Arrived towards the end of 2018 thanks to the publishing of Give back Digital, Gray it immediately revealed itself as a product out of any typical market canon. After being released only on PC and Nintendo Switch, the title managed to find a new light towards the end of 2019, also enriching the PS4 catalog, but in the meantime taking a tour around the parts of the mobile with IOS. Ready to change our minds positively on the expressive potential of the video game, we had the opportunity to try the work in its latest version released… let's see what it is!
Journey into pain
It doesn't take long to be intrigued - and extremely fascinated - by what it is Gray door to screen. In the first seconds of the adventure, a woman sings a magnificent song, which opens the dance to the soundtrack of the game, and then abruptly faces a sad truth. His voice seems to have disappeared, evaporated into thin air and without any warning. In a few moments the ground cracks until it crumbles and finally destroys itself, leading the protagonist to fall into a gloomy and unknown oblivion.
One immediately realizes how completely silent Gris' narrative is, not a single word reached the player's ear, who was instead enchanted by the melodies he had just heard. Pad in hand is the time to continue, to understand what is happening and to try to solve the problem just encountered. So the girl walks into a unique and enchanting 2D scenario, presenting a graphics perhaps unmatched today: we are not talking about extremely complex models, Ray Tracing or who knows some technological devilry, but a real work of art. The title is in fact completely represented with a watercolor drawing style, from delicate and amazing animations to inspired scenarios beyond any conceivable measure.
On the other hand, the story is not explained, all the elements linked to it must - and fortunately manage - to transpire from what elegantly moves on the screen. We are in front of the maximum expression of the silent narrative, which manages to stand out positively in Gris perhaps more than has ever been seen in the entire history of video games. In short, the real highlight of the work is the amazing graphic and stylistic sector, which fortunately manages to be accompanied by 60 frames per second even on PS4 (number necessary to enjoy the work done by Nomada Studio). However, it is clear that we are in a very different environment from that of an art gallery, we must not forget that we are playing and that Gris is really a video game - with an art sector that is nothing short of excellent, but still a video game.
The linear path of watercolors
There comes a time when you have to put aside the amazement and go deeper into the mere playful aspect. We have in our hands a 2D platformer that wants to be particularly simple. We are literally talking about a gameplay that accompanies the graphics and the artistic sector, caressing the player and encouraging him to continue without being even remotely difficult. All you have to do is walk, in many pieces you will not even be able to talk about platform as much as walking simulator in 2D, however sometimes some small environmental puzzle will be completed and some fluttering platform skillfully reached.
However, there will never be a real level of challenge, you cannot die and there is not even a game over ... it is absolutely not what Gris is aiming for. We are talking about a work, this time more than ever, which lasts just over two hours and on the other hand does not aim to increase this number, there is always the risk that the amazement turns into boredom and alters the sensations that the player perceives. Continuing through the levels - which ultimately symbolize the conscience of the protagonist - new mechanics are added, managing to make the present "puzzles" slightly more elaborate, but allowing the gameplay to remain extremely intuitive and simple overall.
The level design solutions are masterfully designed, not precisely because of a fundamental difficulty, but because they manage to amaze and excite with small ideas that, represented on the screen (or on canvas?) explode in a riot of magnificent colors. Ultimately, however, although it turns out to be an accompaniment and not the fulcrum of the experience, the developers could have put a little more emphasis on the management of the progression, which therefore becomes easily monotonous and excessively contour in the general picture, strongly risking to disfigure him.
Eyes and ears
With the scenarios that continue almost by themselves, one cannot help but be enchanted by the soundtrack of Gris, which has been meticulously made. Lots of original songs, perfectly suited for any context and perfectly in line with the atmosphere that reigns in the various moments. In fact, as the mechanics vary over the course of the experience, so do the scenarios, which change very quickly and harmoniously together with the intensity of the events that happen to the girl.
It is pleasant to note that the general quality remains largely the same throughout the entire course of events, without style drops - except for a bit of repetition - or obvious production limits, which would have been predictable given the narrowness of the development team. The other software houses will presumably have to take Gris as an example: you don't need millions of dollars to create an authorial work able to move, amaze, and revolutionize the entire market with its qualities!
