Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter

About

Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter is a 2D platform adventure for the Nintendo DS, released in 2009. Players navigate hand-drawn worlds while using the stylus to create tools, solve puzzles, and battle enemies. The game follows a group of color-stealing antagonists who kidnap a key character, forcing the remaining heroes to cross distinct biomes to restore their village. Combat and exploration rely heavily on the drawing mechanic, which lets players sketch everything from bridges to weapons on the fly. The standout feature is the seamless integration of drawing into every gameplay aspect. Unlike the first game, this sequel introduces new environments and a self-contained story that doesn’t require prior knowledge. While some critics noted the difficulty spike in later levels, fans praise its creative problem-solving. The mix of platforming and drawing keeps the experience fresh, even if the plot leans into familiar fantasy tropes.

Storyline

The game begins with a surreal sequence, wherein an unknown party asks the player “What do you remember about that day?” The player is given several dialogue choices that build a cohesive description of "that day", though at this time, the player is not aware of the event's importance (or even occurrence). Before the game properly begins, the player is asked to draw an image depicting this mysterious scene, introducing them to the game's core "draw" functionality. Following this is an animation sequence wherein one of the characters from the previous game, Heather, recovers from a nightmare. She is shown to possess a red-colored jewel pendant. In the same sequence, Heather is abducted by a darkness which emanated from a scepter she discovered in a beached treasure chest in the middle of the night. The next morning, when the other characters realize she's missing, a search for her is dramatically cut short by Wilfre, who causes the majority of the Raposa villagers to vanish, reveals himself as Heather's captor, and ultimately drains the Village of color. The remaining characters flee to the back of a massive turtle delivered, upon request, by the Creator. Their numbers sorely reduced and their home ruined, the game follows the Raposa's struggle to reunite with their fellows and, with the aid of the Creator's Hero of Creation, defeat Wilfre before he can realize his as-yet unknown goals. The remaining members of the Village travel to Watersong, Lavasteam, the Galactic Jungle, and Wilfre's Wasteland, a combination of all three villages. At Watersong, Mari and Jowee meet Sock, who is an important character later in the story.