#Ash concrete genie full

They're diverse and while minimal playtime with the game will suggest they're just playing street soccer or something, the story gets fleshed out with them. More importantly, the group of children chasing Ash will leave an impression on players. And transitioning out of painting to get away from the kids is never a big deal. This is a fun little addition, though an ability to distract them and helpful awareness meters over their heads means it isn't too challenging. Ash has to bob and weave around a group of kids who bully him. How the town's navigation and painting interact is interesting. When and how they spring to life is one of the game's pleasures before long. A few different base forms are available in the notebook, then players can add things like horns. They seem to change in behavior based on how they're drawn, which isn't complicated. Genies become almost pet-like in behavior, if not how the player gets attached to them. Different types of genies have abilities capable of progressing the latest roadblock in Ash's path to reviving his town. That, in turn, purges the darkness from the walls and assures the genie safe passage in the area. These genies will ask for specific things, like, say, an apple, then gift Ash with some Super Paint.

Genies are drawn at specific sites, then traverse the painted walls alongside the player and assist in any way they can. Other than splashing colorful flowers, stars and other feel-good items on the walls at a whim, genies are the crux of the gameplay. Same thing with hills when drawing flowers and so forth. The sun pops up on the wall where the cursor is aimed, then the player can adjust its size. An object like the sun, for example, doesn't require the player to wring the controller in a circle every time they want to draw it. These walls are a blank canvas from which the player can draw a vast array of items from Ash's notebook, which is expanded in scope via collections found about the world.

Players control Ash and tackle some basic platforming while navigating Denska.Īfter the opener, Ash has his paint brush come to life, and he's able to paint on walls. And best of all, the gorgeous, engaging design not only has a soothing aspect and is impactful for all ages, it begs the player to engage in a creative side of their own.Ĭoncrete Genie isn't an easy explanation from a gameplay standpoint, but rest assured it's one of the more pleasant surprises in gaming as of late. This game is a love letter to art and very much an original idea. They also not only interact with the real world despite being confined to walls, they transition around buildings and to different objects in a way quite unlike what any game has accomplished in the past. The genies on the walls are paint that has come to life, and they express themselves in memorable ways. The characters are all unique yet share a Tim Burton-style animation to their faces, which only adds to the game's character.Ĭharacter movements are fluid, with details like the ends of Ash's paintbrush reacting to his movements and scraps of paper floating through the air. This paint-stylized world doesn't take itself too seriously. Suns, flowers, fruits and the engaging genies themselves alight the world in a glow that is truly a 180 on the original town.

#Ash concrete genie full

The game runs the full gauntlet of colors once protagonist Ash starts reviving the world via his graffiti-painting ways. And when they do, prepare to have a jaw dropping in awe quite often.