The Last Show of Mr. Chardish | PC Review

December 13, 2020 Tomas Becks

An old theatre in a small English village. An actress revisiting her past. Is it just out of nostalgia, or is there a different reason for her exploring the theatre? What secrets are buried here? What can this quaint but rundown place tell you about the masterpieces that have been performed here? What happened to Mr. Chardis, the brilliant playwright whose plays used to be performed there in Linfield? That is the premise of The Last Show of Mr. Chardish, developed by Punk Notion and published by Hydra Games S.A., both from Poland. There is a strong storytelling tradition in Poland; fans of The Witcher already knew that, and Chardish proves that as well.

Mr. Chardish’s First Shows

You play Ella, an actress who has traveled to Linfield to find out what has happened to Mr. Chardish. Linfield is the home of the theatre where Mr. Chardish performed his first plays, but the theatre has fallen into disrepair. When you’ve managed to enter the theatre, you start finding clues as to what happened here. But nothing has prepared you for what happens when you find masks related to the five plays that Mr. Chardish wrote and performed here while he lived in this theatre.

These masks come in different shapes and sizes, but all of them have something to do with one of Mr. Chardish’s plays. The five plays are intrinsically connected to the playwright’s life and feelings, and what happens when you put on a mask is nothing short of magical. The masks transport you into one of the plays of Mr. Chardish, into a gorgeous, poetic world inside the play. The five worlds are all different, but reveal something about Mr. Chardish’s emotional state and it’s a very special excursion into the psyche of the writer/director.

A Tale Of Two Parts

As you might have deduced from my description of the game, The Last Show of Mr. Chardish is technically two games in one. The narrative part of the game is a walking simulator, where you explore the theatre and the surroundings, pick up clues and admire the beauty of the location. The theatre is much bigger than you would think and it’s quite a lovely place to explore, despite it being run down in areas.

The second part is when you get transported into a play. This part of the game is a bit arcade-like or could be an area where you have to solve puzzles to proceed. It’s depending on the play you’re in, but is still focused on exploration in service of the narrative of the play. This part is also designed as if it’s a living painting, as if you’re walking in a world created by Van Gogh. It’s a beautiful transition that left me pausing and admiring the surroundings regularly.

Orchestral Manoeuvres

Gameplay is very easy. You control the character with keyboard and mouse, with the keyboard controlling movement and the mouse controlling the camera. It also works with waypoints, so you can always go back to a previous waypoint and try something different. The game is not really challenging when it comes to puzzles, but that’s not the point of this game. The point is to enjoy the mood, the surroundings and the atmosphere of The Last Show of Mr. Chardish. To feel the nostalgia, the losses and the triumphs of this master storyteller. To experience the heartbreak and see the successes. This game very much plays to the heart strings and does so beautifully and effectively if you’re open for that.

One thing that also needs mentioning is the enchanting and graceful score accompanying the action on screen. It’s just really beautiful and it feels like there’s an orchestra playing inside your PC. There’s a different score for every play you’re in, and it totally fits the atmosphere of the play. You can notice music in the game because it’s grating or because it’s just gorgeous, and Mr. Chardish’s score definitely falls in the second category. It’s a delight to listen to.

Conclusion

The Last Show of Mr. Chardish really moved me. It’s not a long game, it took me about 4 hours to finish, nor is it a difficult game. It’s just a really beautiful game to play. I highly enjoyed exploring the plays and the theatre, and finding out what happened with Mr. Chardish himself. There’s much to explore and the balance between the theatre area and the plays was just right. It left me with a really good feeling and especially during the lockdown that we’re in right now because of COVID-19, it was a much-needed escape into beauty and poetry.

This review is based on a purchased PC copy fo The Last Show of Mr. Chardish.