Grief. It's something we all deal with at points throughout our lives, but is still looked upon by many as a taboo subject. Plenty of us can find it hard to talk about our feelings, instead bottling up our emotions and going through an internal battle we're sure we'll never win. The outlook is grim, and we're not confident we'll ever be able to escape the overwhelming emptiness inside.
All of that and more is what Nomada Studio have brought to players in Gris. We take control of the titular protagonist as she gets lost in a world conjured up inside her mind, following a painful experience in her life that has left her full of sorrow and frustration. Perhaps that is the reason writers decided to name her after the colour grey in Spanish.
Through images of broken stone, falls to the floor, injections of colour and other evocative methods, developers have here allowed an incredibly relatable story to be told. This narrative isn't one often explored in the world of video gaming, but it's certainly one that needs a spotlight shining on it more.
One of my biggest issues with reviews is when a critic says the game, or movie, or television series, or album has to be experienced in person to really get a sense of how good something is. It feels like a cop out. That is however exactly what I have to say here. I could go on about how Gris's sorrow manifests in her dress, which allows the player a number of different abilities as they progress through the story, but that sounds completely nonsensical, right? So, I'll just say this.
Gris is one of the most stunningly beautiful games I've ever had the opportunity to play, and we have artist Conrad Roset to thank. Pairing his incredible work with a gorgeous soundtrack from Berlinist, Nomada Studio have managed to conjure up something truly remarkable with their debut title.
Mechanics are simple, the gameplay isn't anything revolutionary, but Gris is something you're going to want to play from start to finish. It suckers you into its world with ease, and although when things start out they are colourless and without much imagination, it doesn't take long for the creative juices to start flowing. It's just a shame that the narrative will take only three to four hours to complete.
Once you've played through the game as well, there isn't much reason to go back and do it all over again. You just know that if you take on the story once more, it won't have the same impact as it did on your first run. You'll want to see the artwork again, but that's something you can do online.
That is a minor quibble, however. At £13.49, this is a steal, and a title I'll remember for some time to come. Personally, I can't wait to see what Nomada Studio come up with next.
Gris is available now on PC and Nintendo Switch. A copy of the game for Nintendo Switch was provided for this review.
Tagged in Nintendo