PS3 Xbox 360

Contrast

PlatformPuzzleIndie

Space needed: About 858 MB
Plays offline: Yes

Overview

Contrast is a puzzle-platform game developed by Compulsion Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Nvidia Shield.

The game is set in a noir atmosphere aesthetically inspired by Belle Epoque and Art Nouveau. The player must solve puzzles that require movement between the physical world, which is represented as 3D, and shadows, which are represented as 2D. The player may sometimes manipulate different light sources in the 3D world (spotlights, film projectors, etc.) to create the shadow paths that reach into new areas; "collectibles", available through game-play, offer insight into the game's characters and the world in which they live. The goal of the game is exploration and discovery through problem solving.

The game opens with Didi's invisible friend Dawn entering her room before Didi's mother puts her to bed before the mother leaves for the evening to sing at a local nightclub. Didi sneaks out of her house to watch her mother's performance, and ends up eavesdropping on her father meeting her mother, telling her mother about his newest plan to strike it rich, which is to open a circus. Didi's mother is not convinced, and leaves while the father tells her his hotel room number.

Contrast received mixed reviews upon its release. On Metacritic, the Xbox 360 version of the game got a score of 65/100, the PC computer version a 62/100, and the PlayStation 4 version a 59/100. Dan Stapleton of IGN gave the game a 7.5, praising the gameplay and the puzzles. He said, "Contrast is a game full of heart, beauty, and at least a few excellent puzzles." Carolyn Petit of GameSpot gave the game a score of 5.0, complimenting the atmosphere of the game but criticizing the gameplay and the puzzles.