Posted on: December 25, 2018
Weighty
Verified ownerGames: 231 Reviews: 2
Stunned Without a Spoken Word
Gris grabs you right from the outset, and demands that you trudge on through its' masterfully crafted world. Not because anyone is telling you (in-game or out), not because there are waypoints or HUD objectives telling you, but simply because it invokes a curiosity in the player. A wonder not captured in many other games is on display here. The vivid art style, the harmonizing mechanics and the loose storytelling all lend themselves to a sense of awe that you'll be hard pressed to find in other games, let alone other media. It utilizes all that makes storytelling in games unique, and reaches breathtaking heights with it. Cutscenes are sparse and obtrusive handholding/jarring elements are thrown to the wayside to really capture the vision Gris set out for itself. Refreshingly, the game also recontextualizes failure states from the standard "death, retry" system, and instead focuses more so on setbacks. If you miss a jump in this game, the only punishment is having to walk back to where you began it to once try again. Even when you think the game might be running on fumes with a newly introduced mechanic in one section, it reinvents itself entirely in another with varied gameplay elements and challenges that are appropriately introduced and structured and are a blast to complete. The description is right in that it is a truly frustration-free experience, and one that I believe anyone who boots up the game can complete. Definitely a sleeper hit just when everyone thought the year was winding down, but a hit that smacks harder than any to have come before it. Serene, captivating and mesmerizing while still managaing to be strong in the only way games as a medium can. Not gonna say anymore as this one is a must in my books, just thank you to Nomada Studios for such an astonishing experience!
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