It’s full of brilliant turns of phrase as well when something’s described as ‘the grey matter between the lobes of the universe’ it all just makes sense. Mark Strong, Lena Headey, Jason Schwartzmann and Carl Weathers lend their vocal talents to this particular opus, bringing to life Lightman and creatures that previously only existed on the inside of David Bowie’s eyelids. The voice cast for The Artful Escape is absurdly good. Your balladry is very obviously so far beyond this Earth that it can barely be reined in. You’re living in the exceedingly long shadow of your folk-star uncle, and his down-to-earth balladry is like a curious child’s head that can’t be freed from between some iron fence posts it just doesn’t fit. Those major events tend to be playing music with, or trying to impress, a menagerie of curious alien creatures while you’re on a journey of self-discovery.

The reverb-heavy guitar licks are slightly more customary, but they peak and sing at the perfect moment, adding euphoria to major events along the way.

The design work in The Artful Escape can often be intoxicating, marrying indie vibes, Yes album covers, and a hint of 70s animation to create something that looks like nothing you’ve seen before. It’s the kind of game you can often play with one hand, perhaps while the other one strums at a nearby guitar or tries to find the perfect keyboard lick to go with the out-of-this-world visuals. Beethoven and Dinosaur weave an engaging story while rigging it to some light platforming and the most epic bouts of Simon Says you’ve ever seen. This isn’t so much a game as an interactive rock opera.

The artful escape metacritic download