Blackwood Crossing

A Game That Leaves Us Scarlett With Desire

 

- Kimberley Ballard

Why is childhood such a special time? Perhaps it’s the innocence that is synonymous with this age, or perhaps it’s the magic. As adults, it’s easy to look back and see childhood as a completely different realm, one where people are puzzles to be unlocked and ordinary objects reverberate with the language of dreams.

Blackwood Crossing celebrates the romanticism of childhood and all the treasures that line its path: the tree houses, stuffed toys, railway sets and summer holidays. The game opens with Scarlett, the playable teenage girl who wakes up on a train to discover her younger brother, Finn, has gone missing and that strange, masked figures linger in every room.

Emerging indie dev Paper Seven has crafted a stunning debut. Driven by its sumptuous visuals, the game feels inspired by the exaggerated features of old-school claymation (Scarlett and Finn are two pairs of huge eyes in freckled porcelain faces) crossed with the modern gloss of computer animation. It’s a delight to sink into, especially when you notice how detailed the canvas is, from Scarlett’s chipped nail varnish to the lines of hair that stick up at the back of Finn’s head like sprigs of grass.