On other planets, a desert world suddenly experiences rain, a snowy tundra becomes a winter wonderland, and a jungle trek transforms into a tiki jungle cruise. On Calypso, you switch on the street lamps and store lights and bring the world to life. The Artful Escape employs various environmental effects that groove to the strum of your guitar. Scored with a progressive rock that contrasts its mellow folksy beginnings, it’s really easy to differentiate Francis’ world from the newly explored depths of the universe. Visually, I found The Artful Escape relaxing despite the sensory overload of color, light, and sound. Walking takes a back seat and the moment you receive your guitar, you’re able to shred sweet rock and roll, double jump, glide, and do other fun stuff as you platform your way throughout mostly psychedelic worlds that are fantastical in nature. When you meet Lightman and join his entourage, things start to change. It’s a linear narrative following Francis’ journey from his town to the farthest reaches of the universe and back again, which starts out as a walking simulator exploring your little town of dreamy and colorful Colorado. How do we even describe the genre of The Artful Escape? I’d like to say that it’s part walking simulator, part linear narrative, and part rhythm game. Little does Francis know that there’s more to this journey than he expected, putting his life on the line for his art. In an encounter with the universe’s very own rock legend, Lightman, Francis is recruited as the opening act for their final galactic tour. The Artful Escape is a coming-of-age rock opera told from the perspective of Francis Vendetti, the nephew of a folk legend who’s making his debut concert on the anniversary of his uncle’s death.
Coming from some Annapurna Interactive titles that missed the mark with me, which they don’t do often, The Artful Escape was the one that turned it all around. With The Artful Escape releasing earlier this year on the PS4, PS5, and Switch, I had to dive in again.
I claimed in a recent listicle that The Artful Escape is my favorite indie game of 2021 that I didn’t review.
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