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.
- Engaging atmosphere with good graphics and sound design that enhances the feeling of being in a dark dungeon.
- Combat can feel tedious and repetitive, often relying on kiting enemies rather than strategic engagement.
- Some puzzles are overly difficult or obscure, leading to frustration and reliance on guides.
- Limited character customization options and a lack of variety in enemy types can make the gameplay feel stale over time.
- gameplay854 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 strong emphasis on puzzle-solving and exploration. While many players appreciate the challenging mechanics and atmospheric design, some criticize the simplicity of 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.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's just far too unforgiving and frustrating.”
“The gameplay is tedious, and after the first levels, it becomes repetitive, just use the square patterned movement trick so you can defeat every single enemy in the game, even the final boss!”
- graphics828 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Legend of Grimrock" have received praise for their clean, modern aesthetic that successfully revitalizes the classic dungeon crawler genre while maintaining a nostalgic feel. Many players appreciate the game's ability to run smoothly on lower-end systems without sacrificing visual quality, showcasing beautiful 3D environments and detailed monster designs. However, some critiques mention that certain textures can feel repetitive and that while the graphics are impressive for an indie title, they may not be groundbreaking compared to contemporary standards.
“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 amazing, the gameplay is solid, the story; while simple, is interesting.”
“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 lackluster narrative and bland visuals hurt the overall experience, but the core gameplay is solid.”
- story646 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in "Legend of Grimrock" is minimal and serves primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay, revolving around a group of prisoners seeking freedom by escaping a dungeon. While some players appreciate the atmospheric hints and lore scattered throughout, many find the narrative simplistic and secondary to the puzzle-solving and combat elements. Overall, the game is more focused on gameplay mechanics than on delivering a deep or engaging story, making it suitable for those who prioritize dungeon crawling over narrative depth.
“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 rich story unravels as you play, giving you a reason to want to find your way out of the dungeon, not to mention see what's waiting for you at the bottom.”
“The story is not something I really cared about at all, which is fine; it's just an excuse to crawl through some dungeons.”
“There really isn't much for story in this game either, which is a bummer because the initial premise of the game is very interesting.”
“The plot (which is never a strong point of dungeon crawlers) is eminently forgettable.”
- atmosphere384 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Legend of Grimrock" is widely praised for its immersive and claustrophobic design, effectively capturing the essence of classic dungeon crawlers. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics, eerie sound design, and a sense of isolation that enhances the overall experience, making exploration both thrilling and tense. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while providing a rich environment filled with secrets, challenging puzzles, and engaging combat.
“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 incredibly immersive, which is impressive given the way the game throws you into the midst of it with little background story.”
“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.”
- replayability190 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 can lead to virtually infinite replay value. While some players note limited replayability due to the lack of procedural generation and a fixed main story, others appreciate the variety offered through character customization, multiple difficulty levels, and the engaging community content. Overall, the combination of user-generated content and gameplay flexibility contributes to a robust replay experience for many players.
“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.”
“Given the plethora of good user-made dungeons, the replayability of this game is seemingly infinite.”
“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 it is a one-way trip as the game offers no replayability.”
- music172 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the catchy title theme and ambient soundscapes that enhance the atmosphere, particularly in later levels. However, several reviewers noted the lack of a substantial soundtrack during gameplay, leading some to prefer listening to their own music instead. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its quality when present, 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.”
“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. It's one of the few single-player games where I just put my Spotify playlist on for background music.”
“There is no music throughout most of the game; instead, you get this creepy ambiance similar to Amnesia or Penumbra games.”
“Game is almost silent; the music is just a feeble echo in the background.”
- grinding110 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the puzzles and combat to be tedious and repetitive, particularly towards the end. While some appreciate the strategic elements and old-school charm, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game often feels unnecessarily grindy, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Players have noted that excessive grinding and convoluted puzzles can lead to frustration, making the experience feel more like a chore than fun.
“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.”
“In short, this is a frustrating, sometimes tedious game that rewarded me only just enough to make me want to continue.”
“I hate the idea that the game runs on rails to a degree and I don't have a free roam 360 perspective... it makes the game as a whole insanely tedious, clunky, and boring.”
- character development30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it overly simplistic and lacking depth, particularly in combat mechanics. While some appreciate the straightforward approach and the inclusion of skills, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, especially in comparison to more complex RPGs. Despite these criticisms, the game offers some flexibility in character choices and is praised for its graphics and puzzle integration.
“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.”
“In the current climate of RPG genres where backstories, multi-layer character development, and seemingly endless dialogue all vie for supremacy, this game is wonderfully absent of all this 'clutter'.”
“If character design is your shtick, this certainly isn't your game.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by 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 one-shot party wipes, may not be funny initially, the overall experience is enhanced by the humorous interactions and the bizarre scenarios that arise, particularly involving the game's unique enemies and party dynamics. The blend of humor and challenge creates a rollercoaster of emotions, making for an entertaining experience.
“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).”
- optimization12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, with users reporting excellent performance and no bugs or stuttering, even on mid-range hardware. While character creation allows for some min-max optimization of stats, the impact on gameplay is minimal compared to the main leveling system.
“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.”
- stability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting a bug-free experience, particularly on Mac systems. However, some users have noted minor glitches and issues with AI behavior, which can affect gameplay. Despite these concerns, the game is considered well-crafted and functional right from the start.
“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.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to evoke nostalgia and heartwarming memories of past gaming experiences. The combination of engaging gameplay, realistic sound effects, and challenging modes contributes to a profound emotional impact, making players feel both entertained and reflective about their gaming history. Overall, the game successfully taps into players' sentiments, creating a rich emotional 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.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and in-game shops, offering real value without modern monetization tactics. However, some users have expressed concerns about misleading advertising related to its monetization model.
“The game provides real value and there are no microtransactions and no in-game shop or similar modern features.”
“Misleading advertising!”
