The Perfect Pencil Review — A Strange, Dreamlike Metroidvania

The Perfect Pencil doesn’t ease you in with a familiar “oh, it’s one of those games” vibe. Instead, it opens like you’ve stepped sideways into someone else’s subconscious. It's strange, symbolic, and quietly unsettling, but also oddly inviting. You play as John, a headless wanderer who ends up wearing an old projector as a makeshift skull, and from that moment on the world feels like a fever dream that’s constantly shifting between whimsy and dread. It’s a Metroidvania, sure, but it’s one that cares far more about mood, psychology, and exploration than it does about being the next big combat gauntlet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iky1BOi7MM

What struck me first, especially on the Switch 2’s brighter OLED and smoother performance is how beautifully surreal everything looks. The hand‑drawn art style feels like a sketchbook full of intrusive thoughts, bedtime anxieties, and half‑remembered childhood fears. On the Switch 2, the sharper resolution and improved contrast make the game’s eerie silhouettes and dreamlike biomes pop. Even in handheld mode, the details stay crisp, and the upgraded hardware means zero stutter during traversal or combat, which is a big deal in a game built around atmosphere.

Exploration is the heart of the experience. Unlike many modern Metroidvanias that lean hard into punishing combat or precision platforming, The Perfect Pencil is more about drifting through its labyrinthine world, scanning objects with your Camera Obscura head, and piecing together fragments of meaning. The analysis mechanic is clever, it makes you feel like you’re peeling back layers of symbolism rather than just checking off secrets. The map can get convoluted, and yes, you’ll get lost, but that’s part of the point. The world is meant to feel like a maze of unresolved thoughts, and wandering is how you untangle them.

Combat is decent, even if it’s not the game’s strongest suit. John’s pencil‑sword has a basic move set, but the heal‑strike mechanic, where consecutive hits bank energy you can convert into health adds a nice risk‑reward rhythm. Regular enemies aren’t too tough, though their placement can lead to some annoying runbacks. Bosses, on the other hand, are standout encounters: big, grotesque manifestations of fear, insecurity, or trauma. They’re not just obstacles; they’re metaphors you have to literally fight your way through. On Switch 2, load times between attempts are practically non-existent, which makes repeated tries feel less punishing.

The writing is where the game really surprised me. NPCs speak in riddles, contradictions, and philosophical fragments that sometimes feel like nonsense until they suddenly hit you with something profound. It’s witty, melancholic, and occasionally disarmingly honest. Some players might find it too obtuse, but if you enjoy games that make you sit with ambiguity, it’s incredibly rewarding.

Side quests are a mixed bag: some are thoughtful little detours that deepen the world, while others feel like simple fetch tasks. But even the weaker ones contribute to the overall vibe of wandering through a psyche that’s trying to make sense of itself. And honestly, the world is so visually and thematically rich that I didn’t mind the occasional filler.

If there’s a sticking point, it’s the pacing. The game sometimes drifts into vagueness, and the lack of clear direction can frustrate players who prefer tightly guided progression. But for me, that looseness felt intentional, like the game wanted me to slow down, breathe, and let the dream logic wash over me.

Playing on the Switch 2 genuinely elevates the experience. The improved screen makes the art feel sharper and more expressive, the performance is buttery smooth, and the faster load times soften the edges of the game’s more punishing moments. It feels like the ideal way to play a game that thrives on immersion and visual nuance.

The Perfect Pencil isn’t trying to be the next Hollow Knight or Silksong. It’s stranger, softer, more introspective. It’s a game that lingers once you put down the console, not because of its difficulty or mechanics, but because it feels like you’ve wandered through someone’s subconscious and come back with a few questions of your own.

Pros

• Gorgeous, surreal art style that shines on Switch 2

• Deep, introspective themes and clever writing

• Exploration‑focused design feels refreshing

• Smooth performance and fast load times on Switch 2

• Memorable, symbolic boss encounters

Cons

• Combat can feel simplistic or uneven

• Map design can be confusing

• Pacing occasionally drifts into vagueness

• Some side quests feel like filler

  
  

The Perfect Pencil is one of those rare games that feels like it’s trying to communicate with you on a level deeper than mechanics or plot beats. It’s messy in places, meandering in others, but always sincere in its attempt to explore fear, identity, and the strange ways we try to make sense of ourselves. Playing it on the Nintendo Switch 2 genuinely elevates the experience.

It won’t be for everyone. If you want tight combat, clear direction, or a traditional Metroidvania power curve, this might feel too loose or too abstract. But if you’re drawn to games that are weird, introspective, and emotionally textured, this one could be for you. It’s imperfect, but in a way that feels intentional, like a sketch that’s more powerful because of the lines that don’t quite stay inside the page.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)

The Perfect Pencil is out Now!