Return to Grace

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 41 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Return to Grace Game Cover
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"Return to Grace" is a first-person narrative adventure set in a visually striking '60s retro sci-fi world. As space archaeologist Adie Ito, you'll interact with fractured A.I. personalities of the ancient Grace system to uncover why it was shut down thousands of years ago. Your choices will affect story branching, clue discovery, character relationships, and the game's thought-provoking conclusion. Experience varied interactions and explore a wondrous 60's inspired sci-fi setting in this mystery-filled game.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • Xbox
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 41 reviews
story16 positive mentions
  • The game features excellent voice acting and well-written characters that enhance the storytelling experience.
  • The environments are beautifully designed, creating an immersive atmosphere that encourages exploration.
  • The narrative is thought-provoking and humorous, with choices that impact the story, making it engaging despite its short length.
  • The gameplay is simplistic, primarily consisting of basic puzzles and walking, which may not appeal to all players.
  • The game is very short, lasting only 2-3 hours, leaving some players wanting more content.
  • Interactions with the environment can be frustrating due to unresponsive controls and the need to reposition the mouse to activate objects.
  • story40 mentions

    The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative, strong voice acting, and immersive atmosphere. However, some critiques highlight its brevity and predictability, suggesting that while the story is enjoyable, it lacks innovation and depth. Overall, it is seen as a solid experience for fans of story-driven exploration games, despite some frustrations with pacing and character interactions.

    • “This is a funny, sometimes moving story about Adie, an archaeologist in the 39th century, attempting to uncover the fate of the Grace AI on Ganymede 900 years after her 'disappearance'.”
    • “Awesome story, lovely art, and a solid experience!”
    • “The game's graphics are pleasant, the atmosphere and voice acting are really good, there are a lot of puzzles and a lot of story to uncover.”
    • “However, the story is okayish, not really engaging or exciting, nothing innovative or surprising.”
    • “You have not really time to get into the story - as the game is already over as soon as you get into it.”
    • “The story and setting failed to draw me in and the constant banter from the lead female character was distracting.”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with basic mechanics, including exploration and simple puzzles, which some players found repetitive. While it offers a bit more variety than typical walking simulators, such as climbing and dynamic movement, the overall experience is considered average, with some users opting to skip puzzles to avoid tedious interactions. Despite its limitations, the gameplay provides enough engagement for an indie title, lasting around three hours for completion.

    • “Other games can have a mediocre or even bad story, but with mechanics that remain interesting for its entire length, it can and will be well received.”
    • “This is a walking simulator with slightly more mechanics (there's at least a flashlight) and dynamic movement (climbing, jumping, and crawling - all available at specific points, but the average walking simulator literally only has walking).”
    • “The actual walking-simulator gameplay is decent; it's not exactly a high-end visual experience, but it does enough variety for an indie game. I know it does not sound like a compliment, but honestly, when a lot of these games just drop you on a generic 3D map, I'll take a game with a bit of variety any day.”
    • “Aside from exploring the areas on foot, the only gameplay is some very simple puzzles, one of which you gain the ability to skip, which I used from then on to avoid more damn mouse clicks.”
    • “Gameplay mechanics are somewhat basic, kind of a walking simulator.”
    • “This is a walking simulator with slightly more mechanics (there's at least a flashlight) and dynamic movement (climbing, jumping, and crawling - all available at specific points), but the average walking simulator literally only has walking.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality and effectiveness, featuring beautiful artwork and a retro science fiction aesthetic. While some users noted that the design can be repetitive, the visuals successfully enhance the storytelling experience, complemented by excellent voice acting and animation. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's engaging atmosphere.

    • “The graphics and animation were my favorite.”
    • “The game's graphics are pleasant, the atmosphere and voice acting are really good, there are a lot of puzzles and a lot of story to uncover.”
    • “Voicing was superb, and artwork was beautiful and apropos.”
    • “The graphics are simple, but effectively convey a retro science fiction scenario.”
    • “Has some interesting design elements and overall good but repetitive design and visuals.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The game's humor is both engaging and thought-provoking, particularly through the interactions with the AI characters, Control and Logic, who maintain a consistent comedic presence. The story of Adie, an archaeologist in the 39th century, is infused with humor that balances lighthearted moments with deeper emotional themes, complemented by excellent voice acting that adds to the comedic effect. Overall, the humor enhances the narrative while keeping players entertained.

    • “It's humorous and thought-provoking.”
    • “Control and logic specifically, the first two AI we are introduced to, remain interesting and funny throughout, even as their specific desires influence how we progress through the game.”
    • “This is a funny, sometimes moving story about Adie, an archaeologist in the 39th century, attempting to uncover the fate of the Grace AI on Ganymede 900 years after her 'disappearance'.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Return to Grace" is praised for its strong visual design, music, and immersive qualities, contributing to a cinematic feel and a sense of escapism. While some players find the atmosphere engaging and captivating, others feel it can be inconsistent at times. Overall, the game successfully creates a pleasant and intriguing environment, particularly appealing to fans of puzzle adventure and space exploration.

    • “The game's graphics are pleasant, the atmosphere and voice acting are really good; there are a lot of puzzles and a lot of story to uncover.”
    • “The atmosphere and wonder that this game creates kept me hooked the entire time.”
    • “A really nice and atmospheric puzzle adventure game came out today, and I'm glad I've bought it because I love games with space exploration.”
    • “The game does its best to have a cinematic feel to it; sometimes it will make you do things to build some atmosphere and a sense of escapism, but it's not always convincing.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in "Return to Grace" is praised for contributing to the game's strong atmosphere and visual design, although some players find the overall gameplay experience frustrating.

    • “Return to Grace has a lot of good atmosphere, visual design, and music.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game is characterized as cute and touching, evoking emotional responses despite its simplistic nature when compared to more complex narratives like those of Stanisław Lem.

    • “A cute and touching little game, though a bit simplistic compared to the works of Stanisław Lem.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, with a playtime of 2 to 3 hours and a few different endings influenced by player choices, providing some incentive for multiple playthroughs.

    • “The story takes about 2 to 3 hours at most, and there are a few different endings along with various choices during the playthrough, providing a decent amount of replay value.”
    • “With multiple endings and choices that affect the narrative, this game encourages players to experience it more than once.”
    • “The variety of paths and outcomes makes each playthrough feel unique, enhancing the overall replayability.”
    • “The story takes about 2 to 3 hours at most, and while there are a few different endings and some small choices during the playthrough, the overall replay value is quite limited.”
    • “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back and play again, as the choices felt inconsequential and the endings didn't vary enough to warrant a second playthrough.”
    • “Despite the presence of multiple endings, the short length of the game and lack of significant changes in gameplay make it hard to justify replaying.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of voice acting received positive feedback overall, with users appreciating the quality of performances, though some expressed dissatisfaction with the writing of a specific character.

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