Not a full-on puzzle game nor a complete point-and-click adventure, Chromatic Memories is an fauvist art game that sits at an interesting position in my eyes. It surely was not boring but still, I would never want to experience it ever again.
I don’t hate it, yet I don’t love it and I am hesitant to even say I like it but in the end, I have to admit, there is something worth looking at. The game left me with mixed feelings, which is intriguing, as it doesn’t happen often.
Art but confusing
At the helm, Chromatic Memories is a point-and-click adventure with dialogue portrayed in the visual novel style.
The story takes place in the Canary Islands around the early 2000s. You play as an artist named Nayara who can draw people’s memories and erase them. This is not portrayed as a magical revelation as she does not seem to be the only one who can do this, and the whole process involves one heavily looking machine.
he game starts with Nayara feeling like she has forgotten something. Later, we find that she has removed something from her memory. As you can guess, the plot then has us going from place to place, talking to person after person, trying to figure out what exactly was it that Nayara wanted to forget in the first place.
While the premise is intriguing, the narrative sometimes feels disjointed, with certain interactions dragging on without adding much to the plot.
I won’t spoil what exactly Nayara wanted to forget, but I will say it did not feel all that satisfying to know. The resolution felt somewhat anticlimactic, leaving me questioning whether the journey was worth the destination.
Lost in an art gallery
The visual style of Chromatic Memories is of the fauvist art movement from the early 20th century. The movement itself was an avant-garde break away from norms as young artists decided to disobey the conventional ways of drawing and birth a more chaotic and unruly means of expression.
For those who do not care for art, that means it looks like it was drawn by millions of ants covered in paint. Not bad in any way, just an interesting choice of animation. The art style is undoubtedly unique and might be the most memorable aspect of the game. It evokes a sense of chaos and creativity, fitting well with the game’s theme of memory and forgetfulness.
However, I fear the theming might prove to be a bit too forgetful because Fauvism art does tend to be hard on the eyes.
Destination slog
While the fauvist art style and abundance of characters may, at first, make you feel like the journey is going somewhere fun, the slow nature of everything soon starts to take a toll on one’s patience. The pacing of the game is sluggish, with long dialogues and easy puzzles that can become tiresome.
Might just be me, so if you have the patience, there may be some enjoyment for you in this artsy little game. The game’s soundtrack and sound effects complement the visual style, creating an immersive atmosphere that can be quite captivating if you’re in the right mood.
Not for everyone
Chromatic Memories is a unique game that stands out for its art style and intriguing premise. However, the slow pacing and somewhat unsatisfying narrative resolution might not appeal to everyone.
If you appreciate avant-garde fauvist art and have the patience for a slow-burn narrative puzzle games, you might find something worthwhile in this game. For others, it might just be an interesting but ultimately forgettable experience.
