If you enjoyed Yonder: The Cloudcatcher Chronicles, but wanted a little more to do and a less linear progression, then Grow: The Song of the Evertree is probably for you. It’s not quite as elaborate or sophisticated as other games in this genre, but I don’t know if it’s trying to be. It more than makes up for it’s simplicity with a gorgeous aesthetic, witty humor, and a truly calming experience, if you let it. Hopefully, if they can work out some of their stability issues, this game could gain some serious attention and popularity. The call for more wholesome games is increasing in recent years, and Prideful Sloth has proven again they can meet that demand – as long as we get a proper map next time!!
The impression I got is that the game was trying too hard to do too many things, and it didn't end up being stellar at any of them. The plot and progression speed weren't exciting enough for me to not want to put the game down. That being said, I will go back to this game for short and infrequent intervals when I am in the right mood for it.
Although the levels and tasks can be quite repetitive, I didn’t find that it was detrimental to my level of entertainment. I tried to be super colorful with my painting, which led to higher scores when finishing a block. If it wasn’t for the lack of autosave at each checkpoint and the wonky jump mechanics, I likely would have score this game a lot higher. The multiplayer is definitely its redeeming element.
...this is a beautiful game that keeps me entertained for hours at a time. It doesn't matter how much I play, I will always have a reason to go back. If you are looking for an uncomplicated, sweet, relaxing and colorful adventure, then this is the title for you! They also take criticism very seriously - just check out the troll island. :)
Although I initially found the movement and aiming to be a little frustrating, the game was a heck of a lot of fun once I got used to it. There are so many different modes and arenas that we didn't find it repetitive at all and there truly is a mode that should appeal to every style of gamer.
In hindsight, it might have been easier, or at least less frustrating, to play Masters of Anima on PC, given the accuracy benefits of a mouse and keyboard. If the learning curve hadn’t been so steep, I think we would have enjoyed the challenge that so many other titles lack. If nothing else, we definitely would have progressed further in the game. This is not necessarily a reflection of the quality of the game, but rather it could be related to our familiarity with a controller because Pierre-Yves barely broke a sweat when he played.