Chicory: A Colorful Tale

 Switch
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 25
  3. Negative: 7 out of 25

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  1. Pippas1
    Feb 12, 2022
    10
    I rarely award 10/10, yet this game blew my expectations away. It is a charming blend of an art engine, a puzzle game, and vibrant story about mental health. Whilst not always subtle, the narrative pushes the payee onwards very well. As always, Lena Raine (Celeste, Minecraft) delivers on a fantastic soundtrack. One unexpected bonus of the game are innovative boss fights, which make use ofI rarely award 10/10, yet this game blew my expectations away. It is a charming blend of an art engine, a puzzle game, and vibrant story about mental health. Whilst not always subtle, the narrative pushes the payee onwards very well. As always, Lena Raine (Celeste, Minecraft) delivers on a fantastic soundtrack. One unexpected bonus of the game are innovative boss fights, which make use of the game’s central mechanic - the brush - to full effect.… Expand
  2. miguy2
    Feb 22, 2023
    10
    I love this game. The characters and sorry are cute but neither are afraid of approaching darker feelings, the brush mechanic was great and I loved how I could use it as much it as little as I want. I found that when I completed the game there were sections I left almost completely black and white because I was so excited to get to the next area or so figured on stopping one of theI love this game. The characters and sorry are cute but neither are afraid of approaching darker feelings, the brush mechanic was great and I loved how I could use it as much it as little as I want. I found that when I completed the game there were sections I left almost completely black and white because I was so excited to get to the next area or so figured on stopping one of the puzzles. If I had to find something to not pick at I'd say some of the platforming is a bit tricky because it's hard to tell depth in this style of game but there are very few cases where it slowed me down and it feels awesome when it clicks which, again, is most of the time. I'd also say a couple of the puzzles were a bit frustrating but I figured them all out eventually and if it ever was too much you can always "call home" and get some tips (from mom) or even the exact solution if you're really stumped(from dad).… Expand
  3. Kochambra
    Dec 29, 2021
    9
    Quite probably, my favorite game of all I've played this year. An utterly charming mixture of different influences (Link's Awakening, painting games like deBlob, ...) that somehow manages to find its own unique voice.
    It's a bigger and longer game than it may look at first sight, with quite a few optional side quest and collectibles thrown in for good measure. The painting mechanic gives    Quite probably, my favorite game of all I've played this year. An utterly charming mixture of different influences (Link's Awakening, painting games like deBlob, ...) that somehow manages to find its own unique voice.
    It's a bigger and longer game than it may look at first sight, with quite a few optional side quest and collectibles thrown in for good measure. The painting mechanic gives the player lots of freedom, allowing you to paint as much or as little as you wish in whatever way that strikes your fancy, echoing neatly the themes about self-expression found in the story. The Switch version also allows for optional touch screen and motion controls, making it probably the ideal way to enjoy this game.
    Also, great to play local co-op with a kid.
    This is my first ever review on this site, but I simply had to share my love for this beauty. If you feel like playing a game with more than a little influence of 2D Zeldas (with the puzzles and exploration but without the combat) and/or enjoy games about bringing color back to the world, give this little gem a try.    … Expand
  4. Lunin
    Jan 17, 2022
    9
    An excellent game with great characters and a good plot. Not for everyone, but successfully pulls off what it's going for without falling into being saccharine. I enjoyed it far more than I expected to, especially after the first few hours.
  5. stupidopinion
    Jun 20, 2022
    9
    This game is pretty great and I'd highly recommend it! The concept of of painting everywhere you go is quite clever and is solidly executed. A limited color palette that keeps the game from getting too overwhelming with choices, and gives each area its own distinct feel. The game has plenty of colorful characters, a thoughtful story, and a great soundtrack. It does have flaws that areThis game is pretty great and I'd highly recommend it! The concept of of painting everywhere you go is quite clever and is solidly executed. A limited color palette that keeps the game from getting too overwhelming with choices, and gives each area its own distinct feel. The game has plenty of colorful characters, a thoughtful story, and a great soundtrack. It does have flaws that are worth mentioning though. I experienced several small glitches throughout the game, especially with a certain ability obtained. The game crashed on me 5 times, mostly toward the latter half of the game. Sometimes you can't easily paint objects on the edges of the screen, and there were a few times where objects simply wouldn't stay the color I painted them in. I remember a few conversations between important characters that felt a bit stilted, (this could be intentional due to themes of the game, but it still can be a bit off-putting). It sometimes feels like the developers are speaking directly to you as opposed to characters conversing with one another, which is fine for minor characters, but when story-important characters speak in this fashion it detracts a bit from the story itself. I love how this game navigates ideas of self-worth, the pressures of upholding a legacy, and responsibility towards oneself and for others. How it only ever asks the player to enjoy their time with the game and demands nothing more than that, its really relaxing. I ended up painting the whole map and completing all the side-quests, but the game never pressures you to do so and instead encourages you to only do as much as you feel you should. This encouragement to play how you want is also seen through its its numerous accommodations. There really is so much to praise, but I would rather not spoil anything, so take this review as a hearty recommendation to play this game all the way through!

    About 25-30 hours to 100% complete on standard mode for those curious    … Expand
  6. keziam
    Jun 27, 2022
    9
    Really cute sweet game with clever puzzles and a wonderful story!! Painting mechanics felt a touch clunky with a controller but touch controls worked great especially with a stylus, would definitely recommend playing this way.
  7. shoebill
    Feb 5, 2022
    8
    I really enjoyed Chicory. The primary mechanic is using a brush (using either the touch screen or control stick - I used my finger, mostly) to paint in areas of the screen, and in doing so, solving puzzles by changing the environment. It re-captures the feeling of playing the original Legend of Zelda, where most of your time is spent moving through bounded screens and exploring what's onI really enjoyed Chicory. The primary mechanic is using a brush (using either the touch screen or control stick - I used my finger, mostly) to paint in areas of the screen, and in doing so, solving puzzles by changing the environment. It re-captures the feeling of playing the original Legend of Zelda, where most of your time is spent moving through bounded screens and exploring what's on those screens. Similar to Zelda, you also get various power ups over time that expand the world and give you that dopamine hit of realizing "ohh, I know where I need to go back to in order to use this!" The exploration makes the game really worth playing. I found the brush mechanic easy to use, as well, and found it super satisfying to paint the world even when there was no mechanical reward for it.

    My only complaints are that the pace shifts pretty significantly towards the end of the game. You stop getting power ups and instead start solving different kinds of environmental puzzles using your existing skills (somewhat reminded me of FIlament). I found the last 2-3 hours of the game to be a bit tedious. There wasn't as much to discover once you understood the environmental puzzle gimmicks. And while the game is primarily "non-violent" without random enemies on the screen (a huge bonus IMO, as the game would have been very annoying trying to paint while getting hit by enemies), there are occasional "boss battles" that I just...don't fully understand what happened during those. They're cool aesthetically, and most of the bosses have interesting puzzles as well, but you can get through the majority by scribbling randomly and not really understanding what happened. They're slow and don't add a ton of value for the amount of time I spent in some of them. I also thought I heard a lot of buzz about the plot and themes, which are pretty simple if you're not 10 years old. The story is great for kids, though. I enjoyed the writing for all the characters, and even the townsfolk NPCs have a lot to say to add flavor to the world. Overall an extremely charming game with great puzzle gameplay. I played around 12-14 hours, which was much more than I had expected.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Switch Game of 2021
84
#84 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 13, 2022
    85
    Chicory is a must-play game – one of the best offerings from 2021 and an excellent antidote to more terrifying titles. Depending on your personal control preferences, the Switch might not be the ideal system to use to play it, but if you've ever wished for a roleplaying game coloring book, you'll quickly fall in love with Chicory. [Issue #58 – March/April 2022, p. 31]
  2. Nintenderos
    Mar 4, 2022
    90
    Chicory is one of the most charming indie games on Nintendo Switch. With a cute story and cute jokes, this game will give you an experience that will make your heart feel warm.
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  3. NintendoWorldReport
    Jan 18, 2022
    90
    Chicory: A Colorful Tale is an incredibly enjoyable and wholesome experience. Its characters are so charming and endearing; its graphical style and world design encourages creativity and wants you to color the world back in. The soundtrack is stellar and completes the package on display here. It's a game that can be enjoyed for all ages and if you decide to pursue all the sidequests, complete the decorating minigames, and find all of the collectibles, you can certainly spend a lot of time in the world of Chicory. My only gripe is a personal one—that I didn’t play this game last year—because without a doubt it makes for a wonderful late addition to the best of what 2021 had to offer. I cannot wait to see what Greg, Lena, Em, Alexis and Madeline will make next, because Chicory can’t be described as anything other than a piece of modern art.
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