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Gris: a beautiful 2D "poetic platformer" about personal loss (Update: 1m copies sold!)

Commissar SFLUFAN

By Commissar SFLUFAN
in The Spawn Point

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Ghost_MH

Ghost_MH

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

For me, thinking on this longer, it sort of comes down to the projected capability of the people making the game. I accept To The Moon as a weird little RPG Maker game because it was clear that was what Ken Gao could do his absolute best with. I don't think his mastery over spelling, grammar, etc. would've lent itself well to a book, but he also can't really animate, to the best of my knowledge. So a simple story told using RPG Maker was his springboard to make something awesome. (Although he might've been able to get away with making a video of the events in the game and just releasing that as-is, he'd clearly be bombarded with people wanting the game itself, or to turn it into a game.)


But then I see something like Gris, with what appears to be a team of extremely talented individuals, and it's almost like they're "settling" on making a kind of OK light puzzle-platformer thing. Obviously I have no insight into their team, so that's a total guess, but it's the feeling I get when I look at it. Is this the way they could do their absolute best with what they were aiming for? Maybe, but it's hard for me to see it that way.

Gris is obviously doing extremely well, and that's great! My thoughts on a title I haven't played aren't very important in the grand scheme of things, which is why I said it's best to consider this a general statement of games like this. In my head, these kinds of titles are just a few steps away from being absolute masterpieces, if only the studios would get as creative and vibrant with the gameplay as they do with the art itself. Again, good/interesting gameplay doesn't have to take away from the art, it can add so much to it!


As an example, the swim button prompt at the end of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons made every second of the semi-awkward gameplay worth it, and was a brilliant moment of hitting a single button. If you were invested in that tale, hitting that button (and even realizing that you needed to/could hit it) flooded you with a surge of emotions. That was gameplay as art done magnificently.

 

A lot of the criticism levied against Gris is of difficulty. Nobody is arguing that Gris isn't a great playing game. Gameplay mechanics are solid here. The bigger issue is that many seem to feel that a game should be difficult and making a game that's too easy takes away from the medium. With that in mind, it comes down this. Who is the game too easy for? Accessibility is certainly a thing and the makers of Gris are certainly a talented bunch. They certainly could have made a harder game, but they chose to make one that was more accessible. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

Thenegative reviews seem to feel that the game could have been amazing if the platforming was more challenging and the puzzles were harder. That night be true for the average person that frequents these forums, but I'm not convinced that true for everyone. The negative reviews may very well be good for their audience. If you're looking for a sorry told through challenge like Celeste, you'd isn't the game for you. If you're looking for a calming, melancholic experience with some light puzzle platforming, yeah, this might be a good choice for you.

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Xbob42

Xbob42

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I dunno, I can't speak to difficulty levels for everyone, but Gris 100% looks like a game aimed at the more in-the-know gamer. Indie darling project, y'know? Not exactly gonna light the mainstream on fire.

 

That said, I find if your difficulty is too easy, then you've wasted your time creating a fake challenge. Why bother making obstacles at all at that point? It's my biggest criticism against the Wind Waker. What's the point of all this epic music and dramatic lighting when the game trips over itself to make sure you never take damage? What is a battle with zero danger?

 

The simple act of moving and interacting with the world in a video game can be very fun, challenge or no (like Job Simulator and other early VR stuff, there's no real challenge, but it's still fun!), but I'm not sure that seems to be the case here. Adding to the VR example, I'd point to something simple like Doodle Jump. There's difficulty there, but the novelty of controlling that little weird dude was fun on its own for a time.


Not that I necessarily think something needs to be "fun," but I assume if you're going to be adding light puzzle-platforming, you're aiming for something in that ballpark.

 

Again, I think "it's just not for you" doesn't really say anything.  It might be true to an extent for some people, but when the only thing holding me back is the fact that I think the game looks like a slow, generic platformer with a really beautiful skin, was that because it wasn't made for me, or because they couldn't or wouldn't make their gameplay as beautiful as their artwork? Why not strive for both? Would it be less for the people who currently love the game if the gameplay was as inspiring as the vistas? I know, easier said than done, but it really seems like a lot of these devs don't even try, or are scared to. 

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Ghost_MH

Ghost_MH

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38 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

I dunno, I can't speak to difficulty levels for everyone, but Gris 100% looks like a game aimed at the more in-the-know gamer. Indie darling project, y'know? Not exactly gonna light the mainstream on fire.

 

That said, I find if your difficulty is too easy, then you've wasted your time creating a fake challenge. Why bother making obstacles at all at that point? It's my biggest criticism against the Wind Waker. What's the point of all this epic music and dramatic lighting when the game trips over itself to make sure you never take damage? What is a battle with zero danger?

 

The simple act of moving and interacting with the world in a video game can be very fun, challenge or no (like Job Simulator and other early VR stuff, there's no real challenge, but it's still fun!), but I'm not sure that seems to be the case here. Adding to the VR example, I'd point to something simple like Doodle Jump. There's difficulty there, but the novelty of controlling that little weird dude was fun on its own for a time.


Not that I necessarily think something needs to be "fun," but I assume if you're going to be adding light puzzle-platforming, you're aiming for something in that ballpark.

 

Again, I think "it's just not for you" doesn't really say anything.  It might be true to an extent for some people, but when the only thing holding me back is the fact that I think the game looks like a slow, generic platformer with a really beautiful skin, was that because it wasn't made for me, or because they couldn't or wouldn't make their gameplay as beautiful as their artwork? Why not strive for both? Would it be less for the people who currently love the game if the gameplay was as inspiring as the vistas? I know, easier said than done, but it really seems like a lot of these devs don't even try, or are scared to. 

 

I think this game is aimed at a crowd that might not believe games can be art. I don't think that crowd, necessarily, includes "gamers", though it can. This is the kind of game that you can put in front of someone that doesn't traditionally play many games or even platformers and they'll find it a mildly challenging and, maybe, emotional experience. Like i said, gameplay is varied, just easy. You pick up multiple powers, have to deal with gravity changes, and the like. What makes the game easy is that there is no fail state. Boss battles in this game don't feature bosses hat are trying to kill you. Instead, they're trying to impede your progress. A seasoned gamer will very quickly figure out that the block power makes you heavy which will stop a boss from blowing you off an edge and repeat a bunch of earlier jumps, but that's might not be immediately obvious to everyone that may pick up a controller.

 

Difficulty wise, this is about par with Kirby's Epic Yarn. Only switch the fun playfulness with somber grief. Maybe not a feeling everyone wants to deal with when playing a game, but there's certainly room in the medium for it.

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Nokt

Nokt

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Just finished this is one sit through. As its been surmised there is little depth to the game, but its not exactly just a walking simulator either. You gain small upgrades throughout the game like double jump, swimming, singing (lets plants grow), etc. Not that the linearity ever stops, but its good to have progression. The puzzles are easy and usually incorporate the upgrades as you progress. It helps the game from feeling stagnant. That  being said if you need action, challenge, super complex puzzles, this isn't for you.

 

What the game lacks in depth it makes up for it in charm. The visuals are absolutely splendid, as is the soundtrack. The opening moments to the ending of the game I enjoyed every moment.

There is some "intense" moments where you are being chased, but I don't think you can actually die. Which is fine, if you get sucked in like I did you don't really care, its an intense moment one way or the other.

 

My biggest gripe about it though is that there is a "secret" ending which is obtained by collecting all of the memories(?). The secret ending provides a lot of insight about the game and honestly I wish would have either been put at the beginning or at the end as kind of a twist (regardless of collection). If you decide to run through this find the memories as I think it will make the experience more enjoyable for you in the end.

 

Again, if this doesn't enthrall you at all, don't play it. It is a very enjoyable game though.

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SaysWho?

SaysWho?

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On 12/14/2018 at 11:13 AM, nublood said:

 

 

 

I really hope there's more to this other than somebody having a difference of opinion.

 

Considering in your thread about Infinity Ward being evacuated, he said it was a hoax, I'm guessing it was some crazy tinfoil Alex Jones-style shit he's into. Which isn't an opinion as much as being a terrible person.

 

I say this as someone who's not at all interested in this game like at least half the thread was, if not more.

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ALIEN-gunner

ALIEN-gunner

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On 12/27/2018 at 4:36 AM, SaysWho? said:

 

Considering in your thread about Infinity Ward being evacuated, he said it was a hoax, I'm guessing it was some crazy tinfoil Alex Jones-style shit he's into. Which isn't an opinion as much as being a terrible person.

 

I say this as someone who's not at all interested in this game like at least half the thread was, if not more.

Infinity Ward was evacuated but the reason for the evacuation was a hoax. You assume too much. Peace be with you. 

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