There was no way that I was going to play a horror game this week after what I experienced this week with HorrorDriven. I actually took it really slow this week and played Behind the Frame.

Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery is a puzzle game from Silver Lining Studio and published by Akupara Games. The game released in August 2021, is on PC and retails for $10.

You take the role of a younger woman, who is on the cusp of finishing her final gallery submission. There is something of a mystery afoot as the young woman tries to understand the older gentleman from across the way.

The overall story is really well done. With the integration of the puzzles to help the story love along, it really hits some high notes, and the end really takes the player for a ride. The paintings really tell a story that is much larger than the overall game.

The main mechanics boil down to pointing and clicking your mouse to figure it out. Spatial awareness really helps with completing certain objectives like making breakfast and coffee. Referencing your notebook is a must if you want to figure out a few of the puzzles.

Art direction is fantastic. Beautiful hand-drawn backgrounds and animations really sell the game. So many bright colors and beautiful vistas that capture the imagination. There is a point where the young woman has a memory that involves sketching out in the field and that field is fucking amazing looking.

The music is actually really good. One routine is putting a tape on the tape player and the music is really good; nice acoustics fill the room during the majority of the game.

Behind the Frame is a fantastic game. My playthrough lasted around an hour and it was really something. I love the art style, the characters, and the art-themed puzzles. I pretty much enjoyed everything. None of the puzzles were incredibly difficult to navigate, solely because most of the time there was something to reference to assist you in completing it.

The price point may be a point of concern; $10 for an hour, but I assure you that Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery is something of an indie wonder.