"Grimm" is a single-player Fantasy Action game with a marvelous story and pretty visuals. As Grimm, players transform classic fairy tales into darker versions, providing 30 minutes of gameplay in each of the 23 episodes. With a hilarious tone, players can enjoy each standalone episode in any order, based on popular tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella.
The game offers a unique and humorous twist on classic fairy tales, turning them into dark and twisted versions.
The art style is charming and fits the theme well, providing a visually interesting experience.
The first episode is free, allowing players to try the game without any financial commitment.
Gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, primarily involving running around and 'butt-stomping' to progress.
The humor can be crude and may not appeal to all audiences, making it unsuitable for children despite its cartoonish graphics.
Technical issues such as glitches and poor controls can detract from the overall experience.
gameplay
246 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
65%
18%
The gameplay of "American McGee's Grimm" is characterized as overly simplistic and repetitive, primarily involving running around to corrupt the environment with little challenge or variation. While some players find the concept and humor engaging, many criticize the lack of depth and the monotonous nature of the core mechanics, which can lead to boredom over time. Overall, the game is seen as more suitable for younger audiences or those seeking a casual experience rather than players looking for complex gameplay.
“Gameplay is easy and uncomplicated.”
“The gameplay is simple, but satisfying; a somewhat detailed description of which is below.”
“The gameplay is simple and laid-back; nothing is going to attack you (they just clean up behind your mess).”
“The core gameplay loop of 'corrupting' the environment is monotonous and lacks any real challenge or depth.”
“The gameplay is very simple; you mostly just walk around as Grimm and make everything terrible, with a few small puzzles and challenges here and there.”
“The gameplay is extremely simple, just corrupt everything by running near it and using butt stomp as a kind of 'special move'.”
story
220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The game's story revolves around a character named Grimm, who transforms classic fairy tales into darker, more grotesque versions, providing a humorous and twisted take on familiar narratives. While some players appreciate the unique storytelling and art style, many criticize the gameplay for being repetitive and lacking depth, with the narrative often overshadowed by the mechanics. Overall, the storytelling is seen as the game's highlight, though opinions vary on its execution and engagement.
“The storylines, however, are where this game shines.”
“Using exuberant writing and matching it with the macabre mix of childish wonder in the characters and an equally childish mucky & disgusting art style in the set pieces, it really brings the grimm tales and other story pieces to life while still holding enough fun gameplay value to catch the attention of anyone who might not be familiar with the stories and tales.”
“Each episode/story is entertaining in their own way, the writing for the stories is just wonderful with each one being as excellently written as the next.”
“The story is weak and too strange to comprehend at times.”
“The storytelling and cinematics, however, are well done technically but there's no substance to it.”
“It's all related to children's storybooks, though.”
humor
176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is a mix of dark, juvenile, and crude elements, often relying on toilet jokes and shock value, which appeals to a niche audience with a taste for the macabre. While some players find it hilariously entertaining and appreciate its twisted take on classic fairy tales, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking clever writing. Overall, the humor is divisive, with many enjoying its absurdity while others find it off-putting or overly simplistic.
“This game is absolutely hilarious.”
“The humor within this game ranges from fart jokes to satire to black humor, all of which makes the game much more enjoyable.”
“Grimm is a very funny game where your character, a demonic dwarf, travels through fairy tales, in a wooden-puppet world filled with candy-like colors, and turns everything he touches into ugly and dark shades and forms.”
“Unfunny garbage suffices to describe this game.”
“It's pretty clear that it's supposed to be funny, but only a small child would find any sort of humor here.”
“It was not funny.”
graphics
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
57%
8%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique blend of cartoonish and grotesque aesthetics, reminiscent of Tim Burton's style, which some players find charming while others consider dated and lacking polish. While many appreciate the vibrant and whimsical visuals that align with the game's dark themes, others criticize the graphics for being blocky and simplistic, leading to mixed feelings about their overall quality. Despite the varying opinions, the art style is often noted for its creativity and ability to evoke a playful yet macabre atmosphere.
“The cartoonish graphics are one of those elements that really shine through and look very good.”
“The graphics are adorable and the sound design is great.”
“Graphically, the game employs an aesthetic most reminiscent of Tim Burton, with an eerie blend of the grotesque and whimsical.”
“The graphics would have been embarrassingly bad 20 years ago.”
“Wasn't a fan at all of the graphics, which were blocky and had sharp edges that were not at all pleasing to look at.”
“The low quality of the graphics in particular made the panning and movement cause me motion sickness.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
84%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its fitting atmosphere and catchy elements, particularly the unique songs associated with characters like Grimm. However, many criticize the repetitive and simplistic nature of the soundtrack, noting that it often feels like a single looping track that lacks depth and variety. Overall, while some find enjoyment in the music, others feel it detracts from the overall experience due to its limitations.
“The art, the music, the narrative, what's not to love if it was made by American McGee, the very same person behind the incredible American McGee's Alice and Alice: Madness Returns.”
“The music does fit the setting, both when in the light version and dark version.”
“The graphics, voice acting, and music are on par with an atmospheric art style to match the gameplay.”
“The game's intro music begins, a discordant melody that sounds like a choir of banshees being strangled.”
“The game has only one continually looping track that sounds like it may have been poached from a free-use website; seriously, the composition of its one and only level music sounds suspiciously like a 'my first level music' practice file. It loops in less than 1 minute and never leaves.”
“I could forgive the uncompelling controls and gameplay if the creator meant for the game to be laid back, but a complete and utter lack of any mood music of any kind is sadly the final nail in the coffin for ol' Grimm.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
29%
65%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is often viewed as tedious and repetitive, requiring significant time investment to progress. Players describe the gameplay as "grindy" and "boring," with many noting that it feels more like a walking simulator with minimal challenge, leading to a lack of engagement over time. While the concept and story hold promise, the grind can detract from the overall enjoyment, especially for those seeking a more dynamic experience.
“A bit grindy... sometimes.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“One long, tedious grind.”
“The concept and story are interesting, but the gameplay gets boring, repetitive, and tedious within a couple of hours.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
8%
17%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a distinct, macabre art style reminiscent of Tim Burton, complemented by atmospheric sound design that enhances its fairy tale setting. While the visuals and audio create an engaging experience, some players note that the game's themes may not be suitable for children. Overall, it appeals to those with an interest in history and art, offering a blend of humor, platforming, and puzzle-solving within a slightly grim ambiance.
“I strongly recommend this game to anyone who has an interest in history/art as it is really atmospheric!”
“The graphics, voice acting, and music are on par with an atmospheric art style to match the gameplay.”
“The art direction, while not groundbreaking, is distinct and evokes a macabre, Tim Burton-esque atmosphere.”
“Maps/atmosphere = 2”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, including freezing issues and unresponsive controls. While some users noted that these problems do not completely detract from the overall enjoyment, others found them significant enough to hinder the experience. Overall, the game is described as having a sturdy foundation but requires substantial fixes to improve its stability.
“This game's a buggy mess, a broken, twisted fence.”
“I love the idea of changing cautionary children's stories into dark and dangerous stories to scare children into acting correctly; however, the gameplay is a bit sloppy and buggy.”
“But as for the whole 23 episodes, it's not worth it; unresponsive controls and constant crashes and freezes ruin it.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game offers moderate replayability through power-ups, hidden coins, and time challenges that encourage speedruns and exploration of secrets in each episode. While some players may find enjoyment in achieving higher scores or completing challenges, others note that replay value diminishes after the initial playthrough unless pursuing specific achievements. Overall, it provides enough content to keep players engaged, especially at its current price.
“The power-ups, hidden coins, and time challenges also add some replay value, and it can be enjoyable to do one run to get the highest score possible, while doing another of the same place for the fastest time.”
“Each scene is timed to encourage speedruns, which might extend the replay value for anyone who enjoys playing games quickly.”
“There are lots of secrets (coins) that can be found in each episode, as well as the potential to earn gold stars for turning everything in each scene dark, providing a bit of replayability if you don't manage to do everything the first time through.”
“No replay value except for achievements.”
“Finally, there may not be a massive amount of replayability once you've been through each episode, unless you wish to get the timed medals and/or find every secret.”
“[i]Replayability[/i] - there are lots of 'secrets' (coins) which can be found in each episode as well as the potential to earn gold stars for turning everything in each scene dark, so there is a bit of replayability in this game if you don't manage to do everything the first time through.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The optimization of the game is mixed; while some users report poor performance and lag, others find it runs smoothly even on low-end hardware. Overall, there are concerns about optimization that need to be addressed, despite some players experiencing satisfactory performance.
“Optimized; does not lag.”
“The graphics run smoothly on my low-grade HP laptop, but with it being such a colorful and detailed game, it obviously looks better displayed on a bigger monitor.”
“It appears to just be poor optimization, and should also be addressed.”
“Bad optimization.”
“When I came back to it a second time, I used my laptop, which is a feeble thing that cannot run high-performance games, but luckily did fine with [i]Grimm[/i].”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game evokes strong feelings, as players experience a poignant transformation of innocent fairy tales into darker narratives, prompting reflections on the nature of corruption and chaos. The gameplay, which involves turning clean environments into messy ones, elicits a mix of humor and sadness, leading to moments that resonate deeply, often resulting in tears. Overall, the game successfully blends emotional depth with playful mechanics, leaving a lasting impact on players.
“Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
“10/10 would cry again.”
“You go around touching things to turn them from clean and nice to dirty and gross, changing the cute fluffy fairy tales into horrible versions of themselves - that actually tell their stories a little bit better and make a little more sense.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game is praised for its monetization model, being a free-to-play title that offers "drop cards" without requiring in-game purchases, which sets it apart from many other games. Reviewers suggest that this positive aspect should be highlighted more prominently in advertisements.
“I think these things should be made very clear in the advertisements.”
“This free Steam game is possibly one of the very few free games that actually have 'drop cards' (in-game purchase is not required).”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Character development received mixed feedback, with some users criticizing the main character's design as uninteresting, while others appreciated the overall character designs and the engaging, albeit dark, narratives that accompany them.
“I loved the character designs and how they evolve throughout the game, adding depth to the story.”
“The character development is engaging, with each character having their own unique backstory that unfolds as you progress.”
“The blend of simple game mechanics with rich character arcs makes for a captivating experience.”
“And more boring, in-your-face, crappy character design.”