Grunn
- October 4, 2024
- Tom van den Boogaart
Grunn is an inventive and surreal gardening sim that leads you down different paths with every run, never losing its appeal.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreGrunn 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.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Grunn offers a unique blend of gardening and mystery, with a charming art style and engaging puzzles that keep players intrigued.
- The game features a satisfying gameplay loop where players learn from each run, uncovering secrets and progressing towards multiple endings.
- The atmosphere is delightfully eerie, providing a cozy yet unsettling experience that enhances the exploration and puzzle-solving elements.
- Some puzzles can feel illogical or tedious, leading to frustration as players may need to repeat tasks multiple times to progress.
- The game lacks clear guidance at times, which can result in confusion about objectives and lead to unnecessary backtracking.
- While the horror elements add to the atmosphere, they may not appeal to all players, especially those who prefer a purely relaxing gardening experience.
- gameplay39 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a satisfying loop of exploration, puzzle-solving, and item collection, often involving a time-loop mechanic that encourages players to relive scenarios with newfound knowledge. While some players appreciate the depth and charm of the mechanics, others find certain puzzles either too simplistic or overly complex. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging gardening elements with a whimsical atmosphere, making the gameplay enjoyable and addictive despite some repetitive aspects.
“The gameplay is unraveling layers upon layers of mystery and weirdness.”
“The gameplay loop feels very satisfying while not getting boring.”
“The gameplay is very satisfying and the puzzles are incredibly well done; I was getting huge Outer Wilds vibes while trying to solve them.”
“And there are some additional issues with the gameplay loop, which requires you to redo the entire playthrough each time.”
“There's some open-worldness and a time limit, but the gameplay is all pretty much take an item and use it where it goes to get more items, complete with a fair amount of moon logic.”
“Puzzles are either unbearably simple or unreasonably confusing; all the gameplay is trial and error.”
- graphics39 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a bold and unique art style that blends quirky aesthetics with an eerie atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. While some players appreciate the low-poly and minimalist design, others note performance issues on certain systems despite the charming visuals. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's engaging puzzles and immersive storytelling, making it a visually appealing and atmospheric experience.
“The art style is bold, unique, and weird (in the best way possible).”
“Beautiful art style and sound atmosphere, filled with so many little details and stories.”
“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.”
“And the biggest mystery (completely spoiler-free) is this: why, with those potato graphics (don’t take me wrong, it’s part of the experience and I love it), I can’t run the game smoothly on my not-so-potato computer, which had absolutely no problem with Outer Wilds?”
“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!”
- atmosphere25 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique blend of unease and surrealism, enhanced by beautiful art and sound design that create an intriguing, eerie environment. While it incorporates elements of horror, it leans more towards a whimsical yet unsettling vibe, making it accessible even to those who are easily frightened. Players appreciate the atmospheric depth that complements the puzzles, providing a rewarding experience as they unravel the mysteries within the game.
“Beautiful art style and sound atmosphere, filled with so many little details and stories.”
“The sound design creates an intriguing and ominous atmosphere when required, and the art style is very pleasant though it is used to achieve unnerving results very effectively.”
“Sure it has a spooky atmosphere and has a few startling moments (the dev even added an option to make the 'loud sfx' quieter, which is nice), but mostly it's just weird and off-kilter with a feeling of 'something's not right here'.”
“It's very well-crafted, with an overarching atmosphere of unease rather than traditional horror, though it does still contain jump-scares and other thrilling moments.”
“This might be a very minor spoiler but you'll learn pretty quickly a lot of items and things you can do are purely for achievements or atmosphere, which contrasted with a traditional point and click I think streamlines things nicely (it becomes pretty obvious the things you need once you have them).”
- story24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the main quest underwhelming and lacking depth, while others appreciate the eerie and charming narrative that unfolds through exploration and puzzle-solving. The minimalist aesthetic and unique world design contribute to a dreamlike experience, and multiple endings enhance the storytelling by encouraging players to uncover more of the plot. Overall, while the story may not be as extensive as some other titles, it offers intriguing elements and engaging side quests that keep players invested.
“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.”
“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.”
“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. 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.”
“I do understand that the game offers a lot of ways to cut down on extra time spent doing nothing, but it's also not clear which objectives are really needed to complete the main quest until you've solved the puzzle of the main quest.”
“And 'stumble' is the perfect verb here, as Grunn’s lack of direction almost necessitates, at least at first, that we aimlessly fall into 'side quests'; small seemingly (and sometimes truly) unconnected plot holes, from the mundane task of trading an 'eggball' for a band member's instrument, to the outlandish endeavor of reviving a dead goldfish pried from its earthy resting place in the park to live a new life inside a fishbowl, inside a warp hole, inside the park grounds.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of quirky, cute, and eerie elements, often juxtaposed with spooky moments and puzzles. Players appreciate the lightheartedness brought by funny characters, such as gnomes, and the absurdity of situations, like a snail race, which contribute to an overall enjoyable and mysterious experience. The game successfully balances humor with horror, creating a unique atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
“Grunn is weird and funny, don't worry about it being scary.”
“Enjoy the journey, it's got a great sense of humor and mystery.”
“10/10 the gnomes make funny noises and I got to commit light arson.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with repetitive puzzles and achievements that detract from the overall experience. While some enjoy the exploration and light horror elements, many feel that the trial-and-error nature of the gameplay leads to diminishing returns, making the grind feel less rewarding. Overall, the lack of engaging lore and the need to redo previous steps contribute to a sense of monotony.
“The reward near the end of the playthrough is learning more each time, but redoing all the previous steps was pretty tedious.”
“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.”
“It's definitely got some light horror aspects, but I've been grinding to get all the achievements.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its numerous endings, which keeps players engaged as they strive to achieve different outcomes. However, some users feel that the price point of $15 may be high for a game that primarily relies on replaying existing content, suggesting it may be better to purchase on sale. Overall, the excitement of uncovering all possible endings enhances its replay value.
“It was right up my alley for spoops, but even the replayability to get all endings was so exciting.”
“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 replayability largely stems from redoing things over and over rather than new content, I personally think the price point of $15 is a bit high and recommend getting the game on sale.”
“Even the replayability to get all endings was so exciting.”
“Definitely has replay value considering there are a ton of different endings.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its unique blend of ambient low-fi and tech trance, effectively enhancing the eerie atmosphere and adapting to gameplay moments. While some players found the music memorable only in select instances, others appreciated its pleasantness and integration with the visuals. Overall, the soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“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.”
“Don't recall much music beyond a few choice moments.”
“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 music didn't leave a lasting impression and felt forgettable.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's emotional depth, highlighting its wholesome puzzle atmosphere that fosters a sense of achievement and creativity. The option to engage with the game in a non-horror context, such as treating it like a gardening experience, adds to its emotional appeal, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wider audience.
“I wish more games had this wholesome puzzle atmosphere!”
“Great game so far, but I played it due to another review saying you can play it without touching the horror elements and can just treat it like a gardening game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth performance and reliability during gameplay.
“It runs great on Steam Deck.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
