IMPASTO | Inside Goya's Black Paintings | Impressive Indie Horror Game

PC Gameplay. Full Game Walkthrough. Inheriting Francisco De Goya's home, I also inherit the artist's "Black Paintings", which are far more interactive than I'd have thought...
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►About the Game -
Impasto is a first-person horror adventure game inspired by the works and legacy of Francisco Goya, the revered yet tortured Spanish painter. Set within a world irreversibly altered by his fraying sanity, the player must use both stealth and wits to survive.
This is a student-made project created by undergraduate students at the University of Southern California in collaboration with students from Otis College of Art and Design, and California State University, Fullerton, as well as volunteers from around the world. A full list of credits can be found in-game.
"To my dear Mariano..."
A mysterious letter of inheritance. A dark and foreboding manor. Grim and disturbing figures painted upon the very walls. A swirling canvas beckoning you to step closer, through the black ocean of paint into a world that's lost all reason.
Follow the path of Mariano Goya as he enters the dark and twisted Painted World of his grandfather, the famed and tortured artist Francisco Goya, in order to uncover his secret legacy. Plunge deep into the tragic fall of one of history's greatest artists and come face to face with his darkest creations brought to life.
Meet the distorted denizens who reside within the paint, navigate through the shadowed streets of a town brought to heel by the brutal inquisition, and explore the ancient ruins of a forgotten old god. You must evade the Painted World’s many dangers, solve its puzzles, and uncover its dark secrets, in a journey both to return home and to discover what could give birth to this land of nightmares.
#IndieGames #Impasto
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►Indie Game Playlist - • Indie Horror Games / S...
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[@scaredylamb]

Knowing that this little gem was made by students is truly amazing. They conceived something unique and ingenious, I hope they keep on it. Seeing those characters from the paintings coming to life was also very amusing and brilliant. Voice acting and dialogue was solid too. Somehow this game reminds me of Thief: The Dark Project (back in the late 1990s) which had a slightly similar environment and was pretty impressive at that time.

[@plasticvisual]

Thief fan represeeeeent! =)

[@scaredylamb]

@@plasticvisual such a great game it was . I remember that when i completed the game I was so disappointed that i reached the end. It's like a trip that i never wanted to end.

[@plasticvisual]

@@scaredylamb Yep, it's the most atmospheric game I've ever played (Thief 1, 2 and even 3) and my favorite games of all time. I'm sure nostalgia plays a big role in this, but the last time I've played them was a few years ago and they still draw me in, even with the spikey, low poly models. Just awesomely innovative and fun games :)

[@scaredylamb]

@@plasticvisual yeah, low poly but very much story driven which was amazing. I'm now looking forward to the remake of System Shock, hopefully they will keep the same mood of the original.

[@MagneticPowder]

I was literally yelling, “How can he read the sheet music?” I’m glad you said it at some point

[@Scriptor13]

A virtual recreation of Goya's haunting Black Paintings created by students? This bodes well for gaming! Both the art and sound design were wonderfully atmospheric. Allowing Mariano to interact with his grandfather's creations was a truly clever way to impart a bit of lore and move the story along. I really enjoyed this. And for me, the CJU quote of the day: "Thank you...thank you for not eating me." Yup. Gratitude is always a good thing.😂

[@shadowjudge921]

It does look impressive for student work. But what sold it for me was Goya's art. Up til now, I've only known of Goya by name from H.P. Lovecraft's "The Hound" which is my favorite Lovecraft story.

[@Scriptor13]

@@shadowjudge921 Yup. Goya's considered by many to be the last of the Old Masters. The Black Paintings were painted at the end of his life after witnessing the atrocities of war, becoming disillusioned by humanity, and enduring mysterious illnesses which lead to deafness. Many conjecture they were his outlet for the bitterness, misery, grief, and isolation he felt.

[@shadowjudge921]

@@Scriptor13 I can relate to being disillusioned with humanity. It bewilders me how such a race of creatures can advance so much, yet still be so savage to themselves and the world around them. When I first watched the original Planet of the Apes, one of the lines that really stuck in my head was toward the end. *"Beware the beast Man, for he is the devil's pawn. Alone among god's primates, he kills for sport, or lust, or greed. Yea he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home, and yours. Shun him! Drive him back into his jungle lair. For he is the harbinger of death."* *-29th scroll, 6th verse* Everything I've seen of humans proves this true time and time again. And what little I've seen of the good of humanity seems so miniscule that it's hard for me to judge the whole human race anything other than "Unworthy of existence"

[@Assdafflabaff]

@@shadowjudge921 That quote is ridiculous. Man is certainly not alone when it comes to killing for sport, Cats and Chimpanzees do it too, as do countless other animals. As if we are the only life form that kills without the necessity for it. His idea comes from the romantic notion that Man is above Beast, yet we all come from a natural battle of dominance and selection. We still fall into the category of Darwinian Selection, like it or not, which renders our morality fragile and if we are not willing to enforce it, the lower races will triumph.

[@Cerise4697]

Oh, this is going to be a treat. I love art history and Goya's Black Paintings so much, it's always been a source of annoyance that the actual Black Paintings in the Prado weren't arranged in the same positions as in the Quinta del Sordo. It rules that someone actually made a virtual recreation, and interactive too!

[@Leon-mk1wn]

Glad you insert each character's painting 🙏 Wish theres more

[@isabellanoble1280]

You were close enough it's just called Fight With Cudgels if my memory is correct. Also this game is fantastic, especially for students with a very small time frame and presumably a heavy work load. Quite a few triple A game companies couldn't do better and haven't for the past several years.

[@TheKevphil]

This was almost a VR experience! The painting and texturing were amazing, elevating the typical, rather stamped-on look of most textures with a digital impasto recreation of actual art. There are so many painting programs out there; it was great to see them used here to a much fuller purpose. I think some of the walking animations could be smoother, and some of the scene transitions seemed a bit abrupt and disjointed, but overall this was a wonderful treat! I hope the game is not TOO specific and wasted on an unreceptive audience. I _loved_ it. Thanks, Chris!

[@DarkwaveMistress]

Oh, I love games that explore art like this. Getting inside the paintings and talking to the characters in them! Incredible.

[@StellaAbbasi]

I'm glad to see you enjoyed this game and thank you so much for the shout out as well. 🧡

[@shadowjudge921]

It was a well deserved shout out.

[@iwazhere21]

Found another gem of a game!

[@isisross4516]

What I like doing in preparation for my day(s) off each week, is essentially starve myself of all your content along with 1 or 2 other channels, and then binge watch as many as possible; Especially if I've had a bad week. I don't *always* get a lot accomplished, but it makes for a very fun and relaxing day or days off, and I thank you for that

[@emmajvb]

I do the exact same!

[@TheClairesable]

I was NOT expecting this game to have voice acting. It was so delightful! I love having a physical bag to store your items. The visuals are really great. You can tell this game was made with a purpose. It's incredibly impressive for a student project. Really outshines a lot of indie horror out there now

[@shadowjudge921]

I can safely say i wasn't expecting such a good game. It had a few (very minor) problems, but otherwise it was amazing. I especially love the use of Goya's art style in the character and setting designs.

[@NivenHedinger]

Yes! That sequence with the blind man was perfect. This clearly showcases the quality of the developers, who actually study design and arts, instead of random indie devs (cough...me...cough) doing amateur work.

[@elizabethmorgenstern6938]

This game is a metaphor for de Goya’s depression, isn’t it? The Inquisitors represent his bitterness at the king’s cruel turn, Zaragosa is his mind, the bright paintings trapped in the vault AND his son are both banned by the Inquisition because they represent happiness to him.

[@noellec27]

This game is incredible! And the visuals? Stunning! Also: Chris running and jumping off of the gallows laughing maniacally - 2 seconds later: An invisible barrier?!

[@fenrirulven]

The art major in me is screaming with joy right now!

[@urshy7453]

I love everything about art and its history. The student who created this amazing game, well done 👏 This game was so impressive and I can't wait for the final version. Would certainly love it to be longer. Certainly a very talented game developer, thank you for this incredible game and thank you Chris for introducing us to it.

[@amethyst53]

The characters of Goya's paintings being brought to life was very creatively done by these students. I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Perhaps they could create other games about other painters, musicians, etc. The possibilities are endless. You bring joy to me when I am in a depressive mood. I think that you may not realise how many people you help through your gameplay so I just wanted you to know that I am here to support you in whatever decision you make for your future no matter what it may be. Take a break whenever you need to.😊

[@miriampraus2740]

Chris, you always treat us with such gems

[@theIaurenshow]

Yes! I don’t know how Chris always finds the most interesting games to play. Not that they’re all excellent but even when they’re not, they’re entertaining bc of his commentary.

[@katnisstangerine]

Came back to watch this video a second time; I haven't been able to get this game out of my head since I saw your playthrough the first time! Truly, this is such a beautiful and innovative game. I love it.

[@fredd3233]

That was pretty amazing. And this was a student's' project? Impressive indeed! I hope the devs make more games in the future!

[@PaintedTurtle001]

A game based on a painting! How creative and might be one of a kind. I really enjoyed this. I hope there's more to come!

[@ckmodele]

The most visually appealing game I've seen in a very long time. The option transition while in the painting was terrifying. I kept waiting for something to pop put or eyes to be watching....

[@iwazhere21]

Chasing the sheet music was like chasing your dog when it has something unknown and potentially forbidden in its snack hole.

[@indicajazz4738]

This game is freakin amazing! I love art and learning about the artists and their lives. Great gameplay too bringing the paintings to life. Super cool!

[@Martyhero]

It speaks volumes about how breathtaking this game is that you went the whole game without a single Monty Python reference, even when members of the actual Spanish Inquisition appear unexpectedly. Memery aside, thank you for sharing this work of art with us

[@CJUGames]

It was always nagging at the back of my mind but I thought better of it, haha.

[@terra7283]

This is so beautifull made. Great respect to the devs and that for a student project. Imagine what they could do with a good budget. Keep up the amazing work. Thanks Chris for showing this. It is indeed well done, voice acting, the way it looks, good story. Me and husband love it 🥰🤗

[@BASSOSOVIETICO1987]

Incredible concept! All this hard work to make the paintings alive, beautiful music and the story make whole of the game amazing! I really wish the authors all the best and may them produce more of that awesome stuff.

[@annak8109]

Seriously impressive game.. Chris we are so grateful for moments like this!

[@kaymoon999]

the students did a great job and it's absolutely amazing. The voice acting, and the artwork is both beautiful and gothic!

[@lokicooper4690]

This was incredible for a student made game. Looks really good, with nice touches (sounds coming from the paintings), and attention to detail. Needs a little bit of work, but well done! What a cool little game. Thanks, Chris!

[@MostafaAdel1991]

This game is unbelievable... It is amazing... Like everything in it, the story, the voice acting, the music and soundtrack, the gameplay also is amazing... Bravooo...

[@Quinlana83]

That was really fun! Thank you for playing, CJU!

[@angelareynolds4373]

I love this!! This is so unique...a true work of art itself! Beautifully well done! Great video!😁👍

[@emchant2224]

CJ you gave these developers the best compliment they could ever want/need from a youtube when you said "A passion project, a lot of work and love went into this!" It really does show, the compliment is well earned~ Keep on being you CJU!!

[@managodess]

For early access AND a student made game, this is so creative and well done. Like you said, it's clearly a passion project. One of the reasons I enjoy your videos is you finding gems like these and sharing them with us =)

[@sueshe2256]

This game is so cool. I’m going to watch when I can be more engaged, this looks like a visual delight. I always enjoy watching your videos when I’m at work.

[@annmaulana]

*_I really like the inventory which is a bag with drawstring, nice and different touch_*

[@Charharr]

Seeing the painting in the thumbnail makes me really want to see you play The Council (the first episode is free on Steam, I believe). It's a RPG mystery with strong occult themes - which increase as the game progresses. I'd love to see your reaction to it.

[@kenasoup202]

Saw this painting at Prado Museum in Madrid... stuff of nightmares during Goya's dark period. Awesome to see.

[@nofilter5557]

Truly amazing! The students are very talented and have made a really wondrous game. Thank you for playing!

[@MissHinatasama]

This was unique, loved it !! Can’t wait for more videos to watch thank you as always 🙏🏼

[@Daelyah]

Liking what I've seen, thus far....so thanks, Ryan! 🖤

[@LOWBORN-the-LOATHSOME]

The sleep of reason produces monsters. Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason produces game crashes.

[@meras5465]

Wow. What a brilliant game. Major props to the developers!

[@Jm4steam]

Like the going in picture concept. Good game.

[@lavenderreverie6377]

The music in this game makes me want to weep, it's so good!!

[@ShuuichiMinamino25]

This game almost felt like a love letter to the artist!

[@BioDissonance]

Thank you for sharing this game with us, and thank you to Stella for recommending it/bringing it to your attention. This reminds me a lot of Mundaun.

[@JoyfulOrb]

I can't wait to see the next student project by these people, this was excellent and if there's more progress or more games, I hope you cover it!

[@Nyctonaut]

This is such a cool idea! Good find Chris!

[@MaryJay1988]

Ah, the game is awesome!! Thanks a lot for the gameplay👏👏👏

[@JaydenYumeships]

Horror game + Goya's black paintings? *Chef's kiss* 💋❤️

[@felixxxwifey88]

Love your channel ❤ you and hollow and daz and manly are the ones I love to watch that talk during walk-through some can be annoying but yall make it fun and make it feel like yall are really there and that it's not just a game 😊

[@melliethemortician]

This was really cool, I love this artwork(and have a few prints in my room) so it was amazing to see this!

[@smolCharlotte]

What an incredible game. It’s beautiful and I cannot believe this is only version one.

[@pheenixalexander]

This excited me for the future of gaming! Just fantastic! Ii really loved this play through❤️

[@user-bx7mj1cz9y]

🤩 this one is a poem and yet thrilling. Thank you

[@paulrouleau1972]

Great to see art brought to life in such creative ways. A joy to behold.

[@steelcurtain187]

This was a cool one. Thanks for sharing

[@TheCheshireCat2190]

I've watched this twice now, imagine being able to just walk in to any pictures :O

[@1775LostOne]

I love this! It definitely was made with love and I wish it could've gone on longer!

[@ash1rose]

I’m extremely impressed with this, too, especially with the music. I was thinking the SAME thing about the guitarist 😅

[@deployedkitty]

what an amazing and beautiful game i've longed to be inside a painting in a game again ever since a brush with death in oblivion best wishes to the devs for this inspired idea

[@phuggard]

Wow, I'm blown away if this was a student project. Amazing!

[@veram1803]

I liked this game a lot! Thank you for sharing. ❤️👍

[@ddist0rtt]

i studied these paintings and artist a bit in college so looking forward to this

[@DrayvenWynd]

This is such a beautiful game... I hope there's more to come

[@justjakki]

What a gorgeous game! Loved watching you play it 💜

[@theIaurenshow]

I’m amazed, holy shite. We need to support game dev students!

[@rocker_kitty3807]

Damn impressive. Always lovely to be exposed to some real culture in gaming. I wonder what Goya would think if he knew. I hope passion projects like this one continue to be abundant, we sure need them. Thank you for sharing it with us.

[@KOU-ZAI]

Loved the aesthetic in this one. It matches the tone of the artworks themselves. The transition between scenes looks odd though, but I can easily forgive that, since this is an early access of the game.

[@LeLu1616]

Absolutely fantastic!

[@kalezuki9231]

Wow! This reminds me a little of a side / sub quest in one of the Elder Scrolls games. Okami also has lovely painted / paint brush like graphics. Shame they wouldn't or couldn't animate the faces / mouths - ( changing facial expressions and all ) - but still awesome!

[@lawaflle]

what a beautiful project they made,congrats to the devs!!

[@nerdiboy5128]

The painting of the two men fighting is called _Duelo a garrotazos_ or, "Fight with Cudgels." I know a bit about Spanish art (not as much as Dutch, Flemish, German, Polish, and other Central European art, though), primarily because two of my favorite artists were Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes (Francisco Goya for short) and El Greco (Spanish for "the Greek," which was fitting because he was born in the Kingdom of Candia, modern day Crete, back when it was property of the Venetian Republic; his actual name was Dominikos Theotokopoulos), because of their exquisite use of color, their evocative linework which conveys vibrant motion, and the passionate subject matter, which evokes powerful feelings of despair and hope, faith and disillusionment, beauty and grotesquerie, often in the same image and at the same time. El Geco's work was often paid for by the Church, and frequently dealt with matters pertaining to Jesus, to moments from the Gospels, and the various lives of Saints. Francisco Goya, on a different tack, preferred to take civil requests, as he deplored the Inquisition, as well as the various nobles and elite members of society which he felt were responsible for the sorry state his beloved homeland was in, with the wars, the repression of the people, and all the other stuff that was talked about in the beginning (he even made a series of paintings called _los Caprichos_ , or "The Caprices," which satirized the men in power; for example, _Hasta su Abuelo_ , or "And So Was His Grandfather," made fun of the Spanish Nobility's obsession with ancestries and genealogical trees, suggesting that jackassery rather than nobility is hereditary, by literally making the nobleman have the head of a braying jackass, a donkey), which understandably made him more than a few enemies among those in power, while endearing himself to those who lost everything because of the actions of those in power.

[@JWildberry]

Wow. Just...wow. I'm so impressed!

[@helenpie4931]

Loving this game and the music is fab.

[@MeiMei-vq1ix]

Hiii! Love your content 🖤

[@scaredylamb]

Me too! I love his humor and the way he plays the games.

[@MeiMei-vq1ix]

@@scaredylamb same 😊 I enjoy his honesty and the way he respectfully criticizes games. He's one of my favorite horror game KZbinrs 😊

[@scaredylamb]

@@MeiMei-vq1ix yeah, i have the same feeling too. I have followed him for long time and his commentary has always been very pleasant to listen to 😎

[@TheBloodiac]

Why does this remind me so much of "Thief-The dark project"? While watching the video, I have constant flashbacks.

[@cynthiaschwab8894]

Student project? Brilliant!!👍

[@theIaurenshow]

The style reminds me a lot of Martha is Dead! Which is one of my recent faves. Also of Layers of Fear 1, a classic for sure. Well done students, keep it up!

[@julzbogart8758]

I'm late. But this was awesome. Wanted more thank you

[@Usagi2380]

I like how the candle is just floating in the air

[@tiffys6747]

Excellent game,very talented students

[@rosaecrux]

Nicely done and creative. Sad to see the stereotypes about the inquisition, though, which was not a unified or standardized organization and not for killing people deemed heretic. Wikipedia did a decent job here to summarize it giving sources for more in-depth information on that topic.

[@skylx0812]

I once gathered together old photos of the range my father rode when he and his brothers worked their family ranch. My siblings and I knew it in later years when it was in decline. There's a well known moutain range in view of the pastures. I created a vibrant depiction of a spring roundup below those mountains using the pictures of a long gone corral and stories dad used to tell. I placed a rider on horseback lassoing steer. He was an amalgum of different people I remember from childhood. When I finished the painting mom hung it in the livingroom. Dad and his side of the family loved it, but everyone kept saying; Oh, thats the old corall. Who is that? When was this? They all wanted the story to tie it an actual memory. Ah well, the life of an artist.

[@TheCheshireCat2190]

Wow... what a great game chris :o i love dark historical art but each picture coming to life (sound wise) for me really gave me goosebumps :O:O i absolutely loved this and well done to the students :):):)

[@uros.u.novakovic]

Oh wow a student project? I am only 9 minutes in and already impressed.

[@flipfloppingwithMike]

I still can't believe that this is a student project!! Quite outstanding...and well played, of course.

[@Sebastianmaz615]

This game looks like the type of funding for a triple A studio project. Beautiful ❤️👍🏻. Student project? Did these "students" graduate about 5-10 yrs ago, by any chance? 😊

[@sewcat6486]

This is a beautiful game please play the whole game when it comes out

[@nharoth]

What a cool concept for a horror game!

[@Jgameruploads]

For what it is (a student project) this is impressive as you said and making it like an oil painting is pretty cool. I didn't like how once the inquisition spotted you they would only come after you for like 2 seconds though and the music ending abruptly...also seemed a lot like a walking simulator more than anything, but I'm sure the maker of this game was just doing this to showcase for his project. Game wise not too impressed but for a project this is well done.

[@wtechboy18]

this game was *beautiful* and entirely too damn short. I would have loved a whole series.

[@Anthro777]

15:45 uhhh how's he gonna read the sheet music?

[@fabianweber6937]

If you put 'impressive' in the video title this truly gotta be special... hope it keeps up to your promises.

[@annejones1611]

Such a beautiful and well made game. Really enjoyed this. Was anyone else getting Assassin’s Creed vibes from the ‘runaway’ music sheet?!!

[@Blisterdude123]

This one looks like it'll be a real trip.

[@twankistevenson3884]

Amazing looking and with the game to match

[@theIaurenshow]

Gaming’s future is bright, that’s for sure.