Have you ever wondered what it would be like if Adobe Premiere or iMovie had more of a . . . gamified element to it? Have you ever been sitting there alone tediously editing something and wished you could be playing a video game instead?
Developed by Chanko Studios and published by AMC games, It’s a Wrap may be the experience for you. A mix between puzzles and platforming, It’s a Wrap operates as if players are a mix between a film editor and a director. With its puzzles and plotline, the game certainly adds a more exciting element to the editing process.
This game was released in August of 2023, and can be played on Steam or the Nintendo Switch.
Lights, Camera, Action!
It’s a Wrap ventures back into 1980s Hollywood, where players play as an arrogant yet popular actor named Johnny Rush.
The game features a total of three films you play through. “Ace Avanti and the Very Last Curse,” the first film, is very Indiana Jones-esq. Then there is the sci-fi film “Big Trouble in Space,” and finally “Cold as Hell,” which has classic 80s elements of a gun-slinging protagonist and high-speed car chases. Players must guide Johnny throughout the action sequences of these movies in order to complete the game.
Each set gives a script, providing helpful guidelines on how the sequence of events is supposed to go. If you become stuck on a set, the script can offer some extra hints.
The issue with each action set is that it seems like NOBODY knows how to time the props and stunts correctly. Players are in charge of editing the movie clips around to accurately time when props are supposed to set off, like a rolling boulder or volcanic spew. You drag these clips around and order them precisely. When you believe that you have the clips in the right order, players press the “action” button to begin the scene. Players now control Johnny Rush himself and have to move towards the end of the stage, evading the props and traps. If you fall off the set or get hit by something, players “die” and must try again.
A novel and engaging experience
It’s a Wrap is unique and I have yet to see a game quite like it. It is unfortunately rather short plot-wise, but getting through each scene can be challenging and tedious . . . which will certainly add more hours to your gameplay! Overall, as said, It’s a Wrap feels like a gamified version of Adobe Premiere.
This title features a degree of voice acting, with some full-fledged voice-acted lines and some other Simlish grunting. The dialogue is silly and keeps players engaged at least for a good while, alongside the charming cast of characters.
Chanko Studios has definitely brought something fresh and new to the realm of gaming with the game’s film-editing aesthetic and oscillation between a puzzle game and a 2D platformer. I believe that these ideas can be polished up and expanded upon in the future.
A series of trial and error . . .
While the game is engaging at the start, the levels slowly become more and more challenging . . . and by “challenging,” I mean overly meticulous. This difficulty may excite some players. Otherwise, it could prove to be way too tedious for puzzle enjoyers and too dull for platforming fans.
I myself shifted between amusement and complete frustration. Some sets are not very intuitive and require loads of attempts to get it right. For the platforming segments, most of the levels only require players to hold down the left joystick to go forward. Johnny relies on players’ abilities to time the props in the editing stage, not so much your platforming skills. There are moments where you must shield the actor and time your jumps, but that is about it.
I also wish that there were more new mechanics introduced throughout the game. It’s a Wrap is short, and players pretty much get the idea of the full gameplay at the very beginning. Some of the stunt/prop clips are locked, meaning that players are unable to move them around. Other clips are totally left up to the player’s control. In the second film setting, for example, a new mechanic of looping clips are introduced (where props continuously move). Other than that, there are not too many other creative mechanics.
Final Thoughts
It’s a Wrap is a novel experience that appeals to 1980s movie nostalgia and incorporates the idea of filmmaking into players’ own hands. The concept of this game is appealing, but it is a good thing that It’s a Wrap is so short. After a while, it does become rather aggravating.
This game may be too unforgiving for a puzzle game, and too lackluster for a platformer. Otherwise, It’s a Wrap is full of charm and great ideas, providing a window for inspiration for games in the future.
