GRIS

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 20,992 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • story
GRIS Game Cover
Other games may have it beat in terms of pure gameplay, but GRIS is in a league of its own as a gaming experience.
Starting at $1.49Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store Get on Play Store Get on PS Store

"GRIS is a single-player platformer game with exceptional storytelling, showcasing a hopeful girl's emotional journey through a splendidly designed, peril-free world. The game features outstanding mechanics, light puzzles, and platforming sequences, all set to an elegant original score. With minimal text, GRIS offers a highly emotional and accessible experience for all, regardless of language."

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Cloud
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 20,992 reviews
music4,999 positive mentions
grinding119 negative mentions
  • music7,750 mentions

    The music in *Gris* is widely praised for its emotional depth and beauty, enhancing the game's stunning visuals and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke feelings of grief and hope, seamlessly integrating with the gameplay to create a meditative experience. Many consider the music a standout feature, often describing it as hauntingly beautiful and a key element that elevates the overall artistic impact of the game.

    • “Gris is a beautiful experience, where visual, setting, and music hit way harder than gameplay, and it's totally worth your time.”
    • “The music is hauntingly beautiful and perfectly captures the mood and tone of the game.”
    • “The art, music, and storytelling are so beautiful and unique.”
    • “The music is a bit annoying/louder than usual, but it is to emphasize the emotion the character is feeling, which to me, is a bit intimate, yet wonderful.”
    • “The music doesn't switch smoothly, rather it gets cut.”
    • “The music, composed by berlinist, complements the visual narrative perfectly.”
  • graphics5,314 mentions

    The graphics of *Gris* are widely praised for their stunning watercolor art style, which evolves throughout the game, reflecting the protagonist's emotional journey. Reviewers highlight the breathtaking visuals and atmospheric soundtrack, noting that every frame could serve as a piece of art. While the gameplay is often described as simplistic, the overall aesthetic experience—combining visuals, sound, and emotional storytelling—leaves a lasting impression on players.

    • “Gris is an artistic masterpiece that has visuals that outshine pretty much anything you can find on the Steam platform.”
    • “The visuals, the music, and the level designs - for me, they are all 10/10.”
    • “The hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of watercolor paintings, creates a world that feels like a living, breathing piece of art.”
    • “The art style is lacking, the music is obnoxious and generic, gameplay is snail-paced.”
    • “The main problem is that the layered graphics are deliberately misleading: the exact same graphics are used for platforms you can jump on and for background images that you'll fall through.”
    • “The gameplay is not that tough but not too easy, and the visuals and sound are nothing short of excellent.”
  • story5,078 mentions

    The story of *Gris* is a poignant exploration of grief and healing, conveyed entirely through stunning visuals, music, and gameplay without any dialogue. Players embark on a journey with the protagonist, Gris, as she navigates the five stages of grief, with each level representing a different emotional state through color and design. While the narrative is abstract and open to interpretation, it resonates deeply with many players, evoking a range of emotions and personal reflections on loss and recovery.

    • “In this game, no words are spoken but rather the entire story is conveyed through music and beautiful art.”
    • “The way the story is told is wonderful and you can really feel the moments; it's amazing how it can tell the story without even saying or writing a single word throughout the whole game.”
    • “Gris is a beautifully stunning game from the watercolor scenery to the story that it conveys.”
    • “I feel like it would have been better if this game had a stronger story, perhaps explain to us why this Gris person was so broken and how she overcame it rather than just making it a walking simulator.”
    • “The story is vague but breaks your heart all the same, and finishing the game will leave you with this sense of *something*.”
    • “The story is rather simple and symbolic and works more on a profound, subconscious level, rather than implying a strong narrative.”
  • gameplay3,899 mentions

    The gameplay of *Gris* is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, focusing more on exploration and emotional storytelling than on challenging mechanics. Players engage in light platforming and puzzle-solving, with new abilities introduced gradually, creating a soothing and immersive experience. While some find the gameplay repetitive or lacking depth, many appreciate how it complements the game's stunning visuals and evocative soundtrack, making it a unique artistic journey rather than a traditional gaming experience.

    • “The gameplay is simple, yet the visuals and music create a deeply emotional experience.”
    • “The gameplay is intuitive and fun, with new mechanics introduced seamlessly throughout the game.”
    • “Gris is a beautifully crafted game that combines stunning visuals, a moving soundtrack, and engaging gameplay to create a unique experience.”
    • “The gameplay is simplistic and very linear, neither the puzzles nor the platforming pose really any challenge at all, and you can essentially glide through the entire game effortlessly.”
    • “The gameplay is nothing to write home about--the walking animation is slow, the platforming can be a tad finicky at times, and replaying chapters to find missing mementos can be a bit of a slog.”
    • “If gameplay is your top priority, this isn't the game for you, and you probably won't enjoy your time with it.”
  • emotional2,322 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Gris" is widely praised, with many players reporting profound emotional responses, including tears and catharsis, throughout their experience. The game effectively conveys themes of grief and healing through its stunning visuals, evocative soundtrack, and abstract storytelling, all without the use of dialogue. While some players found the emotional impact lacking or felt detached from the narrative, the majority agree that "Gris" offers a deeply moving and artistic journey that resonates on a personal level, making it a must-play for those seeking an emotional gaming experience.

    • “This was a touching game that you can tell had heart and soul put into it.”
    • “Gris is a very memorable and emotional experience that relies on the power of images and sounds to move your soul.”
    • “The final sequence made me feel relieved and proud she made it through to that point, saddened at the final punctuating confirmation of the truth of what she had to go through, hopeful that she was in a better place mentally after it all and would be well after the curtains closed, and thankful that I got to experience her journey with her.”
    • “Beautiful, emotional - would love to play this for the first time again.”
  • atmosphere885 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Gris" is widely praised for its breathtaking visuals, hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, and emotional depth, creating a serene and immersive experience that invites players to relax and reflect. Reviewers highlight the game's watercolor art style and ambient sound design, which together evoke a range of feelings, from tranquility to melancholy, effectively conveying the themes of grief and healing. Overall, "Gris" is celebrated as a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, where the art and music play a crucial role in enhancing the player's emotional journey.

    • “The soundtrack adds to the often relaxing atmosphere of the game, although it definitely invokes a serious and foreboding tone when the scene calls for it.”
    • “The music, the atmosphere, the art style, and the emotion and pain of gris... it is all just incredible to me.”
    • “The atmosphere created a good experience out of something that could have been overly depressing.”
    • “The atmosphere is almost majestic and you can tell that the devs put a lot of effort into making this game.”
    • “The game suffers from layering on the atmosphere for what seems like the first half.”
    • “It just falls short when atmosphere and music is all you have.”
  • replayability169 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while it can be completed in a short time (around 3-5 hours), it offers some incentive for replay through collectibles and achievements. However, several reviews highlight that the overall replay value is limited, as the experience may not feel as impactful on subsequent playthroughs, and the gameplay lacks depth. For completionists and those who appreciate the game's aesthetics, there is some replay potential, but for others, it may not warrant multiple playthroughs.

    • “This game has been a beautiful, replayable experience.”
    • “A wonderful interactive way of telling a story with so much replay value.”
    • “It is a short story, although with lots of replay value, that presents itself in a gorgeously beautiful way, and a world that makes you want to go through it again and again.”
    • “This game can be completed rather quickly (you only get about 5 hours of gameplay really), which may be a turn-off for some - it's not the most replayable (you might need like 2-3 goes to completely platinum the game), but it is definitely worth playing at least once.”
    • “For me, its replay value as a game is quite limited.”
    • “Overall, it's not very challenging and the achievements are easy to get, but the replayability value is very high.”
  • grinding139 mentions

    The reviews highlight a common sentiment that the grinding aspect of the game is often tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over slow movement, backtracking, and simplistic puzzles. While the game's beautiful art and emotional storytelling are praised, the gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall experience, making it feel like a slog at times. Overall, players suggest that while the game has its merits, the grinding elements may not appeal to those seeking a more engaging or dynamic experience.

    • “The gameplay is seamless, fluid, and beautiful; no grinding and no nonsense.”
    • “Even decided to go for all the unlockables and it wasn't too tedious to do so.”
    • “A bit grindy.”
    • “Even got tedious before I quit, which was right before the ending (the game forced me to backtrack and I'm not having that).”
    • “The tedious platforming puzzles eventually convinced me that my time would be better spent elsewhere.”
    • “The game's incredible beauty is disappointingly juxtaposed with slow movement and tedious platforming without advanced movement mechanics or progression.”
  • optimization38 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and high frame rates, some experience significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly on certain setups. A few users found that specific launch options improved their experience, indicating that optimization may vary based on individual hardware configurations. Despite these issues, the game's artistic elements and seamless integration of music and visuals are frequently praised.

    • “Runs smoothly on Linux using Proton.”
    • “Wonderful performance!”
    • “Gris runs smoothly and plays like a dream.”
    • “This game proves that a game can convey emotions without high-performance graphics and a single word.”
    • “I do have a big whopping negative about it however: it is not optimized for PC/keyboard play.”
    • “But I and a few others are suffering from serious performance issues where the game every so often would run at less than 20-10fps with serious stutter and ruin the experience.”
  • humor31 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of clever mechanics, adorable characters, and poignant dialogue that elicits both laughter and emotional responses. Players appreciate the balance of lighthearted moments with deeper themes, often finding themselves amused by quirky interactions and visual gags. While some felt the humor waned in later stages, many highlighted the game's ability to evoke joy and laughter alongside its artistic and emotional depth.

    • “It made me laugh with joy, squeal at adorable little friends, and finally it made me burst into tears at the end of it.”
    • “The articulate and poignant conversations and monologues that take place between the main characters alternate between hilarious and thought-provoking.”
    • “Wandersong offered boundless ideas and creativity, along with a superbly-scripted, humorous story of hope.”
  • stability27 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting a smooth experience free of glitches, while others encountered various bugs, freezes, and controller recognition issues. Notably, certain gameplay mechanics and boss encounters were highlighted as problematic due to glitches that disrupted immersion. Overall, while many enjoyed a polished experience, a significant number of users noted that the game is still plagued by bugs that detract from its potential.

    • “Runs great on the deck.”
    • “Also runs great on the deck.”
    • “Runs great!”
    • “Only issue I had is it seems a bit buggy to use a controller; I had to disconnect every other controller device for it to recognize the one I wanted.”
    • “But there are more glitches than I expected from something that appears so polished, and the gameplay is a bit too much 'hold forward for content' for my tastes.”
    • “But the biggest offender was the first 'boss,' which is supposed to push you over an edge so that the fight can commence, but the game glitches in a way that I never fall, so the character stays rolling next to the edge while the bird just screams at you until I decide I've had enough (alt+tab did not help this time).”
  • character development21 mentions

    Character development in the game "Gris" is praised for its emotional depth and artistic execution, with players feeling a strong connection to the protagonist's journey. The character design is described as stunning and integral to the game's overall experience, enhancing the themes of calmness, pride, and hope. While some reviews note a lack of traditional narrative and danger, the character's evolution is seen as a poignant exploration of personal growth, beautifully complemented by the game's visual and auditory elements.

    • “Gris makes you calm, proud, and hopeful through the stages of character development.”
    • “It has a touching story that it unveils perfectly with the character development of the protagonist.”
    • “I played it with my heart and soul opened, following every step of the character development, on her path, with awe.”
    • “I would say it's a very chill game, not hard at all, no real story, no character development, no real danger, it's more about art and exploration.”
    • “The character design and the overall mood of the game leans strongly towards journey, though I would say that Gris targets and achieves a much more personal and maybe 'darker' approach.”
    • “Where Gris succeeds, as stated previously, is in the visual and art department; animation, character design, and visual ambiance are executed beautifully, and just looking at the screen feels like a lot of work went into it.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    Reviews indicate a disparity between the impressive graphics showcased in advertisements and the lower-quality textures experienced in-game. Additionally, players appreciate the absence of microtransactions, suggesting a preference for a more straightforward gaming experience without the typical monetization tactics.

    • “The graphics in the ads look amazing, but in-game, the textures in the foreground are low resolution even in 1080p.”
    • “There does not need to be flashing lights, microtransactions, large open worlds, competitive PvP, large PvE raids, or anything like that.”
    • “No microtransactions.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

Buy GRIS

Play time

4hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4hMain story
6hCompletionist
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 112 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News