What do a zebra, a tuxedo, and a Charlie Chaplin film all have in common? That’s right: they’re all black and white! Two non-colours originally used due to the technical limitations of the time, but that now exude a sense of elegance and mystery. When it comes to video games, here we have a few great games that won’t just be popular with gamers affected by achromatopsia (a pathology whose sufferers see everything in black and white).
Renoir
No connection to the Impressionist master Auguste Renoir, here you must be playing as one of his long-lost cousins, a detective by the name of James Renoir. Or rather, you play as his ghost and his many alter egos. To discover how he lost his life, you’ll need to solve some tricky puzzles that will demand synchronised action on your part. And all within an unmistakable 1940s film noir atmosphere.

Renoir
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Developer:
Black Wing Foundation
Publisher:
Fulqrum Publishing
Copyright:
© 2016 Fulqrum Publishing Ltd. Developed by Black Wing Foundation. All rights reserved.
NaissanceE
More than just a game, it’s a unique experience! You’ll explore a black and white game world that’s filled with traps. Platforms appear and disappear, blocky lava flows offer a way across a gaping chasm, walls become invisible in the shade and solid in light… The whole atmosphere is draining. It’s an internationally acclaimed game to play without delay.

NaissanceE
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Developer:
Limasse Five
Publisher:
Limasse Five
Chicken Police - Paint it RED!
A unique game for fans of crime novels and film noir. You’ll be diving into a dark bestiary where the protagonists are animal heads that walk around on human bodies. In black and white and with a jazz soundtrack, this game is a cross between interactive fiction and a Point and Click game, and the case you’ll be solving is incredibly well plotted and full of fun.

Chicken Police - Paint it RED!
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Developer:
The Wild Gentlemen
Publisher:
Handy Games
Copyright:
© www.handy-games.com GmbH
Beholder - Blissful Sleep
Here’s Beholder with its expansion. It’s set in the same dystopian world, and you’re free to be exactly who you want to be, even if that’s a real piece of scum! You might choose to spy and denounce, or go the other way and become the top member of the secret resistance on a mission to make your tenants’ lives easier. Just make sure you’re never apprehended by the secret police. A real indie gem!

Beholder - Blissful Sleep
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Developer:
Warm Lamp Games
Publisher:
Alawar Entertainment
Copyright:
Beholder ™, Alawar Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved
Run or die
An endless runner set in a desecrated world, all in black and white. Armed with your double jump, you have a choice: run or die. Your red scarf is the only touch of colour in this smartphone game.

Run or die
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Developer:
Playtouch
Publisher:
Playtouch
Copyright:
Copyright [c] 2013-2015 Team Flow
White Night
Are you a fan of Fritz Lang, Murnau or Tim Burton? Then you’ll love this black and white horror game that will have you jumping out of your skin. Following a car accident in a mysterious forest, you find shelter in a sinister mansion steeped in total darkness. The atmosphere is palpably oppressive. Not one to play on a full moon, unless you’ve got nerves of steel.

White Night
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Developer:
OSome Studio
Publisher:
Plug In Digital
Copyright:
©2015 OSome Studio.
Beholder 2
The sequel to Beholder, set after the events of the first game, with a new main character. There’s no concierge here, instead there’s a young office worker setting out on a career in the halls of power, starting on the very lowest rung. He wants to climb the ranks to find out the truth about the death of his father, and it’s up to you to choose how: by collaborating or resisting…

Beholder 2
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Developer:
Warm Lamp Games
Publisher:
Alawar Entertainment
Copyright:
Beholder ™, Alawar Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved
Hue
A real gem of a puzzle-platformer! It’s based entirely on a palette of eight colours that you’ll need to manipulate to make progress. Is that a blue wall blocking your path? Change the colour of the background to make it disappear. It works the same for the other colours. It sounds simple, but get ready to put your grey matter to the test. It’s even adapted for the colourblind.

Hue
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Developer:
Fiddlesticks Games
Publisher:
Curve Games
Copyright:
Hue™ & © Fiddlesticks Games Limited. Licensed by Curve Digital Publishing Limited.