Growing My Grandpa!
- July 12, 2022
- Yames
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Growing My Grandpa" is a narrative-driven game where you play as Adrienne, an introverted girl raising a mysterious entity she calls Grandpa in her basement. The game explores themes of loneliness, desire, and intimacy, and features virtual pet elements as you care for and communicate with Grandpa. The game's story is steeped in dark, speculative lore that combines science fiction, magic, and neuroscience, and allows players to uncover the secrets of the basement over the course of its 90-minute playtime.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of body horror and wholesome themes, creating an engaging and unsettling experience.
- The writing and lore are rich and well-developed, providing depth to the story and encouraging exploration.
- The atmosphere is immersive, with excellent sound design and visuals that enhance the horror elements without relying on jump scares.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive, particularly the trash-cleaning mechanic, which some players found tedious.
- The game is quite short, with a playtime of around 2 hours, leaving some players wanting more content and variety.
- The heavy emphasis on reading and lore may not appeal to everyone, as some players found it overwhelming or detracting from the gameplay experience.
- story70 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is a unique blend of horror and whimsy, revolving around a young girl who attempts to grow her grandpa in the basement, exploring themes of child neglect and alienation. Players appreciate the rich narrative conveyed through various texts and notes, which, while requiring some reading, create an immersive and thought-provoking experience. The atmosphere, combined with well-crafted visuals and sound, enhances the storytelling, making it both eerie and emotionally engaging.
“The game presents you with a whole array of texts from a variety of different genres and modes—from the aforementioned experimental transcripts, to the school counselor's report that serves as the frame story, to the dialogue of the grade school-aged protagonist and of the 'grandpa' entity itself at various stages of development, to the visceral and unsettling descriptions of the world as you observe and interact with it—and each is written in a distinct style and register, each evocative in its own way.”
“A heart-warming body horror story told from two different angles; the little girl Adrienne who tries to grow her grandpa in the basement, and the school counselor/therapist that tries to figure out what Adrienne's colorful stories about growing her grandpa really mean... because no one can grow a grandpa, right?”
“Very interesting and engaging world building with a story that tied it all together nicely as you progressed, feeding you bits and pieces of info to keep it going coherently, but also to keep you just enough in the dark to wonder at the implications of your actions.”
“The storytelling elements rely heavily on reading, and I would have liked it to experiment with other elements to deliver that information, but that's the deal with most story-driven games lately.”
“Everything looks gross, slimy, or otherwise 'off,' and the story is told through research notes that leave a lot open for interpretation.”
“You spend more time reading everything (if you are interested in the story) than actually playing the game.”
- atmosphere58 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unsettling yet oddly wholesome qualities, effectively blending horror with a sense of nostalgia. Reviewers highlight the game's strong visuals, sound design, and unique lore, creating a deeply immersive experience that evokes feelings of vulnerability and tension without relying on jump scares. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, eerie, and reminiscent of classic horror aesthetics, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Atmosphere is top notch, unsettling with a strange sense of wholesomeness to it - probably from dear ol' grandpa!”
“Incredibly unique body horror game about self, perception, desire, and sacrifice all wrapped up into a wonderful, under 90-minute package with truly enthralling and idiosyncratic atmosphere and aesthetic that will stick with you long after you play it.”
“The atmosphere and mood is exactly what I was looking for in a game that tries to emulate the PS1 era horror genre - pixel shaders, pre-rendered cutscenes, creepy character portraits.”
“A very creepy atmosphere about being a little kid and getting mixed up in eldritch horrors.”
“The game consists of 90% text about a scientist and a psychiatrist both waffling on and on.....and on about just utter nonsense, rather than attempt to create an atmosphere or sense of danger etc.”
“Weirdly, the game is also surprisingly kind of wholesome, despite the especially creepy atmosphere that permeates the game, something that always seems to shine through the soundtrack and graphics.”
- graphics45 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their unique and atmospheric qualities, often described as grungy, pixelated, and reminiscent of PS1-era visuals. Reviewers noted the intentional art style that enhances the horror experience, with attention to detail and a cohesive aesthetic that complements the storytelling. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, effectively creating an eerie atmosphere that captivates players.
“The attention to detail, the art style, the sheer effort that you can tell went into it.”
“The visuals are amazing and the atmosphere is phenomenal.”
“Yames has done it again with such a visually striking game, reminding me of how Homestuck uses photos and crushes them in Photoshop to be all pixelly, though here they're used to unnerve and provide uncanny visuals.”
“Graphics are simple but get the job done.”
“The art style is very intentional: you can barely see what you're looking at, leaving your brain to fill in the gaps.”
“A very freaky body horror experience with visuals that remind me of those early point-n-click games with pre-rendered 3D graphics, which have always been inherently unnerving to me no matter the context.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and repetitiveness, primarily revolving around point-and-click mechanics and tasks like picking up trash or interacting with a character referred to as "grandpa." While some players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and narrative depth, many find the gameplay lacking in complexity and variation, leading to a sense of tedium. Overall, the mechanics serve more as a vehicle for the game's themes rather than a focal point, resulting in mixed feelings about their effectiveness.
“The visual, the sound effects, the gameplay, everything is so incredible and very immersive.”
“The point-and-click gameplay is streamlined in a way that lets you appreciate the game's mood, and I love the light 'pet sim' elements, which gives you a clear goal throughout.”
“Gameplay, while simple and not necessarily the focus of the game, does offer a bit more replayability than the creators' previous games.”
“The means of finding new notes and items are mechanically simple and a little repetitive for such a short game.”
“Which wouldn't necessarily be an issue if the core game mechanic—repeatedly picking up pieces of trash and placing them in a trash bin—wasn't so tedious.”
“Gameplay is minimal; this mostly consists of clicking through the same environments repeatedly and dragging scraps of virtual trash into a wastebasket over and over.”
- emotional26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a unique blend of heartwarming and unsettling themes, exploring childhood neglect and the bond between a girl and her grandpa through surreal body horror elements. Players find the narrative oddly touching, as it delves into the innocence of childhood while addressing deeper emotional needs, resulting in a surprisingly wholesome experience amidst the creepy atmosphere. Overall, the game evokes a mix of fear and affection, leaving players with a sense of nostalgia and a longing for familial connections.
“It’s all centered around the emotional shortcomings of a young kid, Adrienne, whose parents don’t really show her affection and constantly fight against each other. Therefore, the little girl tries to fulfill her emotional needs through other venues.”
“A truly heartwarming tale about a girl’s bond with her grandpa.”
“Weirdly, the game is also surprisingly kind of wholesome, despite the especially creepy atmosphere that permeates the game, something that always seems to shine through the soundtrack and graphics.”
- music23 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a haunting and immersive atmosphere, effectively complementing the visuals and narrative. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as masterful, eerie, and fitting, enhancing the overall experience and mood, particularly in the context of horror elements. The combination of ambient and unsettling sounds contributes significantly to the game's unique charm and emotional depth, making it a standout feature for many players.
“Amazing vibes, great music, interesting lore, and super spooky atmosphere.”
“The music in this game is masterful.”
“Creepy, fitting soundtrack.”
“The music and visual style is so crunchy, one can almost taste the pus.”
“The soundtrack is equally ambient and unnerving, reminding me of Silent Hill at its very best.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive mechanics, particularly the minigame focused on picking up trash. Many reviewers find this core gameplay element to be monotonous and lacking in engagement, detracting from the overall experience. While some acknowledge that the concept has potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, making the gameplay feel laborious and unrefined.
“An interesting concept bogged down by the super tedious trash minigame.”
“Which wouldn't necessarily be an issue if the core game mechanic—repeatedly picking up pieces of trash and placing them in a trash bin—wasn't so tedious.”
“It's kinda like some ugly hidden object screens but instead of gawking relentlessly, the tediously repetitive action of picking up monotone looking garbage and putting it in the rubbish bin until your hand starts to hurt is so boring that I thought it must be intentional.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark comedy and absurdity, as players engage in quirky tasks like scavenging for old bananas and cashews to feed their grandpa. While the game effectively maintains a dark atmosphere, many players find the concept amusing and express a desire for even more humorous interactions with the grandpa character.
“There's a humor to it all, with notions of finding old bananas and cashews in old cabinets and trash piles to feed your grandpa, but still maintaining its dark atmosphere really effectively.”
“Seeing the name 'Growing My Grandpa' and it being tagged as a horror, I naturally thought this would be a funny and maybe grotesque adventure.”
“Amazing game... could've had more grandpa though he's funny.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers slightly more replayability compared to the creators' previous titles, but ultimately falls short due to its limited content, featuring only two endings and minimal variation in playthroughs.
“The gameplay, while simple and not necessarily the focus of the game, offers more replayability than the creators' previous titles.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh, with new challenges and surprises that keep me coming back for more.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two runs are ever the same, making it a joy to replay.”
“Unfortunately, it suffers from a lack of replayability as there are only 2 endings in this short game and basically no other variation in playthroughs.”
“Gameplay, while simple and not necessarily the focus of the game, does offer a bit more replayability than the creator's previous games.”
