GRIS Review, An Indie Platformer Game with Stunning Visuals

GRIS is a gym indie puzzle platformer from Nomada Studio which was released in mid-December 2023. The first time I saw the visuals on the Steam Store, this game immediately promised a very charming appearance, closing platformer genre in 2023 with mood same after opened by Celeste last January.

After finishing it, the game is not lying. GRIS provide a very beautiful visual experience along with the experience platformers which is quite simple.

Returning What Was Lost

In GRIS, you will play as a woman with no name. The world around him crumbled and lost color, as well as what he once had. You then control this woman to explore the ruins and restore them to how they were.

like a gym platformers, you have to jump and use other abilities to get past various obstacles. There are four levels that you have to go through, and each time you complete one you’ll unlock a new color into your world.

Overall, gameplay served in GRIS Enough straightworld and simple. Each level introduces a new mechanic, but doesn’t neglect the old mechanic to solve existing obstacles. For those of you who need more challenges, there are several Mementos that you can find and collect at each level.

Sadly, GRIS doesn’t offer much more. If you are quite familiar with platformer genre which is more difficult like Celeste or Hollow Knights, you may feel less challenged. Not only that, you can finish this game in three hours and minimal replay value. It’s quite unfortunate because in my opinion, with the existing mechanics, this game could provide some more difficult challenges at each level.

Inside story GRIS also a little meh. There is, but it’s not that evocative even to the end. Maybe this is because throughout the game you don’t interact with anyone. As a result, you may have wondered what the real cause and purpose of your trip to explore the ruins is.

Great Presentation

What is lacking in terms of gameplay captivating presentation. GRIS is so damn pretty. Watercolor used in this game makes every angle and moment in this game seem worthy of being made wallpapers. I even took it myself screenshots every few seconds or after passing an obstacle.

The camera changes in each part of the game also help you see how beautiful the world you’re playing in looks from afar. Then every time you open a new level and color, the scenery you see is even more beautiful. But even the initial levels with limited colors are pleasing to the eye.

This visual experience is also complemented by music that is no less good. While enjoying the visuals, the music GRIS which is calming also complements your experience of this world of ruins that is even more evocative. I highly recommend playing earphones or headsets to enjoy the game experience to the fullest.

Conclusion

GRIS is a game that offers a very beautiful visual and musical experience. Unfortunately this is not balanced with gameplay challenging and story engaging. Of course, gameplay and the story can be said to be “okay”, but there is potential that seems to have been missed for the sake of presentation, especially considering that this game can be completed in just three hours.

If you want to play the game platformers with a stunning presentation, this game is worth buying. But don’t expect such a crazy challenge Celeste.

GRIS available on Steam (Rp. 102,900) and Nintendo Switch (US$ 20.99).