Game: Swan Song
Genre: Casual, Indie
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer | Publisher: Business Goose Studios
Controller Support: Unknown
Price: US $6.39 | UK £5.72 | EU € 6,39
Release Date: June 4th 2026
Review code used, with many thanks to Pirate PR.
Swan Song is a narrative puzzle game in which the story gradually unfolds as players design short musical pieces to guide a swan through the various levels of a music box.
Puzzles of Show, Not Tell
Swan Song doesn’t provide players with any text-based instructions for solving its puzzles. Instead, this game teaches you through example. The puzzle board is fairly simple and remains consistent throughout the game. There are eight bars alternating between music and swan that stretch across the four colored rows.
The first puzzle is as simple as having players turn the key to watch as the swan moves forward one tile during each swan bar until it reaches the goal. In the next puzzle, a note is already placed on the blue row, which activates the corresponding blue platform when the note is played. Players are then allowed to piece it all together in the puzzle by placing their own note on the correct row to complete the swan’s path to the goal.
Music Box Mechanics
The puzzles in Swan Song start off quite simple but increase in complexity as you work your way through the nine chapters. Each chapter introduces new mechanics in their simplest form before gradually adding and incorporating other elements in more difficult puzzles. For example, earlier puzzles only ask players to utilize simple platforms that move along a designated track, but later puzzles feature rotational tiles, enemy hunters, and clock hand obstacles. The placeable music notes also incorporate newer shapes as you progress through the game.
While I didn’t encounter any unsurmountable difficulty spikes, an integrated hint system could help Swan Song be more accessible to players who are looking for a more casual experience. Fortunately, there are no penalties for making mistakes, so players can always brute force the puzzles through trial and error. I also appreciate the visual accessibility option to change the music box colors in case players have difficulty differentiating between the default setting.
A Story of Tragedy and Healing
The story of Swan Song begins with you discovering a message from a regretful father to his daughter hidden inside the music box. The narrative is delivered through letters and records, which are voice-acted, as well as various objects, such as medicine bottles and travel mementos. These voice recordings and daily items reveal the heartbreaking story of a once-happy family who are forced to face the reality of a terminal illness. I liked the fact that the background artwork changes throughout the chapters to reflect the state of the family through the different stages of tragedy and healing.
Conclusion
Overall, the puzzles in Swan Song are well-designed with interesting mechanics, but a built-in hint system would make this game more accessible to casual players. While a bit too dark for my personal tastes, I also enjoyed the unconventional way in which the story is presented.
Final Verdict: I Like it. 
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