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Grunn

Grunn is an inventive and surreal gardening sim that leads you down different paths with every run, never losing its appeal.
Grunn Game Cover
94%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
grinding, stability
97% User Score Based on 982 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCMac OSSteam DeckWindows
Grunn Game Cover

About

Grunn is a single player open world simulation game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Tom van den Boogaart and was released on October 4, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

A gardener gets hired to do some maintenance work over the weekend. The tall grass needs to be cut, the wild hedges trimmed, and the dead flowers could use some water. A simple task, but strangely some tools are missing…The owner of the garden isn't around, and their house is off-limits. Perhaps new tools can be found in the mysterious town, or maybe some of the reserved townsfolk have seen them?

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97%
Audience ScoreBased on 982 reviews
graphics38 positive mentions
grinding24 negative mentions

  • Unique and intriguing blend of gardening, mystery, and puzzle elements with a surreal and eerie atmosphere.
  • Highly replayable with multiple endings, secrets, and a rewarding knowledge-based progression system.
  • Charming and distinctive art style complemented by immersive sound design; enjoyable even for players not fond of horror due to minimal jump scares.
  • Repetitive gameplay loop requiring restarting the entire run upon death or reaching an ending may lead to frustration and feel tedious.
  • Some puzzles and progression steps can be unclear or require trial and error, sometimes lacking intuitive logic.
  • Lack of adjustable controls (e.g., key rebinding) and occasional performance issues on certain platforms like Steam Deck.
  • graphics
    79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique, bold, and charming low-poly art style that effectively blends cozy, eerie, and surreal atmospheres to complement its spooky puzzle-adventure theme. While visually captivating and distinctive, some users note occasional eye strain and performance issues on certain platforms despite the simplistic graphics. Overall, the aesthetic significantly enhances the immersive experience, contributing to the game's strong ambiance and replay value.

    • “Great game, art style is really unique and it does contribute to the game's cozy horror vibes!”
    • “The minimalist aesthetic works beautifully, adding a unique indie charm, easy to understand visuals, and accentuates a dreamlike storybook world.”
    • “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.”
    • “The graphics and art style strain your eyes a bit.”
    • “And the biggest mystery (completely spoiler-free) is this: why, with that potato graphics (don't take me wrong, it's part of an experience and I love it), I can't run the game smoothly on my not so much potato computer, that had for example absolutely no problem with Outer Wilds?”
    • “For a game with simple graphics I've never seen such performance difference between Steam Deck and Windows native.”
  • gameplay
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a well-crafted blend of time-loop exploration, puzzle-solving, and subtle gardening mechanics that provide a calming yet engaging experience. While the looped structure and some trial-and-error elements may feel repetitive or tiring to some, the intuitive design, rewarding discoveries, and clever use of clues like polaroids keep players invested and eager to uncover multiple endings. Overall, it offers a satisfying and memorable adventure with a unique balance of simplicity and depth.

    • “A very good game with lots of secrets to discover, and gameplay that focuses heavily on 'what if I do this' / puzzly elements.”
    • “The gameplay loop of finding new items and trying to figure out what the hell 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.”
    • “Part of why it is tiring is that it isn't clear for a while that the main mechanic of the game, gardening, is almost wholly irrelevant to any of the endings or the underlying plot.”
    • “And there are some additional issues with the gameplay loop, which requires you to redo the entire playthrough each time.”
    • “Puzzles are either unbearably simple or unreasonably confusing; all the gameplay is trial and error.”
  • story
    55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is charming and layered, starting simple but evolving into a darker, mysterious narrative rich with subtle environmental storytelling and multiple endings. While some find the plot slow or underwhelming, many appreciate the intriguing world, quirky characters, and puzzle-driven exploration that gradually reveal more depth and lore. Overall, the story's appeal lies in its unique, eerie atmosphere and the satisfaction of uncovering its secrets through replay and experimentation.

    • “Fun game with open-ended story that looks jank and cheap on the surface but has a ton of depth that will surprise you as long as you enjoy experimenting and puzzles.”
    • “Non-Euclidean areas fitting inside a hay bale, eerie characters speaking in tongues and looking both inviting and menacing; an unnervingly charming story unfolds itself as layers of an onion, making you want to experience just a little bit more of this place and its otherworldly occurrences, even after managing to complete the main story.”
    • “Without giving away too much, the story starts off innocent but quickly devolves into something darker where a little more is revealed around each corner.”
    • “Finally, I found the plot not that interesting, and only one of the endings felt like an ending.”
    • “There are some apparent quests that basically lead nowhere.”
    • “This is my biggest issue with the game, since the main quest itself ended up being really underwhelming and was in dire need of more pieces to make it up, pieces that were in the game but unfortunately were not used where they were required the most and the most frustrating part of the experience was precisely realizing that out of the 100 puzzle pieces that I was painstakingly keeping track of I only needed about 25 of them (at most) to make the whole picture.”
  • atmosphere
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere across these reviews is consistently praised for being eerie, unsettling, and richly immersive, blending elements of mystery, surrealism, and subtle horror without relying heavily on cheap jump scares. The combination of unique art styles, sound design, and environmental storytelling creates a captivating, often spooky vibe that enhances puzzle-solving and exploration. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that deeply engages players and complements the game's thematic and gameplay elements.

    • “An entertaining and gripping little mystery/puzzle/horror game with some funny moments and good jump scares, as well as a nice slowly increasing unsettling atmosphere and some decent open-ended puzzles to boot.”
    • “A great mix of mystery and surrealism that creates a perfect atmosphere.”
    • “This minimalist approach to sound design builds tension without resorting to cheap scares, instead allowing atmosphere and suggestion to do the heavy lifting.”
    • “At least the atmosphere and sounds are decent, but everything else is a huge disappointment.”
    • “Sure it has a spooky atmosphere and has a few startling moments (the dev even added an option to make the loud sound effects quieter, which is nice), but mostly it's just weird and off-kilter with a feeling of something's not right here.”
    • “The game isn't really a horror game, more creeping dread and atmosphere, and you can figure out how each hazard works and how to become immune to it.”
  • grinding
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is a mixed experience: while the core actions are manageable once learned, the mandatory repetition and restarting from the beginning can feel tedious and grind-heavy, especially with tasks like grass cutting and regathering items. Some players find the short, engaging loop tolerable, but others are frustrated by the lack of checkpoints and the repetitive nature of early tasks, which hampers long-term enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Having to run around and regather all your items is extremely grindy (and I play OSRS).”
    • “I felt there weren't enough hints to figure things out at a reasonable pace, and the game seems to rely on repeating the same mindless, tedious tasks (looking at you, grass cutting!) to pad the playtime.”
  • humor
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is quirky, absurd, and often intertwined with creepy and horror elements, creating a unique blend of funny and unsettling moments. Players appreciate its charming, funny interactions, clever jokes, and occasional laugh-out-loud scenes, which complement the mysterious and eerie atmosphere. Overall, the humor adds a playful and enjoyable layer to the game's suspenseful and spooky tone.

    • “Its quirky, funny, creepy but never too scary and I hope more people try this out!”
    • “Just creepy enough to be scary at times, complex enough puzzles to make me think hard but also solvable for even a novice puzzler, and so many funny interactions that had me cackling.”
    • “The way the game can switch on a dime from funny to serious to serene to horror still blows me away, and I think the use of non-Euclidean spaces help the feeling this game is trying to give off, and the music really helps those feelings sink in.”
  • music
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, seamlessly shifting between moods and complementing the eerie and unique vibe. While a few found it unremarkable or sparse, most highlight the soundtrack's blend of ambient, low-fi, and electronic elements as a strong, immersive complement to the gameplay.

    • “The way the game can switch on a dime from funny to serious to serene to horror still blows me away, and I think the use of non-euclidean spaces helps the feeling this game is trying to give off, and the music really helps those feelings sink in.”
    • “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 low-fi and tech trance, and the game somehow presents itself as a horror game.”
    • “The soundtrack is nothing special and the jumpscares are rather cheap.”
    • “Don't recall much music beyond a few choice moments.”
    • “Well, I did that, and all I got was a bit of animation, some music, and a Steam achievement.”
  • replayability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability through multiple endings, secrets, and a structure that reveals new insights with each playthrough, appealing to fans of cozy horror. However, some feel replay value relies more on repetition than fresh content, making its value dependent on price. Overall, it is recommended for players who enjoy uncovering all endings and exploring ambiguous mysteries.

    • “This structure encourages replayability, as every session brings new insight, even if the world’s mysteries remain deliberately ambiguous.”
    • “Definitely has replay value considering there are a ton of different endings.”
    • “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!”
    • “Since the game works based on how much you know, once you've finished the game, there is no more replayability other than 100% completing the game's secrets.”
    • “Since the replayability largely stems from redoing things over and over rather than new content, I personally think the price point of 15 USD is a bit high and recommend getting the game on sale.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game delivers a compact yet emotionally resonant experience that lingers with players long after completion, successfully blending simplicity with depth. Its wholesome, experimental atmosphere appeals to those seeking emotional engagement without heavy exposition or horror elements.

    • “This openness aligns perfectly with Sokpop Collective’s design philosophy—games that are compact, experimental, and emotionally resonant without relying on exposition.”
    • “It’s a small game with a big emotional footprint, one that lingers long after you’ve finished mowing the last patch of grass.”
    • “I wish more games had this wholesome puzzle atmosphere!”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game runs smoothly and is stable overall, with no significant issues reported. While some users noted occasional graphic glitches, these do not impact overall performance or enjoyment.

    • “It runs great on Steam Deck.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game shows poor optimization on the Steam Deck, with significantly worse performance compared to its Windows version despite having simple graphics.

    • “Horrible Steam Deck performance.”
    • “For a game with simple graphics, I've never seen such a performance difference between Steam Deck and Windows native.”
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10h Median play time
10h Average play time
4-15h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Grunn is a open world simulation game with horror and mystery themes.

Grunn is available on PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Grunn.

Grunn was released on October 4, 2024.

Grunn was developed by Tom van den Boogaart.

Grunn has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Grunn for its graphics but disliked it for its grinding.

Grunn is a single player game.

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