GRIS | PC Review
To say I just “played” GRIS would be an understatement. Instead, I feel like I stepped out of this world and into a painting. Nomada Studio developed a breathtaking, watercolor world paired with a powerful soundtrack that follows the story of Gris. Gris is a girl who lost her voice during emotional turmoil. The world around her is desolate and in ruins. Gris must face the darkness that is threatening to swallow her. As she progresses on her journey, she unlocks the strength that lies within and breathes color back into the world around her.
The Power Within
GRIS is a side-scrolling platformer that is simple, yet enjoyable. As you progress through the game, you collect stars. Once you have collected enough stars in that chapter you unlock one of her dress’ powers, such as floating, swimming, and even transforming into a block to prevent her from being blown away. When you start the game and look at the settings, you won’t see these actions assigned to their buttons on the controller, but they will appear there once they’re unlocked. Instead of including a tutorial chapter, the game provides the player with prompts. I found this to be immensely helpful in learning the general mechanics without overkill.
In one of the beginning chapters, you jump from platform to platform and set gears in just the right position in order to get to the next section of the game. Perhaps my favorite chapter in the game was one where the world was split in half horizontally. The bottom was the world as we know it and the top was it’s mirrored opposite where gravity pulled you up rather down. It tested your ability to take everything you learned up to point and play them in reverse. Timing and momentum were key and I walked away completely satisfied.
Attention to Detail
The artistic use of layering and shadowing presents the player with just enough challenge to get through each level without creating frustration. Something that was rather unique is that I don’t think you can actually die in the game. Even during a couple intense moments where you’re being chased by the darkness, I managed to have enough momentum to survive. The focus isn’t about how complex the puzzles are, but rather interpreting the events that take place in the game in a way that impacts you. You’ll want to pay attention to detail so you can figure out the next steps to take. I don’t want to spoil the experience and ruin the “Aha!” moments for you.
GRIS Final Verdict
Altogether the game is about 4-5 hours long. I played it in two-hour increments, but it would have been just as good played all at once. However, I actually would have liked maybe an extra few chapters; it was just that enjoyable. There are Steam achievements that I didn’t complete during my first playthrough, partly because I accidentally moved on to areas that prevented me from being able to go back. I’m unsure if I will go back and play it again. Part of me really wants to, because it’s been just under a week since I finished the game and I can’t get it off my mind. For experienced gamers, the gameplay may be a bit underwhelming, but if you focus on the underlying story I doubt you’ll walk away dissatisfied. As someone who has experienced the emotions Gris has felt, I absolutely cannot recommend this game enough.
GRIS
$16.99
Pros
- Beautiful Art
- Gorgeous Soundtrack
- Immersive Story
- Emotionally impactful
Cons
- Lack of replayability
- Easy to miss areas of the game
