Blanc

In a world where games are often filled with flashy effects, grandiose dialogue, and complex gameplay, sometimes there's an elegance and beauty in simplicity that's easy to overlook. With its hand-drawn black and white style, its text free storytelling, and its basic two-button control scheme, Blanc is less about flair and more about heart. The puzzle elements do get the players more involved in the tale, but this feels like less of a game and more like an interactive sketchbook. As the story unfolds, it draws the players deep into a truly emotional experience, and it's an experience that's best shared with others.

Blanc was designed from the ground up as a cooperative game. Sure, players can go solo in the game's single-player mode, but it makes things unnecessarily complicated. Playing solo requires the player to control both animals simultaneously. This can quickly become awkward when the cub and the fawn cross paths and switch sides of the screen. While there is an option in the pause menu to switch roles, having to do so on a regular basis interrupts the otherwise smooth flow and immersion of the game. In contrast, playing with a friend in either same screen local or online play just feels natural. Online play does keep players from communicating vocally, but that non-verbal teamwork fits the narrative perfectly. While the challenge is light and the game is short, with little replay value, it's still a great all ages story that'll tug at the heartstrings.