GRIS Reviews
Just when it begins to become nearly too overwhelming, though, it’s all over. GRIS is undoubtedly a compact experience, but one that needs to be experienced, either on Switch or PC (though it’s worth mentioning whilst it looks terrific in handheld mode, GRIS really should be experienced docked on a big screen). Whether it be the spectacular soundtrack or well, the spectacular visuals, GRIS tells a story that is tragic and uplifting, emotionally fuelled and near-perfect in its execution.
I’ve played a lot of games this year, some bad, some good, but nothing quite like Gris. I have no doubt that I will remember it long into 2019 and almost definitely even beyond that.
From the first cutscene, GRIS shows what it is here for. Fully committing to its minimalism, it knows how to balance sentimentality and reflexion, noise and silence, to create an experience like no other. This game is truly a work of art.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Some people can tolerate vague metaphors in the name of artiness, but what frustrates me so much is that GRIS managed to provide me with a real attachment to a minor companion character over the course of 10-15 minutes.
These were some of the finest five hours I’ve ever spent within a game. I could easily write a great deal more about it but I want you to experience it in all its glory. The astonishing visuals were like a drug, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and wanting to get back to playing more. I’m thankful there are still collectables, 28 in all, called ‘mementos’ that I haven’t found so I can return to the game. I’m even tempted to purchase GRIS for the Nintendo Switch so I can play on the go and experience it on my large television screen and showcase its wondrous beauty to my friends and family.
GRIS manages to blend everything together to deliver one of the most powerful experiences I’ve enjoyed all year. While its runtime is only a handful of hours rushing through it would be a shame, as it really is worth taking the time to savor all along the way. Once you complete the main game you’ll have the opportunity to return and try to track down the optional objectives you missed, those things that were on the periphery you either missed or may have not been able to figure out how to get to. This is a journey I’d very much recommend to just about anyone, it is highly approachable, meaningful, and satisfying on pretty well all levels. It may not be a terribly long game but it is one that will stick with you and encourage a periodic playthroughs in the future to experience it all once again.
It's not important if you love indie and platformer games or not , it doesn't even matter if you're not a gamer, you should definitely play Gris! Great narrative, pleasing to ear soundtrack, exquisite artistic visuals and the concept the game is build upon, all help to make Gris one of the most beautiful titles of 2018.
Review in Persian | Read full review
While visually stunning at times, the simple gameplay of 'GRIS' often lacks color, resulting in an experience that is aesthetically stimulating but surprisingly passive. There is breezy fun to be found in the cute platforming puzzles, but players who value gameplay over graphics may be disappointed in the simplicity and brevity of the journey.
After Journey and Abzu, Gris is another extraordinary trip into a fascinating virtual world, which will stay in your head long after the finale - and, unlike the other two, also has playful qualities. Congratulations to Nomada Studio on this great debut project and a worthy end to the game year! Gris takes us on a four-hour emotional journey into a magical world whose colours, images and sounds hypnotize - and which, in addition to its audiovisual attractions, can also entertain us with interesting puzzles and games.
Review in German | Read full review
As loathe as we are to re-open the old "are video games art?" debate, it's no exaggeration to say that Gris (along with the likes of Journey, Ico, and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture) is one of the examples you should roll out to prove that they most definitely are.
Gris is a wonderful, mystifying, and everlastingly beautiful end to an unforgettable year of video gaming.
Gris is a beautiful swirling world of watercolour, ink, grief and hope. Its puzzles and exploration leave you feeling accomplished but toothless moments of danger can dampen some achievements.
GRIS is relaxing and visually stunning. It's like a watercolor painting come to life. Much like any piece of art, what you make of it is going to be intensely personal, however if you enjoyed the experience of games like Flower and Journey, you should probably play GRIS. My three hours with the game flew by and I felt reinvigorated at the end, as if I'd just awoken from a good night's sleep (or so I imagine).
Gris, in my opinion, is a Journey-level game in terms of how it completely sucks you into its artistic experience and doesn't let your senses go until its credit roll.
What GRIS demonstrates is that there is beauty in ambiguity, and solace in solitude.
From the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the engrossing aesthetic design, combined with solid gameplay that does its part in showing off the world while also not being a slouch itself, Gris is far and away one of the best experiences in gaming I’ve had this year.
GRIS is a powerful insight into the human spirit of a young girl suffering with grief. As she comes to terms with each of her emotional states, and as the levels progress to accompany these stages, the player is granted a profound look into the true emotions of Gris's character. Nomada Studio has blended simplistic, intuitive gameplay with a breathtaking artistic vision and remarkable music and sound design to create an unforgettable experience. GRIS easily stands among the best independent gems of the medium, presenting a narrative experience unlike any other. Gamers are doing themselves a disservice by not playing this game—GRIS is unmissable.
GRIS will hardly demand quick reflexes or make you scratch your head thinking about the solutions to it's puzzle platforming. It's a short game (about three, four hours), that's fun to control and simple and very accessible in terms of gameplay, that possibly will leave a little to be desired in terms depth for those seeking greater challenges. But I think above all this, it is a moving experience thanks to its artistic and narrative combinations. I loved my hours interacting, listening and watching the beautiful journey of Gris.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Gris is a relaxing, artistic experience that emphasizes its atmosphere over its gameplay. While it only lasts a few hours, fans of surreal worlds and symbolic storytelling should find it to be an enjoyable journey.
GRIS is a magnificent game which highlights the positive and negative sides of the human thinking process. It deals with depressive thoughts and miseries which shackle people and refrain them from carrying on with life.