Explore art and the nature of mankind

Partum Artifex is a free-to-play adventure experience from Joakim “Chef” Lundstrom. This suspenseful, story-driven experience puts you in the shoes of a curious passer-by who approaches an abandoned house, lured by a light on the second floor. As you investigate the house, you find notes and artworks that let you uncover the decrepit building’s story.

Being mostly story-based instead of the usual fight and survive mechanics, Partum Artifex is actually closer to The Stanley Parable or God’s Basement. However, this is not simply a walking simulator like Gardens of a New World, as it has puzzles for you to solve.

A rich, complex story experience

In terms of the overall feel, Partum Artifex feels like reading a novel through a new character. As you make your way across the house, you’ll feel its focus on storytelling, puzzles, and the effective use of atmosphere. Although it lacks enemies in the conventional sense, it doesn’t take anything away. There are a lot of creepy figures, though, but they all serve as puzzle parts or mechanics only.

The game also features a variety of puzzles to help you piece together the main puzzle, which is the story. However, it really helps since the game starts with a simple tutorialof the controls and how to navigate between your specific objectives. Puzzles range from simple maths to visual challenges covering entire rooms. Some puzzles are extremely hard, although the developer keeps a walkthrough for people in need.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is that this game is a storytelling masterpiece. Despite not meeting the figure behind the artworks in the game, it raises some serious philosophical questions that will keep you thinking even after you’ve played the game. This makes the game a memorable experience, by asking you who is the real monster through journal pages and gruesome artworks.

An overall great game

With its lack of enemies and a complex story for you to piece together, Partum Artifex manages to be one of those games that push the medium into something more intellectually challenging. Not only does it pose extremely difficult puzzles, but it also asks you poignant questions about the nature of man and how art exposes the worst in people. For people looking for a story-driven experience, you can’t miss this one.