Game: Gris

Sep. 4th, 2024 09:14 am
sonia: Quilted wall-hanging (Default)
[personal profile] sonia
A while ago, I saw a recommendation for the game Gris. The game is described as
GRIS is a serene and evocative experience, free of danger, frustration or death.


Great, like Monument Valley, I thought. I bought and installed it on my phone, and eventually got blocked by my lack of speed and skill. The rest of the description says
Players will explore a meticulously designed world brought to life with delicate art, detailed animation, and an elegant original score. Through the game light puzzles, platforming sequences, and optional skill-based challenges will reveal themselves as more of Gris’s world becomes accessible.


"Platforming sequences." Now I know what that means! I almost abandoned the game, but then I remembered the existence of playthroughs, and found a helpful one. It has text with general hints, and videos of actually playing the game if the hints aren't enough. I also ran across plenty of complaints about the movement mechanics, so I'm not the only one who struggled with them.

The game is about grief. I have some disagreements with the storyline as metaphor, and I didn't like some of the animated sequences, but overall it is a gorgeous game, and there is a lot of game play. (Some of it unnecessarily repetitive to my taste...) Another challenge I had is that the save points are widely spaced so that I had to repeat some paths over and over when I was stuck further into the game. That might be because I refuse to register in the Game Center, though.

It took me about a month, but I did eventually make it all the way to to the end. I may play again sometime on my iPad where the mechanics might be easier and I can better appreciate the art. Definitely recommended if you're more of a gamer than I am (which isn't hard) and tentatively recommended if you like puzzle games and are willing to deal with some speed-based challenges.

Date: 2024-09-05 03:05 am (UTC)
thistleingrey: (Default)
From: [personal profile] thistleingrey
Wow, I have a hard time imagining playing this game on a touchscreen. When I played it, I had a keyboard for the controls! Seems it's also controller-compatible via Steam.

I hear that a third Monument Valley title will be out in a few months. (Not a fan myself, but I like the art.)

Date: 2024-09-07 06:09 pm (UTC)
thistleingrey: (Default)
From: [personal profile] thistleingrey
Yes, I think Netflix is the publisher. OTOH, it means the studio had funding to make a third game--I'm not sure how much interest there is in outright app purchases currently, or how much marketing spend it'd take to boost awareness of MV3 without Netflix.

Date: 2024-09-08 07:37 pm (UTC)
thistleingrey: (Default)
From: [personal profile] thistleingrey
Hmm, there weren't any ads or product placement in the version of Terra Nil that I tried, nor the simpler match-x and hidden-object games that I dipped into merely because they were there. The studio that made Cozy Grove has produced a sequel that they've openly said they couldn't have funded if Netflix hadn't absorbed them a couple of years ago. Does your worry have a specific basis?
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