I know it says no oppurtunity for death but there's no challenge whatsoever the gameplay amounts to walking and the "puzzles" are really easy to figure out and take more time to execute the solution than figure it out it's just really not a game.
I'm pretty convinced that GRIS is one of - if not the - finest examples of "Games as Art" I've ever played in my 35 years of gaming. I genuinely feel like it's a design masterpiece. And not just from the visual art. While damn near any screenshot from the game is worth hanging on your wall as legitimate art, that's true, but the Art Direction as a whole is magnificent. Additionally, the soundtrack, and the way it plays into the game is wonderful. The game design as a whole, and how all the aspects come together - visuals, music, mechanics - its a fantastic experience overall.
I'd say the closest thing to it that I'm familiar with, is Journey, in the sense that there's no dialogue - written or otherwise. It really does seem to feel like an "interactive art experience" rather than strictly a "game." You can't be killed. There aren't any lose-conditions. The puzzles and platforming mechanics aren't overly difficult. But playing through the game, and controlling the main character seems - to me - to be more for generating a bond between the player and the main character throughout the experience, as opposed to the mechanics and platforming presenting a skill-check against the player's progress.
So, in a sense, the "gameplay" feels more like a method of drawing the player into the experience that Nomada Studios has created, as opposed to having the gameplay stand alone as the primary focus. If that makes sense. That's the caveat I think should be considered when evaluating this game. In my opinion, it's far more than "just" a game, and should be viewed as such.
I cannot recommend the game enough. If you do choose to play through it (and you should!) I'd recommend not approaching it as an "everyday game to be beaten and finished" but to approach it as a sort of "interactive art experience" instead, and I believe you'll get far more out of it with that mentality. Allow yourself to be contemplative with this title, and you'll have a far more rewarding time with it.
Obviously it's a beautiful game. And I don't agree with those suggesting that the gameplay is not equally as good. It's not Celeste, but it's not supposed to be.
It's not a game where you beat your head against a wall trying to pull off a particularly challenging platforming section or solving a brain-burning puzzle. Instead, there is a really good sense of progression and exploration as the world opens up at the pace that you gain abilities and use them. You will ask yourself "can I get there?" and through exploration you will and the world will reveal itself some more. So the gameplay is part of the zen-like experience, and I think it's a mistake to think that hard = good.
This game is good and satisfying. The controls are solid. Music is amazing. And playing it (as opposed to watching someone else play it on youtube...) is integral to the experience IMO
I don't write reviews very often, but here I have to.
All you need to know: this game is hugging you.
A nice platformer, to fall into your chair and forget the world.
If you think you are a deepminded person, you should not miss this game!
The technical part will be last part in my review:
This game is not very difficult or fast paced.... it is more about feelings, relaxing, find your inner mirror to what Gris goes through.
She is handling depression and other feelings. You really get a feeling of what Gris' went through her life, not in words, but in colors for example. Art is hard to describe. But while i played this game, i went through some parts of my own life, reflecting due to the music and visual parts of this game. With Hard times.... but also beautiful moments, finding friends, people who help you... moments where you felt lost but found the next stone to jump on in your life.
My conclusion of this game.... Life is difficult, but it goes on. And it is good, if you focus on the right things.
So the more technical part:
As i told already, this game is not hard by itself... but it has some little secrets to explore. I dont think you can die, but its really easy to get yourself lost in the beautiful music and visual scenery. An outstanding combination of visual art with beautiful soundtrack.
First i played by Keyboard, but after some minutes i plugged in my very old controller and it worked seemles. I really recommend to play by controller due to some jumps may be easier and you will fall into the game much easier. No mouse needed at all.
A pure recommendation for this masterpiece.
Abosolutely worth the price, the game itself is a platformer/puzzle, set into an abstract and otherwordly scenario. Beautiful musics and style, and the difficulty is failr.