Gris PAX West 2018 Preview
There are a lot of arguments that crop up when it comes to video games, and one of the most prominent discussions is whether or not video games really are an art form. Naysayers will argue it has to do with the context of the game but that – at best – it is the lowest form of art. True, not every game can be a masterpiece, but a team of people have put their heart and soul into creating something beautiful from nothing. No game in recent memory has embodied this as much as Gris from Devolver Digital. It’s powerful serenity and moving artwork almost leaves me at a loss for words.
This is an entirely different kind of game. You aren’t out to save someone, you aren’t pressed for time, or in danger of death. There is no impending threat out to get you. Instead, Gris is an incredibly cerebral experience that floods the senses with calm and relaxation while exploring a tale of personal loss. You’ll guide the character through the various landscapes and puzzles as she unlocks new skills to traverse the land and move on, but it’s the art that makes Gris stand out head and shoulders above the rest: This game is living, breathing, art. Everything is gorgeously hand drawn with a water-color art style. You can see each pen stroke in the foreground of the hills, vibrant and fantastic colors dribble slightly out from between the lines. It’s breathtaking to behold, and the original soundtrack crafted for the game pulls you in even further until you forget you are playing a game and instead are just experiencing this title.
This won’t be a game for everyone, but this is a game that deserves your attention. It’s about peaceful exploration and personal tragedy, about interacting with the very art of the environment. It’s probably the closest to serenity a video game has ever come. During my time with Gris I was presented a short demo that took me through three stages that blended together seamlessly. I gathered orbs of light to create bridges made of constellations, I jumped across incredibly fluid shape-shifting platforms, and I encountered a gigantic blackbird that seemed imposing, but was still non-threatening. I climbed through a statue of a crying woman and slid down the back of her hair, and I torpedoed through the water to explore underwater caverns.
The entire experience was mesmerizing and had a beautiful use of foreground and background to trick the eye when it came to puzzle solving, but nothing felt so overly complex as to ruin that sense of calm and near-meditation like trance. This is the kind of game to help people destress after a long day of work as opposed to booting up a sports game or FPS to vent your frustration. The art style was incredibly fluid – there really is no other way to explain it. It’s as if each hand-painted scene is gliding across the canvas on screen and the aesthetic it creates is powerful and – much like any art in a museum – open to interpretation. Gris doesn’t have any dialogue or text and instead it’s progression lies entirely in the decisions and problem solving skills of the player.
Gris is slated for launch later this year and will easily be a front-runner for awards in graphical design and presentation. It’s simple interface and jaw-dropping beauty make this a title that should be talked about for some time and I can’t wait to see the reception of the game when it hits PC and Nintendo Switch. What do you think of Gris? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or the Comments section below.
