Stories have captivated humanity for as long as we’ve been around. We as humans love to watch events play out for characters especially those that connect with us. Great dialogue is almost a necessity for a strong story, but every now and again a story does not need dialogue. A game called Blanc just happens to be one of those rare occurrences.
Blanc was released on February 14th, 2023, and was developed by Casus Ludi and published by Gearbox Publishing. It’s worth noting that Casus Ludi is a small team of French developers whose focus is to create games for cause and it’s clear that the mission with Blanc’s was to tell an emotional story without using words. Despite Blanc’s lack of dialogue players can anticipate an adventure game where you play as a wolf cub and deer fawn who are separated from their families during a snowstorm and reluctantly team up to return home. Players take control of the two young animal protagonists either cooperatively or solo in a gorgeous black and white landscape that makes for a very aesthetically pleasing escapade. My review will be from the perspective of a co-op player who played on the Nintendo Switch and in Spanish because it is second language that I am learning.
A Monochromatic Wonderland
Blanc stood out to me immediately due to its unique monochromatic black-and-white art style that allowed for an amazing attention to detail given to both the characters and the environments. I really enjoyed the use of white space in the game’s art style due to a lot of depth being presented with only a few colors. Simple with depth feels like a good summary of how to describe Blanc. The developers and artist really went for a less is more approach and it pays off because despite the game taking place in a frigid environment. Even with the excessive snow and frost, the Blanc manages to nail the cute cozy vibes throughout the entire experience. Whether it’s the calming atmosphere the music creates or a story that you want to have a happy ending, Blanc will let players indulge themselves in a mostly relaxing down-to-earth adventure.
During the wolf cub and deer fawn’s journey they will learn to trust one another while also creating bonds with other animals they encounter. As stated previously the story of Blanc is shown not told. Due to the simple nature of the gameplay and the animations used to show the reactions of both the fawn and the wolf cub, Casus Ludi has makes it very easy for the player to interpret how the two main characters are feeling. As I mentioned previously I played this game entirely in Spanish and if you are looking for a game to expand your vocabulary I recommend Blanc. The focus on show don’t tell makes it very easy to learn new words as a player will be shown different actions each animal can take before being given a text command. For example, the deer can push things while the wolf can pull. Using context clues a player can piece together what is needed to progress without even knowing the language the game is set in. You do not have to play Blanc in another language but if you’re looking for a new challenge in your gaming life this is a great place to start.
Homeward Bound
The main objective of Blanc is to follow tracks and solve puzzles to remove obstacles in your way. This can be as simple as pushing or pulling obstacles out of the way to allow the other animal to move forward, while other puzzles may be a bit more complex and require a player to notice smaller shifts in the environment. The more challenging puzzles are few and far between which means the game doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s also worth pointing out that Blanc is only a few hours long which means it’s perfect for a one-off gaming session or even a date night.
While I liked the game, there were frustrations that I ran into that did dilute my enjoyment of the game. One of these issues was the game bugging out and having to reset a few times, an issue I believe may be due to the optimization challenges involving the hardware of the Switch. The other was a puzzle that involved escorting ducks through strong winds. I won’t spoil the solution but I will share that it took a bit longer than I would have liked to understand the mechanic that was trying to be taught. The requirements to complete the duck section are a little unclear as the simple visuals lead to a lack of clear communication on how a player should proceed. This was the only section of the game that I felt could have been fine-tuned as there was some ambiguity on how to best escort the ducks.
Final Thoughts
If you have someone in your life that is looking for a cooperative game with a unique art style then I would say it’s worth checking out Blanc, just don’t expect a life-changing experience, but you can expect a cozy one.
Blanc is available on the Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
