Warsaw - September 03rd, 2022 - Niche publisher Nakana.io have today released Please, Touch The Artwork on Nintendo Switch - a narrative puzzle game entirely designed and developed by one Belgian man, Thomas Waterzooi.
This game already obtained many awards for its innovative blend of modern art, puzzle mechanics, and poetic storytelling.
Have you ever thought “...but anyone could have painted this!” while looking at famous abstract art?
Please, Touch The Artwork developer, Thomas Waterzooi, sure has and says:
“I made this game because I wanted to explore my complex relationship with modern art. What should I feel? Can my little sister do this? I’m still not 100% sure, but I do know that modern art has had an impact on everything and everyone in the world today. And so I hope my game can have an impact as well”
Please, Touch The Artwork doesn’t have miraculous answers about modern art.
Instead, it created new game mechanics and stories inspired by famous Mondrian paintings - and let people engage with them.
The game features 3 unique puzzles each based on a different painting/style.
● De Stijl (The Style)
● Boogie Woogie
● New York City
Each puzzle has a different mechanic and should be challenging/relaxing in its own way. All puzzles are procedurally generated so that each player has a unique copy of the game. The games do not require skill and there's no timing pressure. Accessibility is key.
Gameplay & Stories
The first puzzle tells the origin story of pure abstract art. It’s a challenging puzzle where you’ll add colours and lines to a canvas to recreate paintings.
The second puzzle is about Boogie & Woogie, two squares who just want to be together, but a rapidly growing world is making this harder and harder. You’ll help Woogie reach Boogie by figuring out how the obstacles influence Woogie’s path.
In the third puzzle you’ll move to the big city, only to be overwhelmed with mixed emotions. From joy and excitement to feeling homesick and missing your friends and family. You'll be manoeuvring through the craziness of the Big Apple while collecting letters to form a poem.
Thomas the Developer explains what the game is about in two minutes
Features summary
● Elegant puzzles
○ 160+ puzzles
○ Based on iconic art by Piet Mondrian
○ Each puzzle based on a different painting
○ Randomly generated levels for replayability and uniqueness
● Accessible
○ Simple controls (only touch screen on Switch)
○ Suitable for ages 12 - 99
○ No skills required
○ Color-blind mode
○ Big text
● Zen
○ No-stress puzzle-solving, no time-pressure
○ Subtle challenges
○ Jazzy-soundtrack that complements the time-spirit.
● Educational
○ Get to know the story behind abstract art pioneers
○ Fun facts & artist-quotes
● Playmodes
○ Hints when stuck
○ Story mode with 3 unique stories
More information about Please, Touch The Artwork:
● Watch the Nintendo Switch trailer here: https://youtu.be/tAcHTu6DGfM
● Visit the official page/press kit: http://www.studiowaterzooi.com/
● Visit the game on Nintendo.com: https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/please-touch-the-artwork-switch/
About developer Thomas Waterzooi
Studio Waterzooi is the one-man company behind Thomas Waterzooi. Thomas previously worked on Divinity Original Sin (Larian Studios) and Hitman (IO-Interactive ) as gameplay and AI developer before becoming a solo indie developer in 2018. He focuses on making accessible interactive stories and playful things inspired by art, culture, society, and human interest. His games are not about skills or high scores. They are about relaxing, reflecting, playful tinkering, and being sucked into the story and aesthetics (nowadays also often referred to as "wholesome"). In the past Thomas did collaborations in the field of serious gaming, AR, and VR but "Please, Touch The Artwork" is Thomas's first big solo project. It has received, though still in development, several awards, and international nominations.
About publisher Nakana.io
Founded by Mikael Bourget, Nakana.io is an independent publishing label for games that have something to say beyond the entertainment they provide (11 titles so far).
Since 2019, Nakana.io has been exclusively working with atypical games, experimental or with a serious message, far from the mainstream concepts. They have been able to be successful anyway and to reach many gamers on the three biggest consoles: Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox. They believe that these kinds of games will continue to be appealing, and that we’re only at the dawn of culture in digital form.
Article by: Susan N.
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