Grimm & Tonic
- January 31, 2020
- Spritewrench
Maintaining a healthy Work-Life balance is pretty tricky on a good day but it’s damn near impossible when your boss threatens foreclosure on your mortal existence. As the new bartender at DEAD-END, you’ll make new friends, mix weird drinks, all while navigating Life, Death and everything in between.
Reviews
- The game features unique characters and an interesting plot that keeps players engaged.
- The art style is charming and visually appealing, with a strong influence from manga and comics.
- There is potential for replayability due to multiple story branches and different endings to explore.
- The game is extremely short, with initial playthroughs taking less than an hour, which may not justify the price.
- Gameplay can become repetitive and formulaic, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
- There are several bugs and design issues, such as poor audio quality and awkward UI interactions, that detract from the overall experience.
- story24 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its interesting premise and unique characters, while others find it basic and lacking depth, as decisions primarily affect achievements rather than the narrative. Many users express a desire for a sequel or further expansion of the story, indicating that while the current narrative is enjoyable, it has the potential for greater development. Overall, the game is seen as a casual, engaging experience with replayability due to its branching paths, but it may not satisfy those seeking a deeply immersive story.
“I would definitely love a sequel if the devs ever decide to revisit this story.”
“Unique characters and an interesting plot are the best features of Grimm & Tonic!”
“It has such an interesting storyline and the stories of the characters are awesome to find out.”
“I do not recommend this game as it is not worth the money and has a very basic story where decisions only impact achievements and not the narrative itself.”
“This game has a lot of potential just from looking at the art style, but as it is right now it seems more like a first attempt at making a ren'py dating sim rather than a fully fledged story-driven game.”
“Grimm & Tonic is a visual novel with a mild element of 'detective' gameplay where you read the story of an individual who died and then has to make drinks for other dead people.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique art style and character design, while others criticize the character aesthetics and the use of photographic backgrounds as unoriginal. Overall, the visuals show potential but are perceived by some as lacking polish, resembling an early development stage rather than a fully realized product.
“Liked the art style, the mechanics, and characterisation as well as some of the easter eggs around video game tropes and development.”
“The art style in the game I enjoyed, but at times it can be a little too much for the human eyes. However, the storyline is good as it was very funny.”
“The art style is also really nice.”
“Don't really like the artwork.”
“Everybody looks kind of ugly in my opinion, and having all the backgrounds be photographic is just lazy, and it looks bad.”
“This game has a lot of potential just from looking at the art style, but as it is right now it seems more like a first attempt at making a ren'py dating sim rather than a fully fledged story-driven game.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Grimm & Tonic" is characterized by its visual novel format combined with light detective elements, where players engage in storytelling and drink-making for deceased characters. The mechanics are straightforward, reminiscent of "VA-11 HALL-A," and are complemented by a unique art style and clever nods to video game tropes. Overall, the gameplay offers a creative and engaging experience, though it remains simplified.
“I liked the art style, the mechanics, and characterisation, as well as some of the easter eggs around video game tropes and development.”
“Grimm & Tonic is a visual novel with a mild element of detective gameplay where you read the story of an individual who died and then has to make drinks for other dead people.”
“Grimm & Tonic is a visual novel with a mild element of 'detective' gameplay where you read the story of an individual who died and then has to make drinks for other dead people.”
“The intro and general narrative premise are pretty cool, sort of an afterlife variation of the idea of VA-11 HALL-A, with very simplified mechanics.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music is widely praised for its great selection and quirky style, enhancing the overall experience and setting it apart from competitors. Players appreciate the interesting themes and how the music complements the game's characters and atmosphere.
“However, its style, music, and manageable size give the game a leg up on other games in the same space.”
“Great selection of music.”
“It has an interesting theme and I love the music.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is currently a significant issue, with many users reporting it as buggy and broken, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“I don't normally review, but this time I have to warn people that this game is, at the moment for me at least, buggy and broken.”
“The game is enjoyable, but it's crazy buggy at this point.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive at times, suggesting that it can detract from the overall experience.
“The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
“Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
“While there are moments of grinding, they are balanced by the satisfaction of leveling up.”
“The game can feel a bit grindy at times.”
“Grinding becomes repetitive and tedious after a while.”
“I found myself spending too much time grinding for resources.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is well-received, with players finding the storyline amusing, though some feel the art style can be overwhelming at times.
“The art style in the game is enjoyable, though at times it can be a bit overwhelming for the eyes, but the storyline is great and very funny.”