Gris (video game)

Gris (video game)
Title	Gris
Developer	Nomada Studio
Publisher	Devolver Digital
Designer	Conrad Roset
Composer	Berlinist
Engine	Unity
Platforms	Microsoft Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, iOS, Linux, Xbox One
Released	2018
Genre	Platform, Puzzle, Adventure
Modes	Single-player

Gris (video game) is a 2018 platform-adventure game developed by Nomada Studio and published by Devolver Digital. The game follows a young woman named Gris through a hand-drawn, watercolor-inspired world as she navigates platforming puzzles and regains color in a journey evoking themes of loss and recovery. Gris received widespread critical acclaim for its art direction, music, animation, and emotional narrative, earning nominations and awards across the video game industry.

Gameplay

Gris features side-scrolling platforming mechanics with puzzle-solving elements and a focus on exploration similar to Limbo (video game), Journey (2012 video game), Inside (video game), Ori and the Blind Forest, and Celeste (video game). Players control Gris as she runs, jumps, and swims through levels, unlocking new abilities—such as a double jump, a heavy block formation, and a winged glide—that open secret areas and change traversal akin to progression systems in Metroid (series) and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The game emphasizes non-verbal storytelling and environmental puzzles like those in Shadow of the Colossus, Braid (video game), Fez (video game), and The Witness, while cinematic camera framing recalls Limbo (video game) and Journey (2012 video game). Collectibles and hidden areas reward exploration in the manner of Super Mario Bros. 3, Hollow Knight, Prince of Persia (1989 video game), and LittleBigPlanet.

Plot

The narrative follows Gris through a surreal kingdom as she confronts stages of grief, encounters symbolic creatures, and gradually restores color to the world—a structure paralleling thematic arcs in The Little Prince, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Spirited Away, and Pan's Labyrinth. Gris is silent throughout, and the story unfolds through visual metaphors and environmental cues similar to storytelling techniques in Shadow of the Colossus, Journey (2012 video game), Limbo (video game), and Inside (video game). Encounters with hostile black ink-like entities evoke antagonists from The Last of Us and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask in tone rather than explicit conflict. The ending sequence, which resolves Gris's internal journey, has drawn comparisons to emotional conclusions in Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, Flower (video game), To the Moon (video game), and What Remains of Edith Finch.

Development

Nomada Studio, founded by Pablo Rueda, Brunch, and creative director Conrad Roset, developed Gris with a small team, drawing inspiration from Spanish art, animation, and independent game movements like those around Thatgamecompany, Playdead, Team Cherry, and Retro Studios. Funding included a mix of private investment and publisher support from Devolver Digital; production utilized the Unity engine similar to Hollow Knight and Cuphead (video game). Development involved iterative level design and collaboration with animators influenced by Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and visual artists such as M.C. Escher and Wassily Kandinsky. Marketing and demo showcases placed Gris at festivals alongside titles featured at Independent Games Festival, E3, Gamescom, and PAX (event).

Art and Music

Gris's visual identity—watercolor textures, hand-drawn animation, and layered parallax—evokes fine art traditions including Impressionism, Expressionism, and artists such as Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. Character and environmental design by Conrad Roset and the Nomada team emphasize silhouette and motion, borrowing compositional techniques seen in Sergio Leone-style framing and animated storytelling from Hayao Miyazaki. The score, composed by the band Berlinist, integrates orchestral arrangements and electronic textures reminiscent of composers like Ólafur Arnalds, Dario Marianelli, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Joe Hisaishi, contributing to the game's atmosphere akin to soundtracks from Journey (2012 video game), The Last Guardian, and Limbo (video game).

Release and Platforms

Gris launched on Microsoft Windows and macOS in December 2018, followed by releases on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and mobile platforms including iOS and later ports to Linux and Xbox One. The distribution strategy involved digital storefronts such as Steam (service), Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, and App Store (iOS), with physical editions produced similar to boutique releases by Limited Run Games. Post-launch support included bug fixes and platform-specific optimizations comparable to patches for Hollow Knight and Celeste (video game).

Reception

Critics praised Gris for its artistry, soundtrack, animation, and emotional resonance, often comparing it to influential independent releases like Journey (2012 video game), Limbo (video game), Inside (video game), and Braid (video game). Reviews highlighted the game's minimal HUD, seamless animation, and evocative pacing in outlets that also cover titles such as The Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War (2018 video game), and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Some commentary critiqued the game's short length and limited mechanical complexity, paralleling debates around narrative-driven indies like Firewatch and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.

Awards and Legacy

Gris received nominations and awards from institutions including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the Game Developers Choice Awards, the Independent Games Festival, and various year-end lists alongside winners such as God of War (2018 video game), Red Dead Redemption 2, Celeste (video game), and Return of the Obra Dinn. Its success raised Nomada Studio's profile and influenced indie developers and visual artists, contributing to conversations at events like GDC (conference), EGX, IndieCade, and Paris Games Week about art direction and emotional narrative in games. Gris is often cited in academic and critical discussions alongside works by Thatgamecompany, Playdead, and Team Cherry for demonstrating how video games can merge visual art, music, and gameplay to explore psychological themes.

Category:2018 video games Category:Platformers Category:Indie games