A powerful, beautiful, meditative, and healing experience. To all those involved in bringing this art to life: thank you. If you are contemplating whether you will enjoy this game or not, I would say that if you're looking strictly for a game to challenge your dexterity and mental prowess, you should look elsewhere. If, however, you are looking to be drawn into an emotional journey through a fascinating world, you will appreciate Gris. Lovely, lovely game.
This game is awesome. AWESOME. I blitzed through it in a single night because I couldn't put it down. But it ends on a cliffhanger that doesn't resolve any of the plotlines that it set up, which was kind of a bummer. I would still recommend it for the pure distillation of kinetic and satisfying gameplay that it provides.
I'm really not. I don't think vampires are cool, or sexy, or interesting. I'm really not into the whole mythos of them, the gothic aesthetic, or their cultural history. I've dated a girl who thought she was a vampire; was not impressed. When I was told that this game was really good and that I should check it out, my reaction was "....really? But it's about vampires." And I love it. I love this game, vampires and all. It's pretty janky, and a little buggy, and it doesn't look great, and indeed, it IS about vampires, but in spite of all that I can only ever positively glow about it any time I see or hear it mentioned. It's a game that really has it all. It's one of the funniest games I've ever played, even though I would describe it more as a horror/mystery game. The experience of playing through it is drastically different depending on your chosen clan and the way you build your character (while the character options themselves have a great depth to them). The way the game unfolds is largely reflective of your actions, even seemingly minor ones. And while it doesn't boast a particularly large world, it is very richly detailed and dripping with atmosphere. It even actually, kind of, sort of, makes vampires sexy and cool. Plus the soundtrack is all-time all time good. I don't know any other game in which I can stop playing for a few minutes and just vibe out. Being a pretend vampire in a pretend world, and feeling good about it. If any of this sounds remotely enticing, I recommend giving it a try.
I still remember the very first time I played this game. From the second I almost had my first heart attack on the first level, I was hooked. One of the earliest games to truly mesh multiple game genres into one seamless experience, and still (in my mind) the most successful. The rpg elements add amazing replayability, adding distinct character to each playthrough depending on your choices, and the shooting first-person perspective works perfectly for totally immersing you in the game's world. Combine that with an intriguing story, great sound and music, and one of the most memorable antagonists ever, and you get an unforgettable experience. A true classic. A game which all other games should measure themselves up to. And even after 13 years, and playing MANY other great games, System Shock 2 remains my favorite.
