Why Chicory: A Colorful Tale is one of the best video games of 2021

In the film, the main character is Chicory: The Colorful StoryThis is the 2021 most relatable character. It’s not because this dog rocks cool t-shirts and constantly calls home to ask their parents for help. It’s because they’re dealing with acute self-doubt and burnout.

Beginning of ChicoryWhen they discover a magic paintbrush on the ground, Pasta and I are forced to take over the dog. The brush belonged to Chicory, who holds the position of “Wielder,” a term for a powerful artist and leader who colors the world. Chicory disappeared when we started, as well all the color in this world. So it is up to our energetic puppy dog to bring back color.

Chicory’s overworld is filled with charm — it’s named Picnic and all the characters are named after food. Greg Lobanov along with small teams of artists developed the game. The map is like an enormous digital coloring book. Pasta moves across it. Each zone is unique in its color choices: Supper Woods contains fall colors such as orange, crimson and gold. Gulp Swamp, on the other hand, uses lightened colors of lime and green. You will discover new brushes and stamps as you tackle challenges.

Image: Greg Lobanov, Alexis Dean-Jones, Madeline Berger, Em Halberstadt, Lena Raine/Finji

True to the expressive nature of the game, painting is a breeze, and you don’t actually have to be artistic to color pretty scenes. At one point, I figured out how to create a fun effect by laying down a solid color and then rolling my mouse’s scroll wheel to alternate colors quickly with the striped textured brush. Anybody who was exposed to the bizarre brushes of Kid Pix will recognize this. ChicoryThis is a joyful return to the childlike way of doing things. Although I found myself often in a scribbling coma, at times I’d take a moment to color more of the scene to express my gratitude to the universe. One time, Hummus, an elderly Koala, came running to me. As a gesture of respect, I color in the whole scene to show my appreciation for his dear friend and the water beside him.

The game functions largely like Zelda’s top-down Zelda, except for the painting. Feels like the best iteration of the formula. An Historical Link. A lot of puzzles are based on simple tasks, such as clearing paths and moving bombs. But now there’s the brush.

It opens up new possibilities for gameplay and mechanics to be used in solving puzzles. The paintbrush can activate bombs remotely. To bring certain platforms to your desired locations, you can also paint them. Pasta can be moved around while I paint the scene. Pasta can move through the world as I paint it as well – one technique allows my little dog to swim through paint and up walls, just like in Splatoon. However, some 3D platforming elements can be difficult due to the top-down paper graphics.

Image: Greg Lobanov, Alexis Dean-Jones, Madeline Berger, Em Halberstadt, Lena Raine/Finji

You can be sure to have a great gameplay foundation. ChicoryIt would make a great game, if there was nothing else. It is not. ChicoryA poignant tale about self doubt, burnout and how we can take care of ourselves in times of uncertainty is also included.

Pasta experiences internal and external doubts after becoming the Wielder. One of the first conversations you have in the early game is with Blackberry, a previous Wielder, who tells Pasta that they don’t look ready to wield the brush. On many occasions, Pasta’s earnest and can-do attitude is peppered by their own self-doubt. They asked Chicory, “Are you really sure it should be me?”

Pasta, remember, wasn’t even supposed to become an artist. Their occupation was janitor. Pasta is still a janitor.

Chicory is opposite Pasta, the former Wielder as well as the namesake and original creator of the game. One day, Chicory the former Wielder gives up and hides in her bedroom. She is at her weakest, lying in bed in fetal position. She can’t hold a conversation with Pasta, let alone paint. Chicory is no longer able to paint, just like her two predecessors, the Wielders. Painting is hard when it’s for others, another Wielder tells Pasta. It is early on that we find her painting brushstroke after stroke and then erasing them.

Image: Greg Lobanov, Alexis Dean-Jones, Madeline Berger, Em Halberstadt, Lena Raine/Finji

So what carries Pasta — and us as the player — through this draining journey that has burnt out previous Wielders? We should not be too harsh on ourselves. In a particularly touching moment, Pasta can grab pizza with their sister Clementine, where she reminds you that it’s OK to say no sometimes. These words are from Pasta. She was the one I carried with me the most when I took on the challenge and responsibility of being a Wielder.

There are many ways that the game can make it easier, provided the player uses them. Boss fights can be difficult, but bosses will give you plenty of checkpoints and you have the option to call Mom or Dad to get hints. There’s no need to beat yourself up to figure out a puzzle because your dad will just tell you what to do. If you can bring just a small amount of color into a scene you will see the ripple effect through all the characters.

At one point I found myself frustrated by a series of puzzles and had to backtrack a bit to make sure there wasn’t another route through the forest. That was when I saw the pig. “I love what you’ve done with the place,” they told me, complimenting my color schemes. The scribbles weren’t exactly artful, but the pig was right — it sure looked a lot nicer with some splashes of color.

Regardless of Pasta’s self-doubt and the pain they see carried by those around them, the game’s world cares for both Pasta and the player. It’s a game about a dog who paints, but more importantly, it’s about imposter syndrome and burnout. Chicory: The Colorful StoryIt is a balm for anyone feeling lost or weary. It doesn’t tell us that everything is going to be OK, and isn’t even that cheery of a game. But if you open yourself up and show your colors, well, it just might make someone’s day.