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TL;DR

A heartwarming coloring adventure about friendship, mentorship, ambition, and the meaning of creativity. With an intelligent flea as your interpreter! Greg Lobanov does not disappoint.

Full Review

Starting the flow of thought about Chicory without mentioning Wandersong—Greg Lobanov's previous game—is impossible. One begets another. I absolutely love Wandersong for many reasons, and one of them is how earnestly it tries to heal the wounds of a self-doubting and anxious person. Chicory, in different words and through other means, tries to do the same, accentuating those notions on the process of creativity and self-fulfillment. It is clear that through his games, Lobanov tells a personal story of overcoming fears, opening up the creativity stream bubbling inside, and doing his best to make a difference in the world as a mere bard and a game designer. It is not even a matter of talent: if you look at his earlier games, you will see how jagged they were at the beginning. It is a matter of what a person wants to achieve, say, or make and the eternal battle between perseverance and primal fear going on somewhere in the subconscious. Through many dialogues and interactions, Chicory is meant to brighten up your perspective on the inner conflict while you happily colorize and brighten Picnic Province, where the game's story is taking place.
Chicory throws surprises from the very start. For example, you ought to name the protagonist after your favorite food, and guess what: it should not be Chicory! But the game is called just that, right? The concept feels so weird that it requires some time to process repercussions. Are we not meant to fill the role of the main character? Is it a joke to discover how many players will type the title of the game while answering a straightforward question that requires a tiny bit of creativity? Maybe developers do not like it? Anyway, that is how the game works. It does not make fun of you; it gives you food for thought (pun intended) while offering insight into the creation process, even if it is as simple as naming your character. And to clarify, I do love fresh chicory (Cichorium intybus var. Foliosum) in my salad, not that disgusting coffee substitute made from the roasted roots of the plant.
...After you are done with the name, the adventure finally begins. The story escalates quickly, although there is no rush in exploration. Game mechanics invites you to relax and colorize. The available palette seems restrictive for no reason, but later it forms a recognizable pattern. Every neighborhood has its own slightly different color scheme and mood. I played with my little daughter in co-op mode, and we had a great time fooling around in every new location. We discovered the majority of secrets and collectibles without any guides because of this, probably. There are many different things to find and collect, from brush styles, kittens, and outfits to furniture, plants, and litter. You will pick up litter for a considerable time! Yet another example of how this game gently raises awareness about current problems. But my favorite quest is the old Gelato's photo gallery. Gelato, who looks like a shoebill bird, asks us to recreate photos from the gallery because they lost their color. Have you ever seen old black-and-white photos after digital colorization? Some archival institutions do that. It fascinates me how a digitally colorized archive image from a century ago always differs from what I imagined it should have looked like. I am sure everyone will find something similar to connect with within the game, as it covers many different interests and topics, most revolving around belonging, expressing oneself, and interacting with the world. Prunus, the bug interpreter, is not even visible, and the best in-game joke belongs to him!
There is more to Chicory than a single review can reasonably cover. No point in describing it all. I wholeheartedly recommend playing the game to uncover the rest on your own. It is beautiful, creative, contemplative, and supportive, all while you (mostly) peacefully colorize the interactive world.
Follow my curations:
A Crow's Nest & Metal Shrike