Grindstone

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 100 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Grindstone Game Cover
It’s been a long while since a puzzle game has captured our attention quite as much as Grindstone.
Starting at $1.47Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Epic Games Store Get on Apple Store

Grindstone is a single-player puzzle game with great graphics and music. Your goal is to mine grindstones from Creeps while ascending Grindstone Mountain, completing 250+ levels filled with hazards and bosses. Craft gear, battle in boss-rush mode, test your luck at creepy carnivals, and compete in daily modes, all to the tune of Sam Webster's acclaimed soundtrack.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Mobile Platform
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Grindstone features a unique and addictive gameplay loop that elevates the match-3 genre with creative mechanics and satisfying combo chains.
  • The game boasts charming art direction, excellent character design, and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • With over 350 levels and various unlockable items, Grindstone offers significant content and replayability, making it a great value for players.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive over time, especially after several hours of play, leading to a sense of monotony.
  • Some mechanics feel overly grindy and reminiscent of mobile game design, which may detract from the experience for some players.
  • The difficulty balance can be inconsistent, with some levels feeling unfairly challenging due to RNG elements, making progress frustrating at times.
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay of Grindstone is engaging and addictive, featuring unique puzzle mechanics that challenge players through combos and various consumables. While the art and soundtrack enhance the experience, some players find the mechanics repetitive and grindy, with certain features feeling out of place for a $20 title. Overall, the game offers a satisfying loop but may frustrate some with its reliance on luck and specific requirements for progression.

    • “Grindstone is a fun puzzle game with interesting mechanics and tools, as well as top-notch character design and animation, and even an amazing soundtrack to boot.”
    • “The gameplay is very addictive, and for the price, it's quite a grab.”
    • “No time pressure, super easy mechanics, and consistent game rules mean you can easily pick this up and play a few rounds whenever it fits into your day - during a boring Zoom call, before bed, or while your girlfriend is trying to explain something to you.”
    • “It was clearly designed to be pay-to-win, but with the microtransactions removed, you have to earn all those currencies through gameplay, and boy oh boy does that put the 'grind' in grindstone.”
    • “The art, music, and basic gameplay are great, but it is very repetitive and has some odd, mobile-ish mechanics that feel very grindy and not worth your time.”
    • “On top of that, the new infection mechanic just makes everything worse and unfair because it snowballs so fast that your only choice will be to restart over and over until you get lucky.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of *Grindstone* are characterized by a unique and polarizing cartoonish art style, often compared to contemporary animation trends. Players appreciate the fluid animations, vibrant visuals, and the game's overall aesthetic, which combines charm with a gory twist. The art and sound design are praised for their quality and cohesiveness, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience.

    • “This game has such quality and care put into its art style and animations!”
    • “The graphics and animations are fluid and look amazing.”
    • “The aesthetic of the whole game is fun and unique too; the character design and concept are solid.”
    • “The art and animation style is probably going to be the most polarizing: it's modeled off of the contemporary Cartoon Network house style, often derisively referred to as 'CalArts style,' 'bean mouth,' 'thin line art style,' or occasionally as 'the downfall of western civilization' by the most terminally online people in the world.”
    • “But the joke is on me for not seeing through the graphical polish to the empty core.”
    • “Grindstone starts strong with a hand-drawn art style, and a video which leads you to believe there may be a story unfolding.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in Grindstone has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its original soundtrack by Sam Webster, which features meditative, dreamy trip-hop elements that enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as both unobtrusive and distinctive, making it enjoyable enough to listen to even outside of the game. Overall, the combination of excellent music and art contributes to a highly pleasant gaming experience.

    • “Music is seriously addictive and it's a fun chill strategy game that you can take your time with and just enjoy.”
    • “Great art, fantastic music, heavily recommended!”
    • “The original soundtrack, by musician Sam Webster, is a brilliant match for the title: meditative, dreamy trip-hop, unobtrusive enough that it can just melt into long hours of gameplay without distraction but distinctive enough that I always feel like I'm going 'ooh, it's this track, I love this track' when I start a level.”
    • “Plus, I love the Flying Lotus-inspired soundtrack too since I am a big fan of Flylo (saw an interview where the composer said the music is inspired by Flying Lotus!).”
    • “It has an awesome cartoonish art style and a solid soundtrack that doesn't make you mad after playing for a few hours.”
  • story7 mentions

    While Grindstone features a visually appealing hand-drawn art style and a story mode with various challenges, many users feel that the narrative is minimal and does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience. The lack of a compelling story contributes to a sense of repetition, despite the game's variety and replay value through different modes and power-ups. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging match-3 mechanics, but the absence of a strong storyline leaves some players wanting more.

    • “Grindstone starts strong with a hand-drawn art style, and a video that leads you to believe there may be a story unfolding.”
    • “There is a story mode with boss levels, daily grind modes, dungeons introducing new gimmicks, and enough power-ups and consumables to give the game a huge replay value.”
    • “Tons of levels and lots of variety, a great match 3 now that Puzzle Quest has gone to the horrible, at least for me, freemium model.”
    • “But there really isn't a story.”
    • “If there were a story, it would help remove the repetition of doing the same thing over and over again.”
    • “Grindstone starts strong with a hand-drawn art style, and a video which leads you to believe there may be a story unfolding.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with some describing it as overly long and lacking variation. The inclusion of mobile-like mechanics and the need to grind for resources can detract from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel unnecessarily drawn out. Reducing optional content and streamlining gameplay could alleviate some of these grindy frustrations.

    • “The art, music, and basic gameplay are great, but it is very repetitive and has some odd, mobile-ish mechanics that feel very grindy and not worth your time.”
    • “So yeah, overall the game feels like it's in a weird place: the core game is very enjoyable but it is super repetitive and has additional grindy aspects that feel very out of place.”
    • “Grindstone is simply too long for no reason and gets tedious and repetitive very fast because there is little to no variation to the content.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The character development in Grindstone is highlighted by its charming and unique designs, complemented by top-notch animations that enhance the overall aesthetic of the game. Players appreciate the solid character concepts, which contribute to the engaging experience.

    • “Grindstone is a fun puzzle game with interesting mechanics and tools, as well as top-notch character design and animation.”
    • “The art and animation are very charming, and the character design is exceptional.”
    • “The aesthetic of the whole game is fun and unique; the character design and concept are solid.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The game is highly recommended for those seeking lighthearted fun infused with dark humor in a fantasy context. Players appreciate the high-quality animation and character design, which contribute to its charming and humorous atmosphere, complemented by excellent music and sound design.

    • “Well recommended for a gamer who wants some light fun and enjoys dark humor in a fantasy setting.”
    • “The drawing and animation are top notch; the characters and mobs have heart and humor. The music and sound design are *chef's kiss*.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Players highlight the game's high replayability, attributed to its engaging adventure-style graphics, diverse game modes including story and daily challenges, and the introduction of new mechanics in dungeons. The variety of power-ups and consumables further enhances the incentive to revisit the game.

    • “The Adventure Time-esque (aka Cal Arts) style and the high replay value keep me coming back for more.”
    • “There is a story mode with boss levels, daily grind modes, dungeons introducing new gimmicks, and enough power-ups and consumables to give the game a huge replay value.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game, originally designed for mobile, is well-optimized for touchscreen controls and performs smoothly on the Steam Deck's joystick. However, it tends to prioritize quantity of content over quality, which may affect the overall experience.

    • “The game originated as a mobile title, and it shows: it's optimized for touchscreen controls, and it also handles beautifully with the Steam Deck's joystick.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end devices.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, ensuring a seamless experience across various platforms.”
    • “The game originated as a mobile title, and it shows: it's optimized for touchscreen (although it also handles beautifully with the Steam Deck's joystick) and prioritizes quantity over quality of content.”
    • “The performance issues are frustrating, with frequent frame drops and long loading times that detract from the overall experience.”
    • “Despite the potential of the game, the lack of proper optimization leads to a choppy experience that makes it hard to enjoy.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy is criticized for resembling that of mobile games, with players feeling pressured to either spend money or invest excessive time to avoid watching ads.

    • “Feels too much like a mobile game where they want you to spend money or hours playing it just to watch ads.”
    • “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
    • “It seems like the developers prioritize profit over player experience, which really detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

90% average critic score

Buy Grindstone

Play time

19hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
19-19hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News