Video Game Review: GRIS

I’ve been wanting to write video game reviews in addition to book reviews on here, so I’m gonna kick it off with a review of one of my favorite games: GRIS! I actually just talked about this game a bit in my previous post about book and video game pairings (which you can read here). For those of you who are not gamers (yet??) please stick around, this game is GORGEOUS and I’ll be showing off some stills from it. I really think GRIS can appeal to many readers!

Developed by Nomada Studios, GRIS has many of my favorite elements combined in one game:

• 2D platforming mechanics
• simple gameplay controls
• stunning artwork
• a haunting but beautiful soundtrack
• a story that leaves room for player interpretation

For the rest of the review, I’ll go into a bit more detail about each of these things. And since I haven’t done a video game review before and I know many of you are not gamers, I’ll try to keep the jargon as minimal as possible while I talk about GRIS. And I’ll explain the jargon that I have used or will use!

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Gameplay Mechanics

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Firstly, I mentioned that GRIS is a 2D platformer. This means that the character movement is restricted to two directions, in this case left and right, and up and down. Your perspective is of the character on screen living in a flat world. Platformers are games generally categorized by having different terrain levels, i.e. platforms, that the player must navigate by jumping, climbing, or other movements. These are some of my favorite types of games!

I really appreciate the simple controls through the game as well. In the beginning, the only mechanics you use are moving and jumping. There is no combat, so no need to stress about technical abilities which is something that I, a casual gamer, very much appreciate. You also cannot die, which for a narrative experience like this is an important feature in my opinion. Since you don’t need to worry about that, you can freely enjoy the world and story.

One thing that may frustrate some is that there is no real tutorial or instruction on how to play the game. I personally didn’t mind this, especially since as I mentioned the controls are pretty simple. I found it to be a fun way to figure out the game on your own terms. I’m sure that won’t be the case for everyone so I just wanted to make a note of it.

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Art Style and Music

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To be honest, the art was the thing that basically convinced me to get this game. I saw stills of it and I was sold. Just look at these beautiful images!! Swoon-worthy.

One of the key details of the art is that the game starts in mostly black and white (minus the character’s hair). As you progress through, colors as slowly added as you complete a level/section. Here are some stills to show you how red, then green, then blue, and then yellow are added into the game.

And the music fits perfectly!! It’s beautiful and little haunting, and really evokes the sadness of the initially bleak landscape. Major props to Berlinist, who did the entire sountrack. The interplay with the cutscenes is really just remarkable. I listen to the soundtrack often when I’m working and writing.

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Storyline

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As self-described by Nomada Studios, GRIS is “a serene and evocative narrative experience.” GRIS is the name of the character that you play. She is a young girl who has experienced something painful, and is navigating her sorrow and grief. Your journey through the game represents her path through life figuring out this grief. I really loved this overarching theme, and the art and music really emphasized the feelings that the character is likely going through. Since there is no dialogue, the story is told through your interaction with the world and handful of cutscenes. I like this broad way of narrative storytelling, because it allows the player to draw connections to their personal experiences. Other reviews have criticized this lack of a more concrete story, but I think that it works well for this type of game.

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I hope you enjoyed my first video game review!! Gamers, sound off in the comments and let me know if you’ve played this game, or want to pick it up! Non-gamers, have you ever considered getting into gaming? If you know it’s not your thing, don’t worry that’s cool too hahaha.