The Unfinished Swan is a critically-acclaimed first-person adventure developed by Giant Sparrow and released as a PlayStation 3 exclusive in 2012. The closest it ever came to PC was as a touching reference in Giant Sparrow's next game, the wonderful, haunting What Remains of Edith Finch, although yes, it was also playable through the PS Now service. But now it's here for real: With no fanfare, or advance notice of any sort that I'm aware of, publisher Annapurna Interactive dropped the game on Steam and the Epic Games Store today.
The game tells the story of a ten-year-old orphan named Monroe and a swan who steps out of an unfinished painting and into a "surreal, storybook-inspired kingdom." Monroe pursues the swan through multiple chapters, each promising "surprises, new ways to explore the world, a host of bizarre (and sometimes dangerous) creatures, and encounters with the eccentric king who built this empire."
Fans of The Unfinished Swan quickly noticed multiple references to the game in Edith Finch, and Giant Sparrow confirmed certain theories about one of the Finch family members in a 2017 AMA on Reddit—and in case there's any question, it's a narrative spoiler, so I will say no more about it. I will say, though, that based on what I know from Edith Finch, I fully expect that Unfinished Swan will make me cry like a baby at some point. Why do I do this to myself?
The Unfinished Swan is available for ten percent off its regular $15 price until September 24.
