Monochroma Review

Monochroma sets itself out to be a “cinematic puzzle-platformer”. With film-noir visuals, the game oozes style that meshes perfectly with the dystopian 50’s era landscape you find yourself in. Tasked with helping your brother, you start to discover a dark storyline.

First out of the gate though, I was hit with a screen that told me to “press any key”, so I can only take a stab at this being missed in the conversion from being a PC title. I also wondered if the “press any key” screens could have been removed entirely, moving straight into what was coming rather than holding up proceedings.

There’s something of a lack of direction with the on screen control helpers in Monochroma. I wasn’t expecting to be hand-held throughout the game, but the opening ‘tips’ you get don’t do enough to help you learn certain nuances the game has. For example, the first time you’re tasked with climbing up a ladder, you have to jump before you’ll latch on to it, just pressing “up” at the base of the ladder as the on screen guide shows won’t cut it. There’s also no explanation of the light mechanic that only allows you to place your brother down in parts of the level where there is a light shining - that only became apparent through trial and error, where error meant crushing him with a large rolling cart. It was a slightly frustrating experience, as an on-screen message could have alleviated the issue.

But honestly, that’s the worst that can be found in what this game has to offer. The stylistic choices feel reminiscent of Limbo, yet characterised enough that it can maintain it’s own presence without feeling like a direct clone. Walking can feel like you're not connected to the ground if only because the animation is a little slow, so it can look like you’re sliding across the ground at points. But it’s well presented and suits the overall aesthetic that the story sets out to adhere to.

The puzzles can really get you thinking, being difficult enough that they aren’t simply a face roll to get through to the end of the game, but yet not so difficult that they become a chore to work out. In fact what perplexed me most about the puzzles was some of the timings needed to get through them, requiring some perfectly timed jumps in order to succeed. It feels as if, at times, the controls get in the way of your completing a section - your palms will definitely get sweaty when the puzzle involves having to move your brother away from impending doom!

But what really shone for me was how good this game sounds. For being a platformer, the atmospherics that Nowhere Studios have managed to deliver are excellent. At an early stage in the game, I was inside a room with wooden flooring. I cranked up the volume just to listen to the footsteps as I wandered around. It really meshes well with the art style on display.