GRIME - Where Boulders Disrespect Your Tiny Head

GRIME, where boulders body-shame you because their own bodies aren’t as smooth as yours.

I saw GRIME pop up on Steam and knew just by the looks of it that it was going to be a game worth trying out, despite having not played too many metroidvania games in the past. It’s not often I play a lot of challenging games, because I stick to the walking simulator and hidden object game genres, since I like them so much, but sometimes you have to give yourself something more.

And this was it for me.

Developed by Clover Bite
Published by Akupara Games

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FAQ

What is this page?

This is an in-depth critique of the game GRIME. I go all in with my review by picking apart the game, piece by piece. By doing this, I try to help not only the devs that created the games, but also future aspiring devs by giving my viewpoint on everything as an avid gamer, but please understand…

There may be spoilers.

How long does it take to beat GRIME?

Maybe around 13 hours.

Any other links related to the game?

GRIME was mentioned on our post 10 Games Released on August 2 2021

Title Screen

Background

The background looks amazing with its cavernous atmosphere and the light coming through in the back section providing lighting for the main rock facial sculptures in the foreground. It’s not just light and dark either, it all looks dusty too, like something’s stirred through the grime and unsettled it into the air.

And while the back image remains static, there is some movement with dust motes floating around, giving some form of life to the area.

Title Font

I think the size and font style is fine as is.

They’ve placed the text into the darker section of the two faces so you don’t really lose out on seeing any nice visuals. Still, I think I kind of would’ve liked for the title to be at the bottom, since I’d like to see the entirety of the facial structure. But then again, the menu would have to be moved, since it’d be awkward to be sitting in the middle with the title on the bottom.

You’d be looking at the menu before the title, and that’s not right.

So again, I think they did it right on the title font.

Gameplay

Achievements

There are 35 achievements.

Plot

Destroy… Absorb… Grow… GRIME is a fast and unforgiving Action-Adventure RPG in which you crush your foes with living weapons that mutate form and function, and then consume their remains with a black hole to strengthen your vessel as you break apart a world of anatomical horror and intrigue.

Game Length

For the main story, it’ll probably take you around 13 hours, depending where you placed your attributes and how well you do in the boss fights and navigating the world. If this ain’t your first rodeo in this kind of game, then you might be able to cut that time down, even on your first playthrough.

If you’re going for a completionist run, then tack on some more hours.

20+ more than likely.

Replay Value

I can see people replaying this for speedruns, honestly. Or to go back and get achievements that weren’t acquired. But aside from that, I don’t see much of a replay value in GRIME.

Genre(s)

Action RPG

GRIME is definitely action-packed because you’ve got to kill your way through the enemies in order to get where you need to go. I mean, maybe not always, but with certain foes, yeah, their attacks will constantly harass you even when you’re no longer in sight of the enemy in question.

The RPG comes into play due to you tinkering around with your own stats throughout the game as you absorb their remains.

Adventure

You are sent on quests in this game, but they’re simply to progress the gameplay of where you need to go. So don’t expect multiple people in an area giving you a variety of quests. It’s just one at a time.

Not only that, but there’s also adventuring through the variety of tunnels and hidden locations of the map and fast travel.

Platformer

You’re constantly jumping on platforms and getting through a variety of traps in the walls, ceilings, and floors. It’s all fun and games at the start, but things get a bit more tedious the further you progress.

Controls

The controls are really smooth, it’s just a matter of watching your stamina bar, honestly. If you find you can’t move away fast enough or something, that’s probably why.

Navigation

I had a rough time with the map, primarily because I couldn’t figure out how to get to the lower area of the map. I thought there was some kind of entrance within the other sections I’d been in, but it turned out, the entrance was somewhere in the further right where you initially were requested to go into the zone.

But heck, I couldn’t find anywhere to go over there despite looking at first.

Not to mention there are a lot of hidden crevices that you can probably find if you backtrack and take the time to really look. That opened up some areas for me that I didn’t even know I could initially reach or that I even knew about–along with an upper section that I was way too weak to tackle when I first went there and found a boss that two-shot me more times than I’d like to count.

Basically the navigation is a lot like Hollow Knight, if you’ve ever played that.

Everything will remain dark in the map section you’re in until you find the crystal that unlocks the map for you.

Luckily there are fast-travel stones, you just have to remember to jump in one in order to respawn there if you die in the current vicinity, if you’re on the move. And don’t worry–they’re typically close to the bosses.

On one hand, navigating the landscape promotes curiosity and the need to search high and low, but I wish they’d done a better job for those who want to strictly follow the set path we were meant to.

Combat

The combat in GRIME is interesting.

There are a variety of weapons you can obtain, and each one of them is a bit different as far as their style of attack and the speed in which they attack. Not only that, but in order to equip certain ones, you’ll need to stack points in specific attributes dedicated to that weapon.

But the main thing to consider with combat is how you like to play. So if you like heavy-hitting weapons, then you’re probably going to be stacking a lot into the attack power portion of the attributes screen.

There are two other stats to think about that go with your weaponry as well, and if you ever want to learn a bit more about a weapon and its special, you can simply check out the more info section of it.

I will say while I enjoy the heavy-hitting weapons, sometimes they’re a bad choice depending on the enemy. They can take a long time to swing, and during that time you’re open to receive a hit.

Interactions

Speech
Activating stones

Aside from attacking enemies and using your abilities, the only interactions you’re able to do are speak with NPCs and activate different stones–either to update the map location you’re in, or for a fast travel location where you can upgrade your stats and abilities.

Glitches

There are times where the game sort of lags a bit in some areas, even though the devs did do a recent patch to help out in that area. The issue still does remain.

Aside from that, sometimes if you’re against the wall and jump you get stuck against the wall when you try to run away from it. In order to disconnect yourself from the wall, you just have to jump again basically and you’ll no longer be stuck to it.

Two main things I noticed.

Characters

Looks

All right, so a lot of the NPCs look the same in given areas, which is kind of a bummer, but as you can see in the screenshot above, other characters are super unique looking. You could say the same for the enemies.

In all honesty, sometimes the characters look the same just because the color scheme throughout the game has a grunge type of look to it, which kind of falls onto the characters as well, making it seem like they’re all similar, even though they do have their own unique looks.

Then again you’ll notice some bosses look completely different from any other creature and be pumped to annihilate them.

Style of Speech

They don’t really differentiate from one another in how they speak, but almost all of them aren’t too happy about your existence, apparently, and that shows in how they speak.

Very stuck-up.

Except for that one character that adores you.

Voice Acting

There’s no voice acting in GRIME, but characters do some mumbling and grumbling of nonsensical words, you could say.

Movement

The movements for the enemies sometimes need to be timed correctly.

You might be dashing through one and suddenly it’ll turn and strike you down for remaining too close. It’s something that can get you killed, but really, the movements in the game are smooth.

Abilities

The abilities you acquire are sometimes dependent on the monsters you kill and absorb as well as a specific amount you hunt down. Not to mention defeating bosses will net you useful abilities for progressing.

Each weapon you wield also has a special ability tied to it that you can read about in its info section.

If you find you can’t get through an area, because you can’t reach a platform, or a boss has mechanics that you just can’t avoid, then you might need a specific ability to help in that area. Meaning there may be another area you haven’t yet been to that you need to go to.

Narrative

Subtitles

The subtitles of characters talking are in a box with a black background that’s a bit diluted so you can still see the scenery. The words aren’t too terribly slow to come when you’re reading–it’s like normal speech–but if you don’t want to bother waiting, you can make all the text appear before continuing the dialogue.

Not only that, but some characters have a way of putting emphasis on specific words, such as in the screenshot.

Misshapen and disgusting are not only in bold but also do a little jiggle and are off-balance from the rest of the text. It definitely adds more personality to the characters when they speak like this.

Graphics

Style

The graphics in GRIME look so amazing.

Realistic textures combined with such a…grim atmosphere. What they did with the lighting of the game is perfect, such as the sunshafts coming down in some areas. And while it’s not like this game doesn’t have bright colors, it’s just that even the bright colors are diluted enough that they don’t glaringly stand out in this world.

I will mention though each location is unique in its own right, a lot of areas do tend to look the same due to the atmosphere.

Soundtrack

Background Music

It’s got a dark tone to the background music and it’s very low to sound somewhat ominous as you make your way through the caverns.

The parts where it really shines are on the boss battles.

Ambiance

I don’t think I noticed too much ambiance in-game, aside from water drips in the background of the first area you wander around in.

Sound Effects

The sound effects are on point.

From broken pottery, to crushing giant boulder heads, to attuning crystals (or whatever you call it for the maps). It’s all very…gravelly. But there are also your leaps that make noises as well and the glass shattering sound of you…dying.

Final Thoughts

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed playing this game, but man, trying to navigate it is rougher than trying to clear some of the area’s bosses. Still, it’s fascinating to explore different areas and go back into places you didn’t realize you could’ve gone to before, just because you missed out on a secret pathway, or due to getting a new ability.

But it’s very souls-like and not meant to be simplistic in nature.

Defeating a tough boss and getting through an area feels like an achievement in itself and gives you that much-needed gamer satisfaction, much like Dark Souls does.

FAQ