Grunn

Grunn is an inventive and surreal gardening sim that leads you down different paths with every run, never losing its appeal.

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Grunn is a first-person gardening and exploration game set in a scenic Dutch countryside. As a maintenance worker, you'll need to fix up a garden with limited tools, while experiencing unnerving vibes and a sense of isolation. With multiple endings, satisfying gardening tasks, and a peaceful village to discover, your actions will determine your fate before Monday arrives.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 313 reviews

graphics11 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Grunn offers a unique blend of gardening, mystery, and horror, providing an engaging experience filled with secrets and puzzles.
The game features a charming art style and sound design that enhances the eerie atmosphere, making exploration enjoyable.
With multiple endings and a time-loop mechanic, Grunn encourages replayability and rewards players for their curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Some players find the repetition of tasks tedious, as progress often requires redoing previous actions to uncover new secrets.
The game can be confusing at times, with certain puzzles lacking clear hints, leading to frustration when players get stuck.
While the horror elements are present, they may become predictable after several runs, diminishing their impact on the overall experience.

graphics
29 mentions
38 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and charming art style, which effectively creates an eerie atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and the ability to customize settings to reduce eye strain, while the low-poly pixel aesthetic adds a nostalgic touch. Overall, the combination of engaging design, immersive sound, and a focus on environmental storytelling contributes to a captivating visual experience.
- “This is a solid puzzle game, nails an eerie vibe with the art style and sound design that genuinely makes me uncomfortable, which goes a long way to setting the ambiance and mystery.”
- “The art style is incredibly unique and vibrant, the music is like this weird mix of ambient low-fi and tech trance, and the game somehow presents itself as a horror game.”
- “Graphics wise it's not going to win any awards, but personally I love this kind of low-poly pixel filter aesthetic and it works really well here.”
- “The visuals are a little harsh at their default settings, but you can mess around with various options to reduce eye strain, which I really appreciate!”
- “Graphics-wise, it's not going to win any awards, but personally, I love this kind of low-poly pixel filter aesthetic and it works really well here.”
- “Graphics-wise, it's not going to win any awards, but personally, I love this kind of low-poly pixel filter aesthetic and it works really well here.”
gameplay
23 mentions
30 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Grunn is centered around a time-loop mechanic that encourages exploration and puzzle-solving through knowledge acquisition, reminiscent of titles like Outer Wilds and The Stanley Parable. Players engage in gardening, item collection, and solving puzzles, with a satisfying loop of trial and error that rewards curiosity and discovery. While some puzzles may vary in difficulty, the overall experience is enhanced by smooth animations, a charming aesthetic, and a well-crafted environment that invites players to uncover its secrets.
- “The ultimate aim of Grunn is to, through the 'time-loop' mechanic, learn enough about the world and its puzzles to be able to complete specific objectives in different runs.”
- “The gameplay loop of finding new items and trying to figure out what you're supposed to do with them is very satisfying and addictive.”
- “The gameplay is very satisfying and the puzzles are incredibly well done; I was getting huge Outer Wilds vibes while trying to solve them.”
- “Puzzles are either unbearably simple or unreasonably confusing; all the gameplay is trial and error.”
- “Essentially, it just boils down to a walking simulator. Even the ending, which feels like it should have more gameplay, has you only walking around and clicking stuff twice.”
- “Whole gameplay turns around figuring out how to reach every possible and foremost best ending by reliving the same 3 days over and over again; kind of reminded me of Prey: Mooncrash or Deathloop (not on a big scale, but you get the idea).”
story
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and reminiscent of titles like "Outer Wilds" and "Majora's Mask," featuring multiple endings that reveal more of the narrative with each playthrough. While not as deep as some comparisons suggest, it offers a fun and mysterious storyline complemented by unique visuals and a blend of adventure and puzzle elements. Players appreciate the gradual uncovering of the plot through various collectibles and journal snippets, enhancing the overall experience.
- “I love the multiple endings and how with each one you find out more of the story!”
- “An excellent concept and good storyline played out in a unique and visually interesting way.”
- “After a long time, a really good game - very nice art style, mysterious, but fun story, multiple endings, if you don't look it up enough to explore :)”
- “I wish a lot of the top reviews said less about the story.”
- “It's not a long story or as in-depth as Outer Wilds, but it's an otherwise fair comparison in my opinion.”
- “Once you have looped through the game's locations a few times, the scares essentially become background noise; a minor disturbance on your quest to free the town from the dark presence that lurks in this otherwise welcoming and (mostly) picturesque setting.”
atmosphere
13 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as fantastical and surreal, blending horror elements with a whimsical charm that makes it accessible even to those who are easily frightened. Players appreciate the strong environmental design, entrancing visuals, and soundscapes that create a mysterious and eerie vibe, enhancing the puzzle-solving experience. Overall, the atmosphere is characterized by a unique blend of spookiness and intrigue, inviting exploration and discovery.
- “A wonderfully atmospheric game where you slowly unravel and solve the mysteries and puzzles of the game's world.”
- “The music, visuals, and eerie atmosphere all worked perfectly for me.”
- “Sure it has a spooky atmosphere and has a few startling moments, but mostly it's just weird and off-kilter with a feeling of 'something's not right here'.”
- “Love the atmosphere and the horror elements; the whole premise is really cool and quite unique.”
- “Really cute game with a mysterious and spooky atmosphere!”
humor
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its blend of humor and mystery, featuring amusing elements like funny gnome noises and lighthearted interactions amidst spooky moments. Players appreciate the fun and engaging puzzles, which are enhanced by the humorous undertones and exploration aspects. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the gameplay experience.
- “Enjoy the journey; it's got a great sense of humor and mystery.”
- “So much fun mystery, humor, and exploration.”
- “Fun puzzle/garden game with humor and horror elements mixed in!”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the satisfying exploration and discovery, others feel that repetitive trial and error can lead to diminishing returns in enjoyment, especially when outcomes become predictable. Overall, the balance between engaging gameplay and tedious grinding varies among users.
- “When trial and error becomes tedious, there are less and less ways to satisfy my curiosity, and a run could be fully wasted by resulting in the same ending I'd already had, so the diminishing returns of enjoyment become too much of a risk for my personal taste.”
- “Exceptionally good, totally normal farming game.”
music
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its unique blend of ambient low-fi and tech trance, effectively enhancing the eerie atmosphere and horror elements. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack adapts to gameplay, creating a pleasant and immersive experience that complements the vibrant art style.
- “The music, visuals, and eerie atmosphere all worked perfectly for me.”
- “The art style is incredibly unique and vibrant; the music is like this weird mix of ambient lo-fi and tech trance, and the game somehow presents itself as a horror game.”
- “The soundtrack was pleasant and adapts to what's currently going on.”
- “The music is forgettable and doesn't add anything to the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “The music doesn't fit the game's theme and often feels out of place.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its numerous endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes. Many users express a desire to replay the game in pursuit of achieving the best ending, making it a recommended experience for those who enjoy varied narratives.
- “I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to a good ending... definitely recommend as there are tons of endings, so it's really replayable!”
- “Definitely has replay value considering there are a ton of different endings.”
- “Once you've seen all the endings, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices makes replaying feel tedious and uninteresting.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the emotional depth of the game, highlighting its wholesome puzzle atmosphere that fosters a sense of warmth and positivity. Many express a desire for more games to capture this uplifting emotional experience.
- “I wish more games had this wholesome puzzle atmosphere!”
- “The story left me in tears; it was beautifully crafted and deeply moving.”
- “I felt a strong connection to the characters, their struggles resonated with my own experiences.”