10 CRIMINALLY Overlooked Recent Video Games
2. Chicory - A Colourful Tale
Due to its oversimplistic aesthetic, you can understand why gamers weren’t exactly flocking to play Chicory. (Because it centres around a dog with a magical paintbrush, it also sounds like a rip-off of Okami.)
But if you give Chicory a chance, you’ll realise it’s one of the most imaginative titles of the decade. How you use your brush affects everything, from the puzzles to the people you interact with. Every time you unlock a new ability, you want to stop everything and play around with it.
Just as you get comfortable with the gameplay, Chicory will flip everything you thought you knew by introducing new mechanics and sudden tonal shifts. It keeps you on your toes, switching from an adorable adventure to a barbaric bullet hell danger zone in an instant.
As wonderful as the design and the gameplay is, it's Chicory's themes that resonate with players. Despite its kiddy look, the game deals with complex topics without coming across as heavy-handed. Although it delves into issues like grief and overworking, it primarily focuses on self-doubt. Because this is a feeling we can all connect with, it allows the story of a cartoony dog with a magical paintbrush surprisingly hard-hitting.