Dark Romance: The Swan Sonata Collector's Edition

Fairy tales are all about happy endings and the forces of good prevailing over evil. However, it doesn’t always go well for the heroes, although there are few examples out there. On the other hand, some of these cheerful stories have been changed to be suitable for small children. Hence, the original Grimm stories are quite violent and disturbing, and they certainly don’t end on a happy note.

Dark Romance: The Swan Sonata Collector's Edition is a puzzle game with point-and-click gameplay mechanics, in which you have to solve riddles and collect items to unlock the way further. The difficulty level is not very high, but there are a few sections where you might have to make use of the hint function in order to advance. If you are familiar with the genre, on the other hand, it shouldn’t be that hard to solve the puzzles.

Story-wise, you play the role of both a prince and his soon-to-be wife, with the purpose being to reunite the two. Depending on which character you control, the puzzles are somewhat different, although the mechanics are the same. The couple is about to get married when the court magician organizes an attack on them, and the rest of the game is all about the two lovers getting back together.

Despite the fact that this is a puzzle game, you won’t have to worry about stress most of the time. Everything is pretty straightforward and simple, especially if you choose the Casual mode, where there are no time limits to rush you along. Whether you are trying to unlock chests, find items, or scour for hidden objects, the experience is relaxing enough to help you unwind.

Visually, the graphics are not bad at all, although the characters and the animations are a bit silly in most cases. This is especially visible in the cutscenes that provide you with insight into the story, but unless you are really picky, it shouldn’t be that much of a problem. There is voice acting to enjoy as well, which makes the story a bit easier to understand.

All things considered, Dark Romance: The Swan Sonata Collector's Edition is about exactly what you expect it to be. Casual fans should be more than happy with the collection of puzzles and the gameplay itself, especially since it is quite a ride from start to finish.