Grimmwood - They Come at Night
- August 2, 2018
- Big Moustache Games
- 69h median play time
Grimmwood is a cooperative survival game set in a dark fantasy world. Players must work together to build and defend a village against continuous waves of enemies. The game features a day-night cycle, permanent death, and permadeath, adding a layer of tension and challenge to the survival gameplay. Each player's decisions and actions can have lasting consequences for the group's survival.
Reviews
- Grimmwood offers a unique cooperative survival experience where players must work together to manage resources and defend their village against nightly monster attacks.
- The game features a rich social aspect, encouraging communication and teamwork among players, which can lead to a strong sense of community.
- The art style and atmosphere of the game are well-received, enhancing the immersive experience of surviving in a dark, haunted forest.
- The game has been abandoned by developers, with servers down for extended periods, making it unplayable for most users.
- The stamina system is heavily criticized, as it limits gameplay to short bursts, often leaving players with long waiting times before they can take further actions.
- Many players report issues with the game's balance and mechanics, including a lack of depth in content and frustrating gameplay experiences due to uncooperative teammates.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, offering rewarding cooperative experiences and interesting mechanics tied to character professions, but hampered by slow pacing, excessive waiting times, and reliance on external communication. While the art style and immersive atmosphere are praised, many players find the gameplay overly reliant on resource management and RNG, leading to frustration and a lack of engagement. Overall, the game has potential but requires improvements in pacing and player interaction to enhance the experience.
“Personally, I find the gameplay itself rewarding, without having to have a village that lasts forever.”
“It's really interesting how each 'profession' alters your gameplay.”
“The aesthetic comes through very strongly; the music and the art really complement the mechanics, making for a very immersive experience from what is basically a browser-based game on steroids.”
“I'm actually surprised that there was not a leveling system introduced to this game to offset the stamina and other mechanics that increase the difficulty.”
“The simple reason is that the game is somewhat hampered by its slow pace, even in blitz mode, where you are often waiting, doing nothing, for several minutes because you have expended all of your stamina (the principal mechanic which you work with).”
“Really wish they had a middle ground option for rating this game because I like the idea of it, but the price combined with how little gameplay there is as well as how reliant the game is on outside communication methods kills it for me since all it does is allows you to watch chat get spammed by five beautiful mustache prostidudes and people who pretty much just show up and die within 20 minutes.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their nice artwork and immersive atmosphere, contributing to a strong aesthetic experience. However, some users note that while the art style is visually satisfying, the 3D models lack quality and can detract from the overall immersion. Despite these criticisms, the game's art and music are highlighted as key elements that enhance the gameplay experience.
“Nice artwork and exceptional roleplay theme.”
“The aesthetic comes through very strongly; the music and the art really complement the mechanics, making for a very immersive experience from what is basically a browser-based game on steroids.”
“It's similar to the game die2nite, except Grimmwood is better on all levels: visuals, atmosphere, and gameplay; it's just better.”
“Shallow crafting system, very constrictive stamina system (stamina is used to do everything and is difficult to recover and leads to playing the game 10 minutes - then literally not being able to play the game because you can't perform any actions), depthless combat system (give me a real turn-based combat system with attack options etc.), and a lack of immersion because they haven't made any artwork for the local tiles you explore.”
“It's similar to the game die2nite, except grimmwood is better on all levels, visuals/atmosphere/gameplay, it's just better.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its strong aesthetic and immersive quality, effectively complementing the gameplay mechanics. However, some users note that the default volume is excessively loud, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The aesthetic comes through very strongly; the music and the art really complement the mechanics, making for a very immersive experience from what is basically a browser-based game on steroids.”
“I would however like to change this review to recommend since I think there are lots of aspects to appreciate about the game, such as the art style, music, and interesting gameplay concepts.”
“+ the music is well done”
“The music is very loud by default.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting its fun and immersive qualities, particularly in comparison to similar titles like die2nite. The visuals and user interface are described as amazing, contributing to a well-balanced and engaging survival RPG experience.
“Very fun survival RPG, and I really enjoy the atmosphere of the game.”
“It's similar to the game Die2Nite, except Grimmwood is better on all levels: visuals, atmosphere, gameplay—it's just better.”
“It has a great atmosphere; the art and UI are amazing, and the balance is well thought out and well balanced.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional investment in the game, particularly due to the tension of surviving attacks and the sense of safety found within the village. The experience is described as both engaging and enjoyable, highlighting the game's ability to evoke feelings of concern and attachment to the gameplay.
“I find myself strangely emotionally invested in the standard game I'm currently in, and have so far immensely enjoyed my time in the Grimmwood.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be highly unstable, with numerous bugs affecting gameplay.
“So buggy.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users note that the game's replayability is currently limited, but improvements and additional content are being planned to enhance this aspect in the future.
“The developers are actively working on adding more content, which will definitely enhance the game's replayability.”
“There are so many different paths and choices that each playthrough feels unique, making me want to dive back in.”
“The variety of gameplay modes and challenges keeps me coming back for more, ensuring high replay value.”
“The game lacks enough variety to keep me coming back for more.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to replay.”
“The limited choices and outcomes make replaying feel tedious rather than engaging.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that effective optimization requires extensive research and utilization of in-game tutorials and external resources, as character proficiencies vary significantly. This can lead to mismatched roles within teams, with some players struggling in roles they are ill-suited for while others remain unfilled.
“To succeed, you need to invest time in research and optimization, utilizing in-game tutorials and the official wiki (even if it's outdated). Different characters have varying proficiencies with tools and weapons, leading to multiple players attempting the same role despite lacking the necessary skills, while other roles remain unfilled.”
“The optimization process is crucial; it requires understanding character strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge helps players avoid redundancy in roles and ensures that all necessary positions are filled effectively.”
“Effective optimization in the game hinges on thorough research and understanding of character abilities, which can significantly enhance team dynamics and overall performance.”
“In order to succeed, you need to do plenty of research and optimization with the help of in-game tutorials and an official wiki (as outdated as it is) because different characters have different proficiencies with some tools and/or weapons. This results in multiple players trying to fill the same role despite being ill-suited for it, while several other roles remain unoccupied.”
“The optimization process is frustratingly convoluted, requiring extensive knowledge of character proficiencies and tool effectiveness, which is not adequately explained in the game.”
“Without proper optimization, the gameplay feels unbalanced, as players often end up in roles they are not suited for, leading to a chaotic and unenjoyable experience.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express anticipation for the game's story and lore development, indicating a strong interest in how the developers will unfold the narrative.
“I'm very much looking forward to seeing what the devs do with the game, and what happens with the story and lore.”