| Platform | Nintendo Switch |
| Release Date | 11/19/2020 |
| Cost | $12.99 |
| Publisher | RedDeer Games |
| ESRB Rating | E |
Art Sqool is an art game. You’re this person on a weird campus made up of islands. You are free to roam around and explore. In fact its encouraged so you get all the secret brushes and colors(unless you have to deluxe version, where they come standard).
The main thrust of Art Sqool is your “professor” gives you assignments, like “Draw your first memory” or “Draw a bicycle without a reference.” You draw them, then bring them back to professor. The professor grades you on your assignment, and then you move on to the next assignment.
The grading is inconsistent and rather arbitrary, if not random. Assignments that I think I will get an A I get a C. Assignments that I think will get a C will get an A. Sure there are four metrics, but I’ll get a high mark for color using exactly one. It makes no sense. In fact, draw whatever you want, the prompts don’t even really matter.
Then there is the drawing itself in Art Sqool, its ok and functional. Probably better if you use a stylus(I lost mine)! The weird thing here is, you can only use 6 colors, no more. Why? Don’t know. How am I supposed to draw an apple if I can’t use red? The game also lacks the ability to resize the brushes, which can get annoying.
In the end, I’m just baffled. I understand what the developers were going for with Art Sqool, a program to inspire your creativity. But why only have six colors? Why have an arbitrary grading system? Why not be a Switch version of MS paint? Oh wait, Paint exists and beat Art Sqool to the punch by several months, is cheaper, and seems to have more drawing features. The prompts are cool I guess, but is it really worth its own program? Not entirely sure.
Overall: Art Sqool is a baffling art game that struggles to justify its price tag.
Verdict: YMMV
