GROW UP

Though it doesn't introduce many game-changing ideas, Grow Up takes B.U.D. to a bigger playground to climb in.

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In "Grow Up," players guide a lovable robot named BUD on a mission to recover his spaceship's scattered parts across a beautiful, open-world planet. Traverse diverse environments, solve creative puzzles, and unlock new abilities to help BUD reach greater heights. With charming visuals and a serene atmosphere, "Grow Up" encourages exploration, creativity, and self-expression. Experience a heartwarming adventure perfect for all ages.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,174 reviews

gameplay65 positive mentions

optimization12 negative mentions

Grow Up expands on the original game with a larger world and more abilities, making exploration fun and rewarding.
The game features charming visuals and a relaxing atmosphere, perfect for casual play.
New mechanics, such as the ability to plant and grow various plants, add depth to the gameplay.

The controls can feel clunky and imprecise, leading to frustration during platforming sections.
The game can become too easy once players unlock powerful abilities early on, diminishing the challenge.
Some players experience performance issues and crashes, affecting the overall enjoyment of the game.

gameplay
201 mentions
32 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Grow Up" builds upon its predecessor, "Grow Home," by enhancing mechanics and introducing new features, resulting in a more fluid and expansive experience. Players appreciate the creative freedom offered by the open world and the variety of traversal methods, although some feel that the climbing mechanics can become repetitive and that certain new features may be underutilized. Overall, the game is praised for its charming atmosphere and engaging physics-based gameplay, despite some criticisms regarding the balance of challenge and the effectiveness of new mechanics.
- “I love how you can experiment with the various gadgets and abilities to reach new areas, which adds a fun layer of creativity to the gameplay.”
- “The fusion of gameplay mechanics and visual spectacle intertwines seamlessly, crafting an experience that is as exhilarating as it is visually stunning.”
- “Grow up improves upon the mechanics of the game, while retaining all of its original charm.”
- “While interesting at first, the ability to grow plants you find around the map is quickly rendered useless by your other modes of transportation, and so didn't reach the full potential I feel it had as a mechanic.”
- “The climbing mechanics feel somehow worse in this than in the first game, so climbing stuff really isn't much fun.”
- “The camera is complete crap and hinders the gameplay especially while falling or climbing.”
graphics
105 mentions
34 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Grow Up" are characterized by a charming low-poly art style that creates a vibrant and inviting atmosphere, appealing to players of all ages. While some users noted performance issues and a lack of detail in textures, the overall aesthetic is praised for its creativity and ability to evoke a sense of wonder during exploration. The game's visuals, combined with its playful soundtrack, contribute to a relaxing and enjoyable experience, making it a standout indie title.
- “The charming art style and playful soundtrack create an inviting atmosphere that keeps you smiling throughout your journey.”
- “The graphics are extremely low poly, and yet, looking at the world from so high up and being able to comprehend just how small you are in comparison is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in a game.”
- “The environments themselves follow a low-poly art style that works brilliantly with the game’s tone.”
- “The graphics are very simple and cute, and they complement the silly gameplay well.”
- “Now I have an entirely new computer that should have absolutely no problem running this game, but it runs like I'm using a 10-year-old computer with no graphics card.”
- “I immediately had to turn the graphics down to minimum settings to make the game playable.”
story
73 mentions
23 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story in "Grow Up" is generally described as simple and light, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate its charm and the whimsical narrative of helping the character "Bud" find his mother, many note that the story is short and not particularly deep, allowing for a more relaxed gaming experience. Overall, the minimalistic narrative is seen as a complement to the exploration and platforming elements, making it enjoyable for those who prioritize gameplay over story depth.
- “The narrative imbues 'Grow Up' with layers of meaning, serving as a testament to the power of storytelling and its ability to elevate our gaming experiences.”
- “The story and characterization are also on point, with a simple yet engaging narrative and both Bud and Pod bringing plenty of wit and charm to the table.”
- “So you are Bud, after the success that was the previous mission you have set off (presumably), back home but because Mom was busy playing tic-tac-toe with you she hit a moon and Mom was blown apart into separate pieces, sprinkled all around the planet that the moon is orbiting. You must explore this planet to find Mom's pieces, fix her up on the moon, and get back on track with your mission.”
- “What this game does not feature is a real story, hard difficulty, multiplayer or replay value.”
- “The cinematic/cutscene when finishing the main story in this one didn't really do anything to wrap up the whole experience, so it ended up feeling a little unfinished and hollow.”
- “While this game is bigger than the first game, it feels a lot more empty and has even less storyline than the first game (the ending is worthless) and thus lost a lot of its charm.”
music
48 mentions
50 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its charming and relaxing qualities, enhancing the inviting atmosphere and overall experience. While many players appreciate the soothing soundtrack and its ability to create a positive mood, some note that it can become repetitive after extended play. Suggestions for improvement include incorporating unique soundtracks for different biomes to further enrich the auditory experience.
- “The charming art style and playful soundtrack create an inviting atmosphere that keeps you smiling throughout your journey.”
- “The settings, graphics, and soundtrack of the game are its shining features, creating a calm, lively, and adventurous atmosphere.”
- “Truly a relaxing game where the music is wonderfully soothing, the 'story' is go at your own pace and the world is a very true variant of, if you can see it you can go to it.”
- “Only real complaint is the music gets annoying after an hour or two.”
- “I think they should've made each biome have its own soundtrack and unique flora.”
- “This game didn't have any music for me.”
optimization
30 mentions
10 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players experiencing severe performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates, even on systems that exceed the recommended specifications. While some users found that lowering graphics settings could improve performance, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized compared to its predecessor, Grow Home, leading to frustration among players. Many hope for future updates to address these optimization concerns.
- “Technical addendum: yes this game has some performance issues, but these are mostly corrected by using a lower screen resolution and/or lowering the quality settings.”
- “As for the performance, the game ran at 100+ fps most of the time.”
- “There are some performance issues (none in the first one), some stuttering (I have a 970 for reference), but turn off V-Sync and lower graphics settings and it'll be fine.”
- “The game is unplayable due to constant stuttering.”
- “Game is otherwise good, although a bit poor on optimization/performance even on a good PC.”
- “I have well above the recommended system requirements and even on low graphics quality, I had severe microstuttering and a solid sub-30fps.”
grinding
26 mentions
4 % positive mentions
4 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that while some players find the grinding aspects of the game tedious and time-consuming, particularly in collecting crystals and completing challenges, others appreciate the improvements that reduce the grind compared to previous titles. The introduction of new movement abilities and less reliance on climbing has made the experience feel less monotonous for some, although completionists may still find certain tasks frustratingly tedious. Overall, the game strikes a balance between enjoyable exploration and the potential for grindy side quests.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “At the time of writing this, I finished the story and have only the grindy collecting of crystals and unlocking cosmetics via challenges to do (there you are, Ubisoft, I almost didn't see you hiding behind the charm).”
- “I would not recommend 100%-ing the game, as it can become tedious and boring trying to find the last crystals, teleporters, and pod challenges (I spent well over an hour looking for the last one of each, only to find them all together on a floating meteoroid in the middle of outer space).”
- “For all of the above reasons, Grow Up proves a fun return to our little red robot friend, but as a game, it has a lot of new features that feel useless, unnecessary, or naggy; meanwhile, it abandons the simple joy of going up, up, up with the more tedious affair of checking useless collectibles off a list.”
atmosphere
20 mentions
60 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its charming low-polygon art style, vibrant colors, and soothing soundtrack, creating an inviting and relaxing experience. Players appreciate the seamless blending of natural biomes and the immersive soundscapes that enhance exploration without the pressure of challenging gameplay. Overall, the game is described as a delightful escape, perfect for unwinding and enjoying a tranquil adventure.
- “The charming art style and playful soundtrack create an inviting atmosphere that keeps you smiling throughout your journey.”
- “It's also worth noting just how masterful the presentation of this game is, both visually and audibly, featuring some wonderfully low-key electronic instrumentation, ambient and atmospheric soundscapes, and a tasteful low-poly environment elevated by a beautiful lighting engine.”
- “Grow Up is certainly an amazing game, with its planetary open world and no failing conditions; it manages to deliver a calm atmosphere where you can play at your own pace.”
- “Compared to the first game, in my opinion, the atmosphere was worse.”
- “All in all, this is a very cute game, but everything from atmosphere to gameplay to soundtrack was just overly happy and exciting!”
humor
20 mentions
95 % positive mentions
-10 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky dialogue, funny character names, and amusing sound effects, contributing to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the cute and goofy aesthetics, along with the humorous physics and movement mechanics, although some find the controls can be frustrating at times. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with engaging gameplay, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a fun and relaxing adventure.
- “Funny, goofy and super cute.”
- “Wonderful puns and funny references thrown in.”
- “A huge open world, cute characters, and relaxing/hilarious gameplay makes this a great buy.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
- “The humor is outdated and misses the mark completely.”
emotional
15 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming atmosphere, enhanced by a unique low-polygonal art style and enchanting environments that promote a sense of joy and exploration. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of relaxation and stress relief, although some critique the lack of depth in interactions with the environment, which can detract from the overall emotional engagement. Overall, it is seen as a delightful and feel-good experience, perfect for those seeking a charming escape.
- “Wishing you joy, enchantment, and heartfelt connections on this whimsical path of discovery!”
- “It's a heartwarming and feel-good game!”
- “Let's talk about Grow Up... this game is the most wholesome and chill gaming experience you will ever play.”
stability
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The stability of the game remains a significant issue, with many users reporting persistent bugs reminiscent of the original title. While some players note that the game runs well on average systems, frustrating glitches, particularly with animal behavior and mechanics, detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable but plagued by a variety of stability problems.
- “The game runs great on my average PC.”
- “Relatively bug-free, but this one time I got stuck underneath a mushroom cap and accidentally grew a lily pad, so I self-destructed.”
- “Runs great.”
- “It is still as buggy as the first game, so being frustrated is mostly a rite of passage.”
- “Good game, if a bit buggy.”
- “Grow Up is not a bad game, it is just a lot less focused and a lot more buggy.”
replayability
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable to experiment with movement and discover new strategies, others criticize it for lacking a compelling story, multiplayer options, and significant replay value. The ability to place objects offers a slight increase in replayability, but many reviewers feel that the game's length and limited content hinder its long-term appeal.
- “Pretty replayable because it's light on story; it's just fun to mess with the movement and platforming.”
- “Replayability is very high as you can always try to find new routes and strategies to get to your objective.”
- “There are some issues, such as low replay value, but the game is truly a work of art in a world where every moment is worthy of a screenshot.”
- “What this game does not feature is a real story, hard difficulty, multiplayer, or replay value.”
- “-zero replay value (unless you're into pretty sights)”
- “However, both the original and this sequel have two glaring flaws: length and replayability.”
monetization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with Ubisoft's monetization strategies, particularly in the Assassin's Creed series, noting a decline in quality and an overreliance on microtransactions that disrupt the single-player experience by promoting grind acceleration. This shift has contributed to a sense of nostalgia for the franchise's earlier, more polished iterations.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase, but they don't affect gameplay, which keeps the experience balanced.”
- “The in-game store provides a variety of options, and I love that I can choose to support the developers without it being a requirement to progress.”
- “The allure of Ubisoft's once-fantastic Assassin's Creed series has long since faded, becoming a far cry from its golden days in the late 2000s and early 2010s, especially with the lack of polish and the fixation on trends that have grown old and stale, alongside microtransactions infiltrating single-player games to 'speed up' intentionally designed grinds.”
- “The monetization strategies in this game feel exploitative, as they push players towards spending more money to enjoy content that should be accessible without additional costs.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that could be so immersive and engaging marred by aggressive monetization tactics that prioritize profit over player experience.”