Secrets of Grindea

About

"Secrets of Grindea" is a 2D hack and slash action RPG that allows players to explore a vast world, battling monsters and collecting loot. The game features a unique combat system, cooperative multiplayer, and a flexible class system that lets players mix and match abilities. The story follows a young adventurer seeking to uncover the secrets of the magical land of Grindea.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,398 reviews

story1.2k positive mentions

grinding1.1k negative mentions

Amazing and highly recommended with complete freedom in player builds and addictive gameplay loops.
Engaging story with hilarious moments and memorable characters.
Fun combat mechanics with a variety of melee, ranged, and magic abilities.

The game requires excessive grinding for cards and items, which can become tedious.
Some boss fights and puzzles can feel frustratingly difficult and unbalanced.
The game has been in early access for an extended period, leading to concerns about its completion.

story
3,512 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The story of "Secrets of Grindea" is described as engaging and humorous, with a lighthearted tone that incorporates self-aware parody elements and references to classic RPGs. While many players appreciate the charming characters and comedic dialogue, some express disappointment over the story's incomplete status, noting that it currently offers only a limited amount of content, typically around 10-15 hours of gameplay. Overall, the narrative is seen as enjoyable but not groundbreaking, with players eager for further updates to expand the storyline.
- “The story is surprisingly engaging, progression is rewarding and it has a great sense of humor and charm.”
- “The story is charming, the boss fights are thrilling and challenging, and the game nails the 'collector's adventure' vibe perfectly.”
- “The story is well-written, it's genuinely funny, and it has everything to make you feel like you're playing a classic RPG on the SNES.”
- “The game's actual story finale got put on hold for years while the devs kept putting out little tweaks to this garbage mode.”
- “The story is lacking for an older mature gamer, but 'fine enough'.”
- “The story is pretty weak overall, though I did start to enjoy the writing much more by the third chapter.”
gameplay
1,338 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
2%
The gameplay of "Secrets of Grindea" is widely praised for its engaging mechanics, reminiscent of classic RPGs like "The Legend of Zelda" and "Secret of Mana," while incorporating modern elements such as a robust skill tree and cooperative multiplayer options. Players appreciate the balance of combat and puzzle-solving, though some note that the game can be grindy, particularly with card collection mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is described as fun, fluid, and rewarding, with a variety of builds and challenges that keep players invested.
- “The gameplay is fun and there are a lot of build possibilities.”
- “The gameplay loop is fantastic, the exploration is phenomenal, I'm going to recommend this game, for now.”
- “The gameplay is solid and reminds me very much of Secret of Mana and some old school Zelda games, but with more freedom, which is obviously what they were going for.”
- “This experience has all the frustrations of a game pretending like spongy bosses and unfair gimmicks is the epitome of difficult gameplay, without any of the charm.”
- “The difficulty is well beyond anything that came before it, which is not great from a balance perspective, but the real issue is that the specific mechanics of the fight seem designed to punish players who have crafted their own build and enjoyed progressing through harder and harder fights with it.”
- “Trash gameplay, it's all just fighting, no real gameplay of value.”
grinding
1,092 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of "Secrets of Grindea" is a central feature, with many players noting that it can be both enjoyable and rewarding, especially for those who appreciate collecting items and leveling up. While some find the grind to be tedious, particularly when pursuing rare drops or completing the game 100%, others appreciate the engaging combat and the way the game encourages grinding through mechanics like increased enemy spawn rates. Overall, the game caters well to fans of grinding, but those who dislike it may find the experience less enjoyable.
- “It is not that grindy actually, it's an ace action puzzle RPG.”
- “Contrary to what the title suggests, the game is not too grindy at all. Yet, if you really want to go for 100% completion, there's a challenge waiting for you, and your character will greatly profit from it.”
- “I recommend this to anyone looking into the JRPG genre, as there is little to no grinding involved.”
- “Starts off fun, but slowly the game just gets more grindy. I'm not talking about just grinding for experience either (that would be more fun).”
- “Grinding for cards for 2 hours and didn't even notice.”
- “The majority of my playtime revolves around farming cards that are required for the final boss, which I really find frustrating.”
graphics
736 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
47%
2%
The graphics of "Secrets of Grindea" are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, vibrant colors, and detailed animations that evoke nostalgia for classic RPGs. Many reviewers highlight the game's beautiful visuals and smooth animations, which enhance the overall gameplay experience, while some note minor inconsistencies in character artwork. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and immersive atmosphere.
- “The art style is cartoonish yet beautiful, and the animations and music are enchanting.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the story is nothing to write home about at first, but it gets better.”
- “The graphics are charming.”
- “First things first: the graphics are okay, they look cute enough but are simple.”
- “So if the combat is bad, the story is nothing to write home about, the graphics and sound design are lacking, why did I put almost 50 hours into this?”
- “Sometimes the graphics make it hard to distinguish what is background art and what is movable or collectible items, especially when first starting, but it doesn't take long to become used to it.”
music
538 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its nostalgic and immersive qualities that complement the vibrant pixel art and gameplay. While some tracks are described as catchy and fitting, others note that the music can become repetitive, with only a few standout pieces. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, enhancing the game's atmosphere and emotional moments, though some players wish for more variety and uniqueness in the compositions.
- “The music is absolutely fantastic and, just like the rest of the game, is extremely charming.”
- “The vibrant and colorful graphics are reminiscent of Earthbound, and the music truly captures the spirit of the game.”
- “The music is fantastic and the graphics are fun and colorful!”
- “The music is pretty grating at the start.”
- “Repetitive music loops of maybe 45 seconds per area.”
- “Great game overall, you can see the devs really put love into it, the only downside is the music, I wish it was better and more unique; it's low effort in some parts of the game, where they do just one song on the loop and it gets annoying.”
humor
534 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its clever writing, quirky characters, and engaging dialogue that often elicits genuine laughter. While some find the humor to be charming and reminiscent of classic RPGs, others criticize it as forced or overly reliant on clichés and memes. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor into its narrative and gameplay, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate lighthearted, self-referential comedy.
- “The humor is on point, the game itself is clever and engaging.”
- “The writing is campy but quite funny in some spots, characters are memorable if a bit generic, the music is pleasant and fitting, the boss battles are very tough but (mostly) fair, and the grinding for items and cards is quite satisfying.”
- “The story is surprisingly engaging, progression is rewarding and it has a great sense of humor and charm.”
- “It feels like the devs are standing over my shoulder with a knife to my throat, whispering 'please laugh' desperately as they constantly babble a flood of unfunny jokes, unoriginal references, and regurgitated memes.”
replayability
196 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
54%
2%
The game boasts high replayability, primarily due to its engaging arcade mode, which offers a roguelike experience with randomly generated challenges and the ability to experiment with various character builds. Players appreciate the multiplayer options, diverse combat styles, and the potential for different playthroughs, although some note that the story mode lacks depth and can feel repetitive. Overall, the combination of modes and customization options provides significant replay value, making it a compelling choice for players seeking long-term engagement.
- “The arcade mode offers an absolutely enormous potential for replayability with a full roguelite experience.”
- “The game has great replay value, online multiplayer, great combat, and an interesting but overall funny story that is skippable.”
- “In the end, what gives this game a lot of replayability, both in story mode and in arcade mode, is the progression system and the appeal of trying out new builds and tactics.”
- “Bosses past the 1st temple are not only itemless, they aren't even replayable, a feature showcased early on then forgotten about... why refight bosses for unique drops, right?”
- “It felt like it was made for the purpose of enticing people to pay more money than what the minimal amount of content is worth; it looks appealing to the eyes, but has no replayability and runs out of content incredibly quickly.”
- “The story alone isn't that long sadly and doesn't offer that much replayability in my eyes.”
stability
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various glitches, particularly in multiplayer mode, which can disrupt gameplay. While some users have experienced minor bugs that are easily resolved, others have encountered more significant issues that hinder enjoyment. Overall, the game is still in early access, and while it shows promise, it requires further polishing to address the reported stability concerns.
- “This game is extremely responsive, 99% bug free and runs like a champ.”
- “While the whole game isn't available yet bug free, thankfully they have given us the option to play stable or frontline.”
- “Stable is obviously bug free and frontline lets you go farther but with bugs, so you can play how you choose your style.”
- “But while some of these glitches are funny and relatively harmless, others were very frustrating and greatly interfered with my ability to enjoy the game.”
- “While playing through with my friend we encountered multiple glitches that made the game unplayable or forced us to close it in order to get out of a never-ending loop of glitches.”
- “We attempted to play again after waiting around for an extended release and the game is very buggy.”
emotional
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has unexpectedly powerful emotional moments that resonate deeply with players, often leading to genuine tears and heartfelt reactions. While some emotional beats may fall flat due to limited character engagement, the overall storytelling, art style, and soundtrack create a heartwarming experience that leaves a lasting impact. Players appreciate the blend of humor and serious themes, making it an emotional rollercoaster that encourages them to push through challenging gameplay for the sake of the narrative.
- “The story picks up pretty quickly in the back half, however, and when comedy was set aside to make room for serious story beats, it made for real heartfelt moments that genuinely caught me off guard.”
- “The story, soundtrack, and art style are extremely heartwarming, and it's notable how every new area, enemy, and boss fight is made with palpable love.”
- “As you progress through the game, however, the storytelling takes these same motifs and shows them to you in a more personal and emotional way.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
32%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming and immersive qualities, enhanced by lighthearted dialogue, a delightful soundtrack, and vibrant visuals. Players appreciate the distinct moods of different zones, the nostalgic music that complements the story, and the humor infused in side quests, all contributing to a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as colorful, satisfying, and perfectly aligned with the gameplay, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “A really lovely and immersive atmosphere with different zones that have an entirely different mood and feel to every single one!”
- “The atmosphere and music of the game fits perfectly to the story and provides an amazing element of nostalgia.”
- “Gameplay is immaculate, the atmosphere is amazing, and the arcade mode, especially with friends, is the most fun I've had in a long time.”
- “A decade later I finally got to play it, and while I enjoyed the story, the overall gameplay and atmosphere, I didn't like the grind so much.”
- “Admittedly I haven't really taken the time to read much of the chat boxes, but that's the impression I get from some of the bosses and atmosphere.”
- “The myriad of various game references throughout keeps the atmosphere fresh.”
character development
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and charm, featuring intricate growth systems and a variety of customization options that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the engaging dialogue, cute character designs, and the integration of side quests that contribute to a rich narrative. While some minor critiques exist regarding music and certain character designs, the overall consensus highlights a well-structured and enjoyable character development system that appeals to a wide audience, including younger players.
- “This game has everything you'd ever want in an RPG: sidequests, leveling and character development, witty/fun humor in the story, and it can be very challenging at times.”
- “Great game, controls are tight, character development options are limitless.”
- “Overall the game is good from the music, gameplay mechanics, story, character design, and variety of items and weapons that you can get, but with the abysmal drop rate of monster cards that I've been grinding for a single card for 2 hours and with a total of 500 kills, together with potion enhancing card drop that increases the card drop by 36%, and I still didn't get the card.”
- “I had no problems so far, but the music could be better and some of the character designs could also be improved.”
- “It has an enjoyable gameplay system, with a fair degree of intricacy regarding character development and growth.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
11%
11%
The game is generally well-optimized, with smooth performance and minimal bugs reported by users. Online co-op functionality is particularly praised for its lack of latency issues, even with international players. While there are occasional lag issues, the overall gameplay experience is polished, responsive, and tailored for both casual players and speedrunners.
- “The online co-op is very well optimized and playing with people in other countries does not add latency issues.”
- “Every chapter has new art, hand-crafted levels, enemies, gameplay mechanics, puzzles, etc. The gameplay is polished and fun; it has been tweaked and optimized over many years.”
- “The controls respond as expected and the game runs smoothly.”
- “So much hardcore stuff, it seems this game was optimized for speedrunners.”
- “It's no dramatic performance, but I was quite impressed with it.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The monetization model of the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the one-time purchase and optional "buy us a coffee" DLC, which is seen as transparent and non-exploitative. Despite some concerns about the game's long early access period, many reviewers emphasize that it avoids the pitfalls of microtransactions and feels more like a complete experience rather than a cash grab.
- “Sure, it's been in early access a long time, but there's no cash grab here—just a one-time purchase and a 'Buy Us a Coffee' DLC that is exactly what it says it is.”
- “It feels like an MMORPG without microtransactions and toxic people.”
- “Almost feels like a cash grab for a $15 early access.”
- “I see reviews of 'dead game' and 'cash grab', and get discouraged.”
- “Sure it's been in early access a long time, but there's no cash grab here, just a one-time purchase and a 'buy us a coffee' DLC that is exactly what it says it is.”

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12h Median play time

15h Average play time

5-25h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 100 analyzed playthroughs

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