Graceful Decay comes out strong with their debut game, Maquette, a poignant puzzle game with a bittersweet story at its core.
Maquette
Developer: Graceful Decay
Platform: PC & PS4/PS5
MonsterVine was supplied with a PC code for review
It’s too easy to describe Maquette as an MC Escher-esque type puzzle game because the influence is bright as day, but there’s an added layer of physicality to some of the puzzles that (along with the sweet story) help Maquette stand out from its peers.
A maquette, if you didn’t know, is a small model of a larger building. It’s this concept that the game’s gimmick is built around. At the center of each level is a maquette, a small model of the surrounding area but what you slowly realize is that the area you’re within is itself actually a small model of an even larger space (think of a Russian nesting doll).
To solve the various puzzles littered around each level, you’ll have to manipulate physical objects, be it a key or a slab of wood. This involves dropping said item into the innermost maquette, which creates a larger version in the surrounding area. For example, an early puzzle requires you to cross a chasm that’s missing a bridge; well somewhere in that level is a small model bridge you can then place in the corresponding location in the maquette to then have a larger bridge appear, closing the gap you need to cross. The game goes beyond that though, by making you think of nontraditional uses for everyday items. You may need to cross another chasm but you don’t have access to the previous bridge model, but something else might work just as well. Maquette is full of “ah-ha!” puzzles that excite you when you figure out the shtick. And while the game can be quite clever at times, there were a few rare moments where it was a bit too obtuse with its solutions.
Maquette might be a puzzle game, but there’s a heartwarming story to be had as well. Told through diary entry styled scribbles on the wall and the occasional voiceover, you’re introduced to Kenzie and Michael who you follow on their journey as they meet and inevitably drift apart. Voiced by actual real life couple Bryce Dallas Howard and Seth Gabel, there’s this extra layer of rawness to their delivery as you can almost feel like some lines hit a little too close to home for the actors. The passive aggressive comments cut a little too deep when they come, and the longing sadness almost lingers on the voice at times.
In its roughly three-hour runtime, my only complaint is that we’re strictly given Michael’s perspective throughout the entire affair as it’s his thought scribbles you read. It would have been neat to be able to replay the game and have all those replaced with Kenzie’s point of view so the story isn’t so one-sided. There were also a few story beats that felt like they passed over too quickly. At one point I did a bit of a double take as a major development in the story was left in the void of a time-skip, and I very much would have liked to hear the actors perform that particular moment instead of having it quickly brushed over.
The Final Word
A game about coming to terms with the end of a relationship, Maquette is something some people might genuinely need to play right now in order to get closure in their own lives. It’s touching, and the puzzle side keeps you engaged while your heartstrings are being tugged.
– MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
