‘Blanc’ is sweet, simple and sometimes frustrating

“Blanc” is a two-person co-op video game with a hand-drawn black-and-white art style that tells the story of a wolf cub and a fawn trying to find their families after a sudden snowstorm by following their families’ prints in the snow. The wolf cub can fit through smaller gaps, cut through ropes with its teeth and pull on obstacles, while the fawn can jump higher, let the wolf jump on its back and push obstacles. With these abilities, the wolf cub and the fawn must help each other traverse the forbidding landscape. Developer Casus Ludi and publisher Gearbox Publishing released the game on Feb. 14 on Nintendo Switch, Steam and the Epic Games Store. 

“Blanc” is by no means fast-paced. The first 15 minutes mostly involve walking and watching cutscenes, and early puzzles are very simple, likely meant to introduce players to the game’s controls. The game gradually ramps up, with more complex puzzles — including multiple instances of helping passing ducklings through harsh winds — appearing as the game progresses. 

However, even with the most complex puzzles, the greatest challenge is not with the gameplay but rather wrestling with the camera and movement. The camera often has to maintain awkward positions in an attempt to show both independently moving characters. Sometimes it becomes necessary to move a character to a different position just so whoever’s controlling the other character can see what they’re doing. Theoretically, this could add to the collaborative experience, but more often it just makes the player feel stuck. All in all, these issues and the game’s simplicity combine to create the feeling that the player knows exactly what they’re supposed to do but struggle while doing it. This struggle can become equally frustrating and boring.

Despite these problems, “Blanc” has many strong suits. The game’s art style, of course, is gorgeous. Its graphics were completely hand-drawn before they were rendered in 3D, and its minimalistic black-and-white look conveys both the biting cold and the calm of a landscape after a blizzard. There are moments where the characters get their families’ scent that are downright magical: The adult wolves and deer appear in a pointillist style, walking slowly across their tracks in the snow as the young protagonists look on. 

The game’s sound is also delightful. The characters’ sound design is a big part of what makes them adorable — the wolf’s yips and barks are particularly sweet. The crunch of the snow is immersive and nostalgic. The soundtrack is as minimal as the art style, using light piano that sometimes ramps up to highlight the game’s progression.

When the gameplay works as intended, it can also be very satisfying. “Blanc” is not the kind of game that wants you to bang your head against a wall. Instead, it asks you to relax and forge a connection with your playing partner. 

Each puzzle relies on the wolf cub and fawn’s strengths, and figuring out what to do never takes long but always feels like an accomplishment. Puzzles often box you into one small area, but “Blanc” intersperses these with segments where you run freely along a path, frolicking happily with your playing partner. These moments encourage players to appreciate the game’s art and music, and they break up the occasional claustrophobia the puzzle areas can create.

Finally, the game’s simplicity is also a strong suit. Its controls are incredibly easy to pick up, and the lack of text means no language barriers and less mental strain. It only takes a few hours to play, so it’s easy to find the time for it — even when balancing two schedules for co-op gameplay. The story is minimal and lighthearted, and you don’t have to worry about jumpscares or tragedies around the corner. Essentially, “Blanc” is not an edge-of-your-seat kind of game. At its best, it’s easy, calm and relaxing. 

It’s important to note that “Blanc” is Casus Ludi’s first video game. According to a June 28 press release, they aimed to “create a meaningful experience without antagonism, based on mutual aid and empathy, for everyone to enjoy no matter their skill level.” Despite growing pains, they largely accomplished that. 

“Blanc” is a game that knows what it is. It’s not meant to be a particularly deep story, but it’s heartwarming. Its puzzles are not meant to be particularly challenging, but they’re satisfying. It’s not meant to be something you grind on until you’re powerful. Instead, it centers around relationships. As the fawn and wolf help each other, they grow closer, and so do you and the person you’re playing with. That’s where the power of “Blanc” lies.