Grim Tides

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 30 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Grim Tides Game Cover
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Grim Tides is a narrative-driven, old-school RPG that follows the monomyth format. You play as a hero on a perilous journey to save the world from a dark force, meeting various characters, and making choices that affect the story's outcome. The game features tactical combat, character customization, and a rich, immersive world to explore.

  • PC
  • Phone
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews
story8 positive mentions
monetization3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a relaxing and simple gameplay loop, making it easy to pick up and play in short sessions.
  • It features a well-written story with rich lore and various RPG mechanics, including character customization and skill trees.
  • The graphics and background art are pleasant, and the music variety enhances the overall experience.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive, with grinding and similar events occurring frequently.
  • There are bugs and issues that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking bugs and unresponsive mechanics.
  • Some players feel that the game is too similar to its predecessor, lacking enough new content to justify its release.
  • story21 mentions

    The game's story is well-crafted and rich in lore, functioning effectively as a standalone prequel that enhances the overall experience without requiring prior knowledge of its predecessor, Grim Quest. Players appreciate the detailed worldbuilding and mature narrative, which evoke the feel of a well-designed tabletop campaign, although some find the gameplay repetitive. Overall, the story is praised for its depth and engaging content, making it a significant aspect of the game.

    • “And it's a well written story, offering heaps of interesting lore surrounding the world itself.”
    • “Detailed worldbuilding, intricate, mature storyline, and tons of interesting lore around every corner will make you feel like you're soloing through a well crafted tabletop campaign, subtly guided by an experienced and creative game master.”
    • “Story rich - effort has been taken to develop lore and a story around the title.”
    • “The sage Erideus journal quest line was completely broken for me.”
    • “I just finished the main quest and liked it, but I don't know if others will feel the same way.”
    • “Gameplay is repetitive - typical gameplay is to click your way around a map, find (many) encounters, and the occasional quest item.”
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is designed for short, casual sessions, featuring a repetitive yet satisfying loop of character leveling and combat against progressively tougher enemies. While it introduces new mechanics and improvements, the core experience feels more like a remaster than a true sequel, with some users noting a lack of depth in certain systems like the shop and ship mechanics. Overall, it offers an addictive RPG experience reminiscent of classic pen-and-paper styles, appealing to fans of old-school fantasy games.

    • “If you want a game to play in short sessions of 30-40 minutes, kill a bit, complete a few map levels, and then continue one or two days later without having to worry about uncompleted quests or complex mechanics, that is a good game that can relax you for a few days.”
    • “While the core gameplay loop remains mostly the same, there are a lot of new features and improvements across the board, like attributes, perks, more equipment slots, ship and crew management, etc. The story is technically a prequel, but works very well on its own, so playing Grim Quest prior to it isn't a must.”
    • “Really addictive and very easy to play, with super deep RPG mechanics. If you like pen & paper style fantasy or old school Ultima, you'll feel right at home.”
    • “It's a very mechanical game.”
    • “The almost-identical mechanics and even reused text make it feel more like a remaster or remake than an actual sequel.”
    • “Gameplay is repetitive - typical gameplay is to click your way around a map, find (many) encounters, and the occasional quest item.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    The graphics are simple yet visually appealing, effectively complementing the game's retro theme without resorting to pixel art. Players appreciate the thoughtful design and creativity that enhance other aspects of the game, resulting in a charming overall presentation that shows improvement over the original.

    • “The graphics style matches the retro theme of the game and is very pleasant to look at.”
    • “The graphics are still pretty pleasant for what it is, which seems to be a marked improvement over the original.”
    • “Simple graphics but not ugly, and none of that retro pixel garbage.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic and lack detail, making the game feel less immersive.”
    • “The visuals are underwhelming and do not take full advantage of modern technology.”
    • “The art style feels outdated and fails to capture the attention of players.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model for this game is generally viewed positively, with players appreciating the option to support the solo developer through small purchases like ad-free versions. While the mobile version is free with ads, many recommend buying the game on other platforms for a more complete experience, as the ad interruptions can detract from gameplay. Overall, the game's straightforward and honest approach to monetization stands out in a market often filled with exploitative practices.

    • “The options that are not horrendous cash grabs are really limited, and, in that context, Grim Tides, with its straightforward and honest business model, shines like a pearl in an ocean of excrement.”
    • “Do try it on mobile first; it's free with ads, but if you want to play this for real, buy it here (rather than buying ad removal on mobile, which is technically buying the game there, since you can hardly play without internet if you don't). You'll get more than on the mobile version (though mobile is portable and this is a very portable kind of game). Still, it's a very decent game.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for its nostalgic quality and variety, featuring new tracks in the PC version. Players appreciate that it avoids an endless loop, enhancing the overall experience. Additionally, the solo developer's responsiveness to feedback adds a personal touch to the game's development.

    • “The solo dev behind the game is super nice and responsive to feedback too; the lore is great and the music is nostalgic.”
    • “One simple but marvelously wonderful thing: the music is not on an endless loop.”
    • “Great music, with some new songs in the PC version, if I am not wrong.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    The game features significant grinding and a repetitive gameplay loop, which may appeal to players who enjoy leveling up their characters and facing increasingly difficult enemies. Fans of grinding mechanics are likely to find it satisfying and can expect to invest many hours into the experience.

    • “There is a lot of grinding, and the gameplay loop is repetitive, but if you like leveling your character up and fighting harder and harder enemies, this game is satisfying.”
    • “If you like grinding games, then you'll probably get a lot of hours out of this.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is highly customizable, allowing players to tailor their characters to various play styles and approaches to combat. This depth not only enhances the gameplay experience but also encourages replayability, particularly through party-based strategies.

    • “Character development offers plenty of customization options to suit many different play styles, and the game itself can be tweaked in many ways, so there's definitely some replay value here.”
    • “Very cool character development with a lot of factors you can customize and different ways to approach combat; it really begs for a party-based approach at some point!”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating clever dialogue and amusing scenarios, such as characters reacting positively to jokes and quirky items like the "gloves of elemental furry." Overall, the comedic elements contribute to an engaging and entertaining experience.

    • “The man flinches for a moment, but then breaks into a laughing fit, all the while praising your sense of humor.”
    • “My personal favorite is the 'Gloves of Elemental Furry.'”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game boasts strong replayability due to its extensive character customization options and the ability to tweak gameplay mechanics, allowing players to explore various play styles and experiences.

    • “Character development offers plenty of customization options to suit many different play styles, and the game itself can be tweaked in many ways, so there's definitely some replay value here.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Players report a high level of stability, with many noting that they experienced no bugs during their gameplay, even after several hours of playtime.

    • “Bug free - in my 6-7 hours of playing, I did not encounter any bugs.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

7hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
7-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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