Dear Reader:
Beautiful platformer Gris coming to Switch this December
Every once in awhile, a game comes along that really makes me sit up and take notice. Gris is definitely one of those games. I went from not knowing about this game to it shooting to the top of my most-wanted list. We've rounded up all the details available on Gris, and shared them with you below.
- 2D platformer
- set in a dream-like world filled with crumbling statues, towering temples and inky, shape-shifting birds
- trees shift between square, triangular and completely invisible states
- the main character is a hopeful young girl
- the game utilizees watercolor shades of pink, blue, red and green
- developed by Spanish company Nomada Studio
- gameplay is a mix of platforming, puzzles and light exploration
- landscapes are littered with white glimmering specks that zip around like fireflies
- pick them up and you'll be able to form pathways
- these fireflies also unlock new abilities that manifest through Gris' dress
- one lets you perform a double-jump and glide
- another lets you smash open vases and stand firm against strong gusts of wind
- no HUD or on-screen text, except for a button prompt when you first unlock a new ability
- the camera zooms automatically to frame an environmental puzzle or floating obstacles
- the game's artwork was handled by Catalan artist Conrad Roset
- no health system, so you can't die from a mis-timed jump
- there are enemies, but they mostly play into puzzles
- there's a giant bird that pushes you around with an ear-piercing screech, which is staved off with a ground-pound ability
- you can also use the bird's screeches to push you across gaps to new locations
- the game prioritizes atmosphere and emotion over gameplay complexity
- features a subtle, dialog-free story about personal loss
- the heroine is exploring "her own world" and trying to deal with a painful experience in her life
- at one point in the game, Gris will return to a statue where she started off
- at this point she'll curl up into a ball and start ejecting a blue, ink-like substance that bleeds out into the world
- this will trigger a driving rain in the game
- inspired by Journey, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Inside
- published by Devolver Digital
- due out this December
- game's intro reveals Gris as she's suddenly hit by devastating loss
- the joy and comfort that once surrounded her crumbles and collapses
- Gris tumbles far downwards, awakening lost and alone in a vast desert