GROSS

About

GROSS is a single player shooter game with a comedy theme. It was developed by hangry owl games and was released on January 11, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Gross is a unique twist on the classic tower defense genre. After building your defenses, you jump into the fray to take on enemies head-on. Make sure to collect as much cash as possible to upgrade your defenses and stay ahead of the game. Can you outlast the waves of enemies? 100% Tower Defense. 100% First Person Shooter.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 162 reviews

story13 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game combines fun FPS mechanics with tower defense elements, creating an engaging and dynamic gameplay experience.
The gunplay is satisfying, with a variety of weapons and unique ammo types that enhance combat strategy.
The game features a humorous story and creative level design, providing a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere.

The tower defense mechanics feel underwhelming, as turrets often lack effectiveness and players are forced to rely heavily on their own shooting.
The game can become repetitive after a few hours, with limited content and a grindy achievement system that may deter players.
Some design choices, such as the cash-stealing drones and the high cost of barricades, can lead to frustration and hinder the overall experience.

story
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a grounded and humorous narrative that enhances the gameplay experience, despite being primarily delivered through text walls. While some players found the pacing and mission structure lacking, many appreciated the character development and worldbuilding, noting that the story provides a solid backdrop for the action. Overall, it serves as a fun and engaging element, even if it isn't the main focus of the game.
- “The story itself was not phoned in... there is a well-developed idea of the how and why, who the characters are, what's happening, etc. Truth be told, I was somewhat impressed in that regard.”
- “The story is told mostly through text walls, but that's okay, because the story is very well told and dramatic; it works, although it isn't the main point of the game.”
- “The reason I wouldn't call this your typical asset flip is because there's an actual story here with characters who have a backstory and a reason to be in this situation.”
- “There is a story served in a wall of text.”
- “In story mode, at the very least, something should pop up explaining what the new enemies do.”
- “Also a little side note: the story text in the campaign scrolled way too fast for me to read, and as far as I could see there wasn't an option to scroll back up or slow it down, so I ended up missing most of the story.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
56%
7%
The gameplay in this title is a mix of first-person shooter and tower defense mechanics, offering a fun yet simplistic experience that can be enjoyable for a few hours. However, many players criticize the lack of clarity in mechanics, particularly regarding cash collection and progression, which can lead to frustration. While the shooting mechanics are praised, the overall gameplay is marred by repetitive actions and some poorly implemented features that detract from the enjoyment.
- “Fun gameplay, story is grounded and funny, and overall a good 5 to 10 hours of just fun.”
- “Satisfying gunplay and the freedom to engage with either the FPS or tower defense mechanics as desired.”
- “The basic ones are numbered with lots of variations, on top of exploding zombies, fat boi vomit zombies, big bloated green zombies that kerplode with goop when you game-end them; it's just a lot of fun and adds a whole lot of variation to the gameplay.”
- “The main gameplay issue I have with this game is the lack of focus on what genre it wants to be.”
- “Functionally complete but lacking compelling progression elements and balance reduces gameplay to a very simple set of repeated actions.”
- “The gameplay is very simple.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
67%
14%
The graphics of the game feature a unique, low-poly art style that supports gameplay clarity and decision-making, though opinions on its aesthetic vary widely. While some players appreciate the charm and smooth performance, others criticize the simplistic visuals and lack of realism, suggesting that the graphics do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. Overall, the art style aligns with the game's mechanics, but it may not appeal to everyone.
- “Enemy silhouettes are easy to read, defensive structures are clearly defined, and the overall aesthetic supports rapid decision-making during hectic moments.”
- “While the art style may not aim for realism or high-end graphical fidelity, it suits the game’s pace and mechanical focus well.”
- “The graphics are solid enough; I especially love that they actually have color and don't wash things out.”
- “The grimdark writing really doesn't fit the cartoony art style.”
- “Very crude and basic graphics and UI, but the lack of energy there is put into the actual playing of the game which goes deeper than I thought.”
- “I can get past the graphics looking like garbage, but making my PC act like I'm playing Cyberpunk.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's music has received positive feedback for its diverse and well-curated soundtrack, with many players enjoying the unique tracks that accompany each level. While some appreciate the overall charm and energy of the music, a few critiques mention that certain transitions can feel awkward or mismatched with the gameplay intensity. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, contributing to its fun and engaging atmosphere.
- “The ending song whips.”
- “There are a lot of music tracks in the game; the dev did an excellent job curating the soundtrack.”
- “Performance is buttery smooth (low poly art style helps with that), and the music slaps.”
- “I find myself coming back to this game a lot lately for little half-hour sessions of music and violence.”
- “It isn't intense enough; it sounds more like arcade music when you get into battle.”
- “Music is also pretty rad, not a big fan of metal, but this music works.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly with a low poly art style and minimal bugs, some players feel it still requires further optimization due to performance inconsistencies and poor graphics. Despite prioritizing clarity and performance, certain aspects, like gunplay and visual quality, have been criticized, indicating room for improvement.
- “Visually, the game prioritizes clarity and performance over fine detail.”
- “Performance is buttery smooth (low poly art style helps with that), and the music slaps.”
- “Performance was great - only saw one bug so far where zombies didn't spawn but resolved when restarting the level.”
- “Even with simple graphics, the game's performance doesn't fit.”
- “It needs to be optimized.”
- “Gross gunplay is absolutely garbage, graphics are disgusting, and optimization is terrible too.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a standout feature, characterized by a blend of dark comedy, exaggerated violence, and irreverent wit that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the funny story elements, clever references, and the cartoonish gore that contribute to a lighthearted yet chaotic atmosphere. The humor is further complemented by engaging gameplay mechanics and a vibrant art style, making for an entertaining 5 to 10 hours of play.
- “Developed by Hangry Owl Games and published by Hangry Owl Games alongside Hawthorn Games, the game wears its personality loudly, embracing dark humor, exaggerated violence, and relentless pacing.”
- “Tonally, the game fully commits to a blend of cartoonish gore and irreverent humor.”
- “The story they added is good, with a lot of funny references and descriptions.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with players noting that achieving 100% completion requires an excessive amount of time—up to 600 hours—due to tedious and repetitive tasks. While some find the initial gameplay enjoyable, the overwhelming grind for certain achievements detracts from the overall experience, making it less appealing for achievement hunters.
- “The game is okay; I'd usually give it a thumbs up, but the last money achievement requires you to spend hundreds of hours in 200 or so endless runs to get it. For context, there are about 10 stages, and some of them are unoptimal for grinding due to lack of space or divided spawn points.”
- “Do not get it for a 100% completion unless you want to spend over 100 hours grinding the same map.”
- “Bought the game as it looked like a fun 100% achievement hunt, which ended up being anything but that. The money achievements in the game require probably around 600 hours of tedious grinding, so I can't recommend it for achievement hunters at all.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, the game offers strong replayability through various features such as experimentation, achievement hunting, and the ability to replay missions at higher difficulties with modifiers. Players appreciate the inclusion of an endless mode and competitive leaderboards, making it a satisfying experience that stands out in the current gaming market. The pricing is also seen as fair given the replay value provided.
- “In terms of longevity, this game offers solid replay value through its emphasis on experimentation.”
- “A tight, well-polished game with replayability and heart like this is just so satisfying in today's cluttered, nebulous video game market.”
- “There is a lot of replayability; once you have finished the story, you can replay any mission at higher difficulties, with or without modifiers, and there is an endless mode and a leaderboard for you and your friends (or global population) to compete over.”
- “There is a lot of replayability; once you have finished the story, you can replay any mission at higher difficulties, with or without modifiers. There is also an endless mode and a leaderboard for you and your friends (or the global population) to compete over.”
- “$13 is entirely fair; on discount for even $10, it's a steal for the type of replayability you can get from this.”
- “In terms of longevity, the game offers solid replay value through its emphasis on experimentation.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews for stability are mixed, with some users reporting a frustrating experience due to bugs and clunky performance, while others found the game free of glitches and performance issues. Overall, the stability of the game appears inconsistent, leading to a divided player experience.
- “What a clunky mess! I did the tutorial and wanted to kill myself for playing this garbage. Like, come on... 2024, this is the best you can come up with? What a buggy, clunky mess.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback; while players appreciate the engaging mechanics and diverse zombie types, there is notable frustration with certain elements perceived as cash grabs, despite some humorous lore associated with them.
- “The weapons feel good and there's a lot of interesting zombie types and other mechanics, but I absolutely hate the flying cash grabbers. It's frustrating, even if the lore for them is hilarious and makes it somewhat worthwhile.”