A Walk With Yiayia
- November 3, 2022
- Trent Garlipp
Get on Steam"A Walk With Yiayia" is a heartwarming narrative-driven game where you accompany Yiayia, your Greek grandmother, on a stroll through her countryside village. Engage in conversations, help with tasks, and learn about her life experiences, traditions, and stories. The game captures the essence of a deep intergenerational bond, offering a memorable and emotionally resonant experience.
Reviews
- A Walk With Yiayia features a heartfelt and emotional story that resonates with players, particularly those with close relationships to their grandparents.
- The unique black and white pixel art style and thoughtful design choices create a visually stunning experience that enhances the narrative.
- The game is a labor of love, showcasing charming dialogue and meaningful interactions that make players appreciate the little moments in life.
- The game lacks mouse support, and some gameplay mechanics, particularly in mini-games, can feel frustrating and poorly controlled.
- Many players found the game to be extremely short, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
- The graphics, while unique, were described as bland and blurry at times, detracting from the overall visual experience.
- story35 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story of "A Walk with Yiayia" is a heartfelt and poignant exploration of family, aging, and the importance of cherishing memories, conveyed through charming dialogue and emotional interactions. Players appreciate its simple yet impactful narrative, enhanced by unique art direction and engaging mini-games that deepen the personal connection to the characters. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to evoke strong emotions and resonate with players' own experiences, making it a standout in short storytelling games.
“The dialog was charming and the story was very sweet and very poignant.”
“A walk with yiayia is a warm little story about appreciating and making peace with the past and present.”
“This game is an amazing story.”
“A few things need polish (I accidentally triggered the rest by the stream twice and couldn't skip), and there was more blood than I expected from a granny walking simulator, but overall would recommend this charming story.”
“These are very much varying in likeness from each other, however incredibly intriguing and ensuring the player is truly involved in the story at hand.”
“It's an interactive short story.”
- emotional23 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game "A Walk with Yiayia" is praised for its emotional depth, offering a heartfelt narrative about family, aging, and cherished memories, particularly the bond between a grandson and his grandmother. Players report feeling a strong emotional connection, often leading to tears and reflections on their own relationships, enhanced by the game's beautiful pixel art and music. Overall, it is described as a touching and wholesome experience that resonates deeply with those who have experienced similar familial connections.
“Lovely indie game with a unique black and white pixel art style and a simple yet emotional story about family and aging.”
“This game was an incredibly touching experience and helped me remember the wonderful time I spent with my nana before she passed.”
“Be prepared for a very strong emotional reaction when you play this game, especially if you have a close relationship with your grandmother or any loved one faced with aging.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players criticizing them as bland and blurry, while others praise the unique black and white pixel art style and the emotional depth conveyed through the visuals. The game features a distinctive grayscale filter that enhances its storytelling, alongside moments of more realistic 3D graphics that create an immersive experience. Overall, many players appreciate the beautiful aesthetic and how it complements the game's narrative themes.
“Lovely indie game with a unique black and white pixel art style and a simple yet emotional story about family and aging.”
“The more realistic 3D graphics on the grass outside and the dynamic puddles with their reflections, as well as the shadows of the clouds above and the heightened environmental blur than that of inside Yiayia's house really pulls you into the scene once you reach the main gameplay.”
“I will remember this game for a long time, not only because of its absolutely beautiful stylistic visuals, but also where it came from, and what it means to his family and all of those it's made its way to who can relate.”
“As a game, it's pretty bad; no mouse support, character movement was somehow both sluggish and loose, the mini-game sections were boring and the graphics were bland, blurry, and felt like they were tearing.”
“There is also a constant grayscale lens put on the gameplay, with a filter almost resembling TV fuzz, which adds to the dissociative yet vivid feeling the visuals of this game gives.”
“There are also several interactive scenes which stray from the initial visuals of the game, opting for something more realistic.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its engaging conversations, immersive exploration, and artistic visuals that enhance the storytelling experience. While the dynamic graphics and innovative dialogue mechanics are highlights, some players found certain gameplay elements, like the grasshopper controls and specific sections, to be frustrating and in need of refinement. Overall, the gameplay offers a unique and enjoyable experience, particularly for those who appreciate art and design.
“I enjoyed the conversations with the grandson, exploring the neighborhood, and the change in gameplay and visuals during certain story beats.”
“The more realistic 3D graphics on the grass outside and the dynamic puddles with their reflections, as well as the shadows of the clouds above and the heightened environmental blur compared to inside Yiayia's house, really pull you into the scene once you reach the main gameplay.”
“The way some things pop up into dialogue by Yiayia's initiation when you walk close to them, and others by pressing enter on them with the main character initiating the thought, is really the best way I could ever imagine a conversation such as theirs to be adapted into gameplay, especially in a style like this.”
“There is also a constant grayscale lens put on the gameplay, with a filter almost resembling TV fuzz, which adds to the dissociative yet vivid feeling the visuals of this game give.”
“I should mention that some of the grasshopper gameplay was frustrating to maneuver, in a way that just made it feel like the speed of directional controls and maybe the turn-radius of the grasshopper was kind of unnatural.”
“Some of the gameplay choices could have been a little more refined, like the airplane and boat sections.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and emotional depth, effectively complementing the themes of aging and complex family dynamics. Reviewers appreciate the beautiful integration of music with visuals, enhancing the overall narrative experience, despite the game's short length.
“The music is very well done and sentimental.”
“Loved the exploration of growing older, the complex family relationships, and the music and visuals.”
“This experience is very short, but very beautiful in the art, music, and narrative.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "A Walk with Yiayia" is characterized as wholesome and heartwarming, eliciting frequent smiles and laughter, particularly through the charming interactions with Yiayia, who humorously chastises players for swearing and shares touching stories.
“Wholesome perfectly describes 'A Walk with Yiayia.' I found myself smiling often while I was playing, laughing at Yiayia chastising you for swearing, and tearing up at her stories.”
“The humor in this game is genuinely heartwarming, with clever dialogue that had me chuckling throughout my playthrough.”
“I loved the quirky characters and their hilarious interactions; they brought a lightheartedness that made the experience so enjoyable.”
