Legend of Grimrock
- April 11, 2012
- Almost Human Games
- 16h median play time
A very devoted homage that nevertheless brings back a golden era provided you lived through it the first time.
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Get on Apple Store"Captures everything that's fun about old-school RPGs." 4.5/5 – GameSpy "The balance between exciting combat, thought-provoking puzzle work, and open-ended exploration is stellar." 8.5/10 – IGN "I lost count as to how many times I threw my fist in the air and shouted, "YES!" after successfully completing a puzzle." 9.5/10 – Destructoid "Undoubtedly the best Indie Game I have played so far and at a…
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Reviews
- Great homage to classic dungeon crawlers like Dungeon Master and Eye of the Beholder.
- Challenging puzzles and secrets that reward exploration and clever thinking.
- Atmospheric design that creates a sense of dread and immersion.
- Combat can feel tedious and repetitive, often relying on kiting enemies.
- Some puzzles are overly difficult or obscure, requiring external guides to solve.
- Limited character classes and skills can lead to unbalanced party compositions.
- gameplay427 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Legend of Grimrock" is a nostalgic throwback to classic dungeon crawlers, featuring grid-based movement, real-time combat, and a mix of puzzle-solving and exploration. While many players appreciate the challenging mechanics and atmospheric design, some criticize the simplicity of the RPG elements and the clunky combat system, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game successfully combines retro gameplay with modern graphics, offering a rewarding experience for fans of the genre, though it may not appeal to those unfamiliar with its old-school mechanics.
“The sweet and sour of gameplay you experienced in the DOS games is present in this game, for a wonderful combination that combines retro gameplay feel with current era graphics and interaction.”
“Stellar and engaging gameplay from the combat to secret hunting and puzzle solving.”
“The gameplay is easy to pick up but difficult to master, and the puzzles and secrets make the experience very immersive.”
“Hours of frustrating gameplay for a dud ending.”
“The gameplay is really simple; you move as if you're on a grid one step at a time (up, down, left, right, and rotate 90° left or right).”
“The combat system is rather clunky, and the grid-layout of the game allows many enemies to be killed through mechanical exploitation.”
- graphics414 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Legend of Grimrock" have received widespread praise for their modern polish while maintaining a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic dungeon crawlers. Players appreciate the clean visuals, atmospheric lighting, and detailed environments, which enhance the immersive experience, even on lower-end systems. While some note that certain textures can be repetitive, the overall aesthetic is considered a significant improvement over its predecessors, successfully blending old-school gameplay with contemporary graphics.
“The graphics are super clean and are not a strain at all on your system.”
“Legend of Grimrock revitalizes the classic dungeon crawler genre brilliantly, with its fantastic soundtrack and neat graphics, overlayed over a traditional grid-based movement system.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, the story is okay.”
“The graphics are a bit dated for the end of 2023 (but the game did come out over 9 years ago), but they're pretty awesome considering, and fit the style nicely.”
“Unfortunately, the environmental design can only distract for so long from the repetitive aesthetic.”
“The graphics may not seem cutting edge to a lot of modern players, but they perfectly recreate those classic games, as does the sound, gameplay & UI.”
- story323 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in "Legend of Grimrock" is generally considered minimal and serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay, focusing on a group of prisoners seeking to escape a dungeon. While some players appreciate the atmospheric hints and lore scattered throughout the game, many agree that the narrative is simplistic and not the main draw, with the gameplay and puzzles taking precedence. Overall, the story is engaging enough to provide context but lacks depth and character development, making it more of a vehicle for the dungeon-crawling experience.
“The story is nicely paced and cleverly revealed, leaving a feeling of mystery and layers beneath what things appear at first glance.”
“The game has a nice, simple story and I quite liked the little twist at the end.”
“The story in this game is most certainly not thrust upon you, and you will have to search for it.”
“The story is not something I really cared about at all; it's just an excuse to crawl through some dungeons.”
“There's almost no story; the camera movement is quite cumbersome, and levels are somewhat similar.”
“The story is sparse and told from your group’s point of view, meaning you are in the dark just like they are.”
- atmosphere192 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and claustrophobic qualities, effectively capturing the essence of classic dungeon crawlers. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics, eerie sound design, and challenging puzzles that contribute to a sense of dread and exploration. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience and evoking nostalgia for fans of the genre.
“The atmosphere is great, and winning fights or solving riddles will give you a bunch of dopamine surges as well as that classic old school vibe... fortunately, you don't have to draw your own maps on graph paper - unless you want to :)”
“The atmosphere is very immersive, great sounds, dungeon design is solid, lots of secrets and puzzles, loads of fun.”
“The atmosphere of the game is surprisingly engaging.”
“The atmosphere is claustrophobic and can even feel a little creepy at times.”
“The atmosphere of the dungeon is pretty oppressive, and the traps, secrets, and puzzles are well thought out, although some are just unfair.”
“With no music playing in the background, you are thrown into a place with heavy atmosphere: small sounds tickle the ears while monsters are heard shuffling about, and faint whispers make you wonder if you're actually alone down here... or if you're going mad from the oppressive isolation.”
- replayability95 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is significantly enhanced by its support for the Steam Workshop, allowing players to create and share custom dungeons, which adds a wealth of content and variety. While some reviews note limited replayability due to the fixed nature of the main campaign, many players appreciate the potential for multiple playthroughs through different character builds, difficulty levels, and user-generated content. Overall, the combination of modding capabilities and diverse gameplay options contributes to a robust replay value for those who enjoy exploring new challenges.
“Super replayable with lots of skill trees and builds to make, equipment to find, and dozens of user-created dungeons on the workshop (and a dungeon editor, if you want to make your own).”
“The game has a very long campaign, it took me around 19 hours to finish the main campaign and I didn't even find all the secrets. You can start a new game with different party configurations and the game has Steam Workshop support with over 700 custom dungeons; this thing has some serious replay value.”
“Game play is robust, challenging, and the Steam Workshop gives it endless replayability.”
“It's a hard-coded dungeon, there's not much replayability.”
“I wouldn't pay more than $5.00 for it though, seeing as replayability is virtually nil. I played through it twice, which will be more than enough for me to never touch the game again.”
“Although the game only has 3 classes (fighter, mage, rogue), you can spec them in different ways to give the game decent replayability.”
- music86 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the catchy title theme and ambient soundscapes that enhance the atmosphere, particularly in later levels. However, several users note the lack of a substantial soundtrack during gameplay, leading some to prefer listening to their own music instead. Overall, while the music is described as decent and fitting, its limited presence detracts from the immersive experience for some players.
“Legend of Grimrock revitalizes the classic dungeon crawler genre brilliantly, with its fantastic soundtrack (mostly ambient, but a kick-ass main theme) and neat graphics, overlayed over a traditional grid-based movement system.”
“The music, ambiance, and sound effects were perfect.”
“Beautiful music combined with fantastic graphics takes me into a time machine of old school computer gaming.”
“Like with the visual part, there are some good sounds and melodies, but I’ve heard only 3 or 4 of them throughout the game; there is no other music.”
“Unfortunately the same can't be said about the sound; most of the sound effects are basic but serviceable, but the music is non-existent. One of the few single-player games I just put my Spotify playlist on for.”
“There is no music throughout most of the game; instead, you get this creepy ambiance similar to Amnesia or Penumbra games.”
- grinding55 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious and frustrating, particularly due to repetitive puzzles and combat mechanics that lack engagement. Many reviews highlight that while some moments can be rewarding, the excessive trial-and-error gameplay and the need for meticulous planning detract from the overall enjoyment, making the experience feel more like a chore than fun. Despite these criticisms, some players still recommend the game, acknowledging its nostalgic charm and strategic elements, albeit with a caution about the grindy nature of the gameplay.
“It is tedious, it is not fun and it hasn't got much of a fantasy feel about it.”
“If that is your thing, then more power to you, but I have a busy life and my time is too valuable for me to want to spend my evenings grinding away on puzzles that require perfect finger sequence coordination under a time constraint.”
“The puzzles weren’t too difficult but as it got towards the end of the game they just became annoying, as in the start it's all about the combat with a few puzzles, but towards the end it just seems to be all puzzles and some of them are really needless.”
- character development15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as simplistic and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it relies heavily on basic mechanics rather than offering tactical complexity. While some appreciate the straightforward approach and the absence of convoluted backstories, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leaving character progression feeling dull and predictable. Despite these criticisms, there are mentions of flexibility in character choices and enjoyable design elements that contribute to the game's appeal.
“Also present in Grimrock is the inclusion of skills and some flexibility in your character development.”
“Graphics, level design, character development, and magic system are absolutely up to date and provide the player with many hours of great fun.”
“Log is a dungeon crawler with a lot of interesting puzzles, well-balanced combat, and nicely done character development.”
“The character development and combat are actually dull - they could have introduced more tactics with skills, but all you need to do is click one button for a warrior or make a quick rune pattern for a mage.”
“If character design is your shtick, this certainly isn't your game.”
“In the current climate of RPG genres where back-stories, multi-layer character development, and seemingly endless dialogue all vie for supremacy, this game is wonderfully absent of all this 'clutter'.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of dry wit and absurdity, with players finding amusement in the quirky character designs and the juxtaposition of creepy atmospheres with comedic elements. While some moments, like party wipes, may not elicit laughter, the overall experience is enhanced by humorous interactions and the bizarre scenarios that arise, such as characters engaging in over-the-top combat while enemies plead for mercy. The blend of challenges and varied enemy designs contributes to a rollercoaster of emotions, making the humor a notable aspect of the gameplay.
“And with the right party composition, it's possible to just punch any enemy in the game while they beg for mercy, unable to stop your funny-looking lizardmen from going full Fist of the North Star on them.”
“The atmosphere is creepy, the sounds make it scarier, good challenges, enemies vary from hilarious to 'super scary, go away, leave me alone', creating a rollercoaster of emotions.”
“What separates this first-person dungeon crawler is the whiff of dry humor and psychedelics (your party will eat their share of mushrooms to stay alive).”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, with users reporting smooth performance and no bugs. While character optimization in party creation offers minor benefits, the game's primary focus is not on character building. Players have experienced excellent performance across various hardware setups, including laptops.
“I did not encounter any bugs, and the game is overall quite well optimized.”
“The game ran well, and I had no issues with performance or bugs.”
“It's a lot more fun to create your own party, and doing so allows for min-max optimization of each character's stats to the role in which you will use them.”
“In reality, the benefits are minor compared to how you level up in the main game, but optimizations can mean the difference of 20 health points or mana points by the end of the game.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting a bug-free experience, particularly on Mac. However, some users noted minor glitches, which are considered typical for games, while others found the AI's behavior inconsistent and frustrating.
“The game works 'straight out of the box' with no messing around and appears to be completely bug-free.”
“No glitches whatsoever.”
“It's not really hard but tedious and uninteresting since the AI is buggy and it's hard to discern the timing when it's so variable in its movement.”
“- a handful of glitches (which are to be expected)”
“Game is definitely crafted lovingly and it's not a buggy mess or anything.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be a deeply emotional experience, evoking nostalgia and a sense of connection to past gaming moments. The combination of engaging gameplay, realistic sound effects, and challenging modes enhances the emotional impact, making it a heartwarming journey that resonates with long-time gamers. Overall, it successfully captures the essence of retro gaming while providing a fresh experience.
“Thank you for an absolutely heartwarming nostalgia trip, entertaining playthrough, and many amazing player-made maps!”
“I played on hard and old school mode, and it hurt me emotionally.”
“I miss those sorts of games, and Grimrock made me feel nostalgic, so I think it's a success.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and in-game purchases, offering real value without modern monetization tactics. However, some users feel that the advertising is misleading.
“The game provides real value and there are no microtransactions or in-game shop features.”
“Misleading advertising!”
