Constance Review – Painting a Beautiful Picture

Yes, you need to add one more Metroidvania to your “must play” list. Now I know what you’re thinking. “Galadrius! I’m already busy with Hollow Knight Silksong and others that are on my list!” Sure, I get it. But there’s always room for one more, especially for a game as smooth and tightly knit as BTF’s Constance. It’s something special.

The game’s art style will immediately grab you, with its exquisite hand-drawn art and its luscious use of colors. On top of that, the gameplay is excellent, with a fine balance of platforming and challenge. It doesn’t go too far either, and is more than fair when it comes to the use of paint. (That said, maybe don’t go too overboard.)

There’s also a neat continue system where, if you die, you can go back to the checkpoint or return to the room from whence you came, but with stronger enemies. It can make all the difference depending which way you want to go. More games need to take this step.

Throw in a beautiful soundtrack and just the right amount of collectibles (albeit through tougher platforming – it’s a doozy) and you’ve got a winner with Constance. It just feels like a winner throughout, and I just wish there were more platforms to explore this on, as it’s limited to Steam at the moment. Maybe one day. For now, add this one to your playlist and enjoy this fine work of art.

Constance Paints a Pretty Picture, But It’s Not All Looks

The game puts you in the shoes of a paint brush wielding artist, who finds her world falling into a bit of decay. This may be due to the effects from her mental health, or perhaps something else. But she’s not giving up, arming herself with a paint brush and looking to find the solution at hand.

It sounds harrowing, but Constance is anything but. In fact, this is probably one of the most beautiful Metroidvania games you’ll come across this year. It even stands toe to toe with the mighty Hollow Knight Silksong in terms of artistic approach.

The hand-drawn art is absolutely gorgeous and shines throughout, even with the tougher segments in the game. And I love the backgrounds, and the fine array of colors put on display here. One minute you’re in the darker corners of the world, and the next, it’s almost like the sun’s out. There’s a fine balance here, and it never goes too dank.

I also like the boss fights. They’re never too far over the top, and you can learn a thing or two from patterns, just like the old ways.

I also enjoyed the soundtrack. It’s awesome, with fine melodies that play throughout each section. The sound effects also shine where needed, and the game doesn’t wear out its welcome with an over-the-top amount of voice acting. Which I’m fine with. The art does most of the talking here.

My only regret is, at the moment, this is only on Steam. I have a feeling this game would do wonders on Switch 2, but I’m guessing the developers at BTF can only do so much at the moment. Maybe one day it’ll find its chance to shine.

For now, PC owners (and Steam Deck wielders) will definitely want to check out Constance. It’s a thing of beauty.

How Does Constance Handle?

Next, let’s get to gameplay.

I’m happy to report that BTF did very well with Constance’s gameplay. The precision platforming is excellent, and it’s cool how the paint system works. If you somehow run out of paint on a whim, you can use your life bar. But that doesn’t mean you should go insane, by any means. You need to survive, after all.

Now, if you do die, there is a neat option here. You can go back to the checkpoint with everything the way it was, or use the “Puppet’s Curse” system to go into the same room again. Only, this time, the enemies put up more of a challenge. It’s a swell idea that I wish more developers would embrace, I say again.

The game will take a good 12 hours or so to get through. Not too long and not too draining. The later platforming sections do pose a challenge, however, so be prepared to wince a little. The collectibles are definitely worth it, and the story doesn’t drop throughout. In fact, learning more about the artist here is quite fascinating. You’ll wish you kinda knew her in real life.

Save Time For Constance

You may be busy with a mountain of other games this holiday season, but I recommend checking out Constance. It’s a thing of wonder from BTF, a neat little Metroidvania with the right artistic touch, a lovely story and a great approach to gameplay.

It can be a bit tough, but most games are in this genre anyway, so you’re likely used to that. But the journey is certainly worth it, especially if you’re a fan of hand-drawn art. Here’s to you, Constance.