izigame.me

Gris is a uniquely beautiful and deeply enjoyable game that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in video games as an art form and anyone who wants to play a fun, simplistic platformer that knows how to keep the gameplay fresh and entertaining.
From beginning to end, Gris is audio-visually stunning to take in. The art-style leans heavily into watercolour/ink art, but also includes elements from other styles, giving the game a special look. Each frame would serve well a desktop wallpaper. Gris’ world feels alive and is teeming with charming detail - the Steam Award for Outstanding Visual Style is well deserved. The original soundtrack is excellent from the very first second until the end of the credits. Heavy use of piano and organ sounds invite comparisons to Hans Zimmer's Interstellar soundtrack, with the occasional splash of soft strings and female vocalises creating an entrancing soundscape that adapts to the gameplay frequently. The story is conveyed only by the events on screen – besides the rare on-screen tutorials, there is no text and no voiceovers to be found; even button prompts are non-existent. Repeatedly, the game's audio-visuals had me put the controller down to take in experiences far too beautiful and complex to do right by while describing them with words.
To me, Gris was also emotionally touching, as it subtly addressed a struggle for one's mental health, specifically the issues of grief and depression. Motifs I discovered for myself were the feeling of having lost and being lost, and the desperate desire to put the pieces together. Along the way to find acceptance, you also find beauty and joy. I won't go into further detail so you can experience these things yourself if you wish.
In more sober terms, the gameplay is a very smooth and minimalist platformer where you proceed through a large connected world to collect pieces that unlock new abilities that allow to collect more pieces. There are no load times and, besides the occasional scripted sequence, the gameplay flows gently. There is not a shred of unnecessary mechanics, everything you can do has a repeated, clear use throughout the entire game and increasingly complex platforming riddles require you to combine abilities to progress. However, nowhere in my play-through did I feel like Gris is tremendously difficult. Gris is, at times, somewhat challenging and clever, but always fair and accessible - and that is a good thing, because, in my opinion, the gameplay is not the major factor in the lovely experience Gris has to offer, even (or especially) to less skilled and experienced players. Gris is one of those “girlfriend games” you can recommend to your partners, friends and family who usually aren't into games, while also offering plenty of enjoyment to seasoned gamers. The game is relatively short (3-4h), but not artificially watering down a story for the sake of a longer runtime is a virtue I would like to see in more games.
Ultimately, if you wish to go on an equally emotional and beautiful journey that is likely to make you feel and think, admire and marvel, play Gris.