mentally handicapped.

    The mechanics are cool, but get old after a couple of minutes. Lack of a run button really gets on your nerves at some stages. Otherwise, it's just OK.

    The most difficult part in this game was hitting ladders after a jump and not fall of from the side.

    Don't spend your money. Get it for free. 7 is only for the interesting mechanics, which would be cool to combine with an ACTUAL game.    … Expand
  9. Dal_ReviewedDat
    May 8, 2015
    7
    Art seems to be the main theme, main drive and the result of this game. It's a clever and unique puzzle game that, while basic on many levels, offers exploration in a completely new way.

    I wont add spoilers - but the first 2 minutes of game play confused the hell out of me followed by real delight. It's a genius concept and I think for an easy going game its one I'll go back to and    Art seems to be the main theme, main drive and the result of this game. It's a clever and unique puzzle game that, while basic on many levels, offers exploration in a completely new way.

    I wont add spoilers - but the first 2 minutes of game play confused the hell out of me followed by real delight. It's a genius concept and I think for an easy going game its one I'll go back to and complete.

    A lot of people called this game 'Charming' and I think no word fits it better. On PS+ now    … Expand
  10. tsakiym
    Jun 3, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A relaxing game. I like it. Some times boring some times not. I think 6 it's a fair score. I like the simplicity of the game, the environment and the fun to stoned and play it… Expand
  11. Menni
    Apr 27, 2020
    7
    Storia breve ma simpatica in un piccolo mondo che si scopre a colpi di vernice accompagnati da una buona narrazione, per appassionati del genere
  12. keanex
    May 3, 2017
    7
    The concept of the game is very cool, and perhaps the story is too, but I split it up over 3 nights despite it being a short game and didn't feel connected to it. I plan to re-play it at some point though because I feel that I should play it in one sitting and take in the story more.
  13. Sparkticle
    Nov 6, 2015
    7
    Short unique platforming adventure game. It doesn't have a lot of depth, and it's really easy to 100% complete and delete off your hard drive. It's a fun short experience, but not a definite must buy or anything.
  14. 11254man
    Jun 26, 2017
    6
    I really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. The Unfinished Swan is an avaunt-garde adventure game developed by Giant Sparrow. The gameplay is the main focus of the game, revolving around firingI really hate useless _/10 scores, but this platform forces one, so wait until the end for a recommendation on how much you should buy it for, as I feel it to be a more accurate representation of whether the game is, you know... worth it. The Unfinished Swan is an avaunt-garde adventure game developed by Giant Sparrow. The gameplay is the main focus of the game, revolving around firing balls of paint or water to reveal your surroundings or solve various puzzles (there are a few more later, but I won't spoil them). It's a generally interesting concept, and it's done well within the context of the game, but it felt more like a tech demo then a fully-fleshed out game around any of the concepts. That's what this game is, a concept. It's not particularly long, the visuals are minimalist, the music is very 'hipster' if I had to describe it in a word. This isn't to say it's a bad concept by any means, the story is charming, and the aforementioned sound and graphical design compliment it. The different gameplay concepts fit with the story and setting to a relatively interesting degree, though a bit inconsistently. There is a large difference between the quality of the first stage, and the forest much later in the game. The last level is just a toss up of the various things you've used so far, and it feels like what the game was originally. A 20 minute demo of a bunch of cool mechanics, but with no real core. So... is this game bad? No. Is it worth the $15 asking price? i would wait for a sale, but I suppose it depends much more on what kind of gamer you are.… Expand
  15. DrFriendless
    Jun 25, 2018
    7
    The start of "The Unfinished Swan" is a truly wonderful example of game design. However I felt the game gradually went downhill from there, and I pretty much hated the last third and was glad when it was over. I was hoping that the game's simplicity would be exploited in cunning ways, but I wasn't impressed. Oh well. I'll try whatever else Giant Sparrow makes, as maybe next time they haveThe start of "The Unfinished Swan" is a truly wonderful example of game design. However I felt the game gradually went downhill from there, and I pretty much hated the last third and was glad when it was over. I was hoping that the game's simplicity would be exploited in cunning ways, but I wasn't impressed. Oh well. I'll try whatever else Giant Sparrow makes, as maybe next time they have a great idea they'll deliver a great game to go with it.… Expand
  16. michaelb1928
    Dec 17, 2020
    6
    Really enjoyed what remains of edith finch so said i'd give this game a go. Overall a beautiful game that im sure some people will love but was a bit boring for me. Still exited by what they make next but this was a bit forgettable
  17. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    7
    There's an interesting story here and inventive gameplay. This is definitely one to try out.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Multiplayer.it
    Jan 4, 2015
    80
    After two years from the PS3 release, The Unfinished Swan is finally available on PS4 and PSV. And the gameplay is still funny and fresh.
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  2. 3DJuegos
    Nov 10, 2014
    85
    Instead of a game, The Unfinished Swan is an experience… which will be enjoyed for most users.
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  3. GameSpot
    Nov 7, 2014
    80
    It's the kind of failure many developers work their fingers to the bone to achieve.
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