Imagine a game where the whole world is a white, amorphous vacuum. The only way you know where you’re going is to fill in the white void with black ink, revealing your surroundings in stark black-and-white contrast.
It’s E3 time in LA. That means more of the glitz and glam we’ve come to associate with new game demos. The big titles get most of the attention, as usual. Oftentimes I end up yawning at the wash, rinse, repeat cycle of popular games that revolve around a grizzled man with a big gun. I’m much more intrigued by the creative and innovative titles that are showcased at E3, and today I stumbled upon a gem: The Unfinished Swan.
The developer of the game is a tiny studio known as Giant Sparrow that grew out of some prototype projects at the University of Southern California. They’re based right here in Santa Monica, and I like the cut of their jib. These kids got moxie, I tell ya! This is a beautiful concept with a stunning story. Kind of reminds me of the Myst days. Watch the full E3 video interview/demo below.
From their website:
The Unfinished Swan is a game about exploring the unknown.
The player is a young boy chasing after a swan who has wandered off into a surreal, unfinished kingdom. The game begins in a completely white space where players can throw paint to splatter their surroundings and reveal the world around them.
The Ramsey Isler Blog 
I really enjoy games that give my brain delightful new experiences, that prompt me to think in different ways. Valve’s “Portal” did that for me. It introduced a new way of thinking about my environment and how to travel through it. “Unfinished Swan” did that, too, but with an entirely different approach. So artistic. Immersive.
It was at a friend’s house, so I don’t recall finishing the game, but I thought it was a unique concept with fantastic execution.
Fun to see it mentioned somewhere and be reminded. I haven’t thought of it much since that visit with my friend last year.