The Master's Pupil

The Master’s Pupil is an adventure puzzle game inspired by the life and works of the impressionist painter Claude Monet. It was created by Pat Naoum, an independent Australian developer, who drew inspiration from such games as Braid and Limbo.

Plot

The game introduces us to Monet's works in an unusual way, letting us observe how his style changed over time due to the death of his beloved wife Camille and progressing cataracts. The game is not really a biography, as it doesn't feature dialogue or any sort of notes by Monet.

Mechanics

The Master's Pupil has us playing as a small character helping the master paint. The game revolves around exploring atmospheric stages, Monet's authentic paintings (such as "Le Bassin Aux Nymphéas") and solving puzzles.

These task us with manipulating air streams to lift the protagonist or objects, and mixing colors to create a hue unlocking the way forward. Some require understanding basic laws of physics, other avoiding traps and enemies.

Players aren't punished for failure and can't die, while the game itself doesn't require great mechanical skill. Instead it prompts players to think, gradually increasing the puzzles' complexity.

Technical aspects

The Master’s Pupil is an artistic game, most of its visuals being hand-painted. It's been worked on for seven years, resulting in twelve different locations inspired by Monet's artstyle. The game's moving soundtrack was composed by an independent composer Steven W. Schouten.

Last updated on 24 March 2024