Recente recensies door Mator

This charming game has an aesthetic personality which helps it stand out against other Vampire Survivor inspired games.

The gameplay itself is quite engaging, there are lots of builds and synergies to discover, and a ton of content to unlock. With characters, weapons, skills, passive skills, and curses all available for unlocking, this game really offers a lot. If you like blasting hordes of enemies in games like this, this game will likely keep you hooked for dozens of hours.

Highly recommend.

This game has a lot of personality, and there is a bunch of addicting gameplay to explore. There's also a variety of viable, and fairly balanced builds. Great fun, would recommend.

Gris has a unique art style which involves the use of simple designs and watercolor effects. This style stands out among other platformers and provides incredibly beautiful, stunning, and beathtaking visuals. Other reviewers have mentioned taking screenshots or wallpapers from the game, which is indeed quite fitting, though it is important to note that Gris is beautiful not just in static shots, but in movement. Animations are fluid and well rendered for characters and the environment. Both the dynamic motion of wind turbines in the first area when the wind picks up and the cute way the apple-eating cube-friendo pops in and out of the ground in the second area are great examples of how this game uses animation to bring its story to life.

Several aspects of the visual and character design of the game are strikingly reminiscent of Miyazaki films, specifically Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle.



Gris's soundtrack was created by Berlinist. The soundtrack is an atmospheric, ambient mix, with a sprinkling of traditional string and wind instruments. The soundtrack blends with the gameplay cleanly, and shifts as the story progresses. At times it is hauntingly beautiful, while at others it's loud and exciting. The sound design is incredible, and central to the story.



Gris's gameplay is primarily made up of solving puzzles and platforming. It's similar to Journey or Ori and the Blind Forest. The gameplay isn't very mechanically difficult, which should make the game enjoyable for less experienced gamers. There are points where speed or timing is important, but they are limited and shouldn't pose any great challenge for experienced players. If you're looking for a game with mechnical challenge on par with Dark Souls or a MOBA, this game is not for you.

The gameplay isn't wholly lacking, but it is not the strongest component of this game. The game is fairly linear, and can be completed by most players in 3-4 hours. 100% completion (which I have not yet achieved) is likely doable in an additional 1-2 hours. I have played through the game twice now (once myself, and once with some friends). I don't think the replayability is terrible, but it's definitely not a game I can see myself spending more than 12-15 hours on. That said, a game doesn't have to provide a large amount of playtime to be worth playing. While Gris won't keep you coming back, it will leave a lasting impression, which I'd argue is far more important and indicative of the game's quality and success.



(this section contains heavy spoilers)

Gris's story is a fairly straightforward metaphor for the stages of grief following loss. The story is not told with words, but rather through images and the way the main character interacts with the world. This game is a masterpiece of visual storytelling - show don't tell. This leaves the details of the story up to the viewer to ponder and reflect on. From what I've seen of the symbology and art, it seems to me the story is about a girl who loses her mother (possibly to a disease, but an accident is also possible). The reason I think it's about her losing her mother is because the object of her loss is a stone statue of an adult woman, and the statue image and design has some similarities to goddess artwork (with goddesses historically being associated with motherhood). The fact that the character is represented as a statue (carved of stone) further suggests that the statue supported the main character in her life, which is in line with how mothers support their children. The way the main character and the statue interact in various cutscenes in the game further strengthens the association of mother and child.

Following the loss of her mother, the main character becomes unable to sing. This could be taken literally or symbolic of the character's inability to open up to others or experience joy. The character goes through the first stage of grief - denial. During this time the world is devoid of colors, and the character has initial struggles with moving forward after falling out of the sky. The world being devoid of colors could be interpreted as the main character being devoid of emotion. She eventually rediscovers the color red, which signifies her moving into the second stage of grief - anger. This symbolism is solidifed through the changes in the sound and environment design, as the character moves into a hot and barren desert, where loud and violent winds blow her around until she discovers the ability to hold fast against the winds which represent her own turbulent emotions.

Deep within herself, the main character discovers a darkness which we will see later in the story. The main character carves a path forward, and eventually discovers a new color - green. This color represents the third stage of grief - bargaining. During this stage the main character moves through shifting environments, which the player has to negotiate their way through with clever timing and positioning. The main character makes a friend, but the friend ultimately cannot continue forward with the main character through the trials they experience representing the stages of grief.

We then encounter a dark creature, taking the form of a giant bird. This creature represents despair, the darkest thoughts and feelings within the main character. The player fights against it, and defeats it to unlock the color blue, representing the fourth stage of grief: depression. This is represented initially through rain - representing tears - and ultimately through deep dark waters, representing the cold and dark feeling of intense sadness. It is in this stage that we encounter a large sea turtle, which I think may represent hope (though I'm not very confident on this particular judgement). We then begin to move into the final stage of grief - acceptance, but not before confronting the darkness of despair again - this time in the form of a monstrous eel threatening to swallow and consume the main character.

Ultimately, the main character accepts their loss, and uses the memories of the one they had lost to defeat despair, and move forward into the world. This is where the game ends - on a white screen as the character ascends out of their grief and into the world.

In summary, the story this game tells is incredible, and is what takes it from being a good game to being a masterpiece. The story is incredibly emotionally moving, and I think many players will find it speaks to them on a deep and personal level. The mechanics, art, environment, characters, and sound all work together to create a beautiful cohesive story about overcoming the grief of loss. I can't think of a game title that is remotely comparable to Gris when it comes to consistent and cohesive storytelling. This is, in my opinion, what makes this game a must-play.