A Beautiful Adventure--Gris

Video games are having their golden opportunity right now thanks to COVID-19 and everyone being instructed to stay at home.  So, if you're like everyone else, trapped indoors and looking for a way to spend all your quality social distancing time there's no better place to look than Steam or Game Pass.  With the looming uncertainty of the constantly changing guidelines and just general anxiety it's a good idea to seek out games that are relaxing.  One of those games that I recently had the pleasure of playing is the beautiful Gris.

Gris is a platformer along the more artistic vein--it's not the type of platformer that requires some leet timing and reflexes (think Celeste or Ori).  There's supposedly a story behind the character and situations but it's not explicitly clear in the game (something about grief and recovery).  The story takes place through a series of differing settings and is about restoring the color and normalcy to the world (thus helping the main character overcome her grief).

One of the levels in Gris.  

Pros:
+ Very artistic.  There has long been a debate about whether or not video games should be considered art and Gris is a game that confirms that idea.  The settings in the game are beautiful and vary based on your progress.  Part of the story involves restoring the color to the world and as you complete different areas new areas play on that specific color--you might have to navigate a green forest or rainy blue landscape.

+ Beautiful soundtrack.  The music is very relaxing and is the perfect accompaniment to the gameplay.  If you're someone who enjoys video game soundtracks and likes having some chill music, it's one to add to your playlists.

+ A casual story that is appropriate for any gamer.  There are some puzzle-like elements in each area and some "hidden" goals that provide some challenge (I didn't find all the special wisps/light things), but overall the story is meant to just be experienced and enjoyed.  It's perfect for just enjoying and not worrying about how many times you've died or how you're going to overcome a frustrating challenge--some of the obstacles that are frequent in many modern platformers.

+Some replayability.  100% completion requires recovering all the hidden wisps (bubbles?  glowy things?  I don't really know what they are) and those who are motivated could potentially play through the game several times to find them all.

Cons:
- It's short.  You're probably looking at 9-10 hours of gameplay...max, maybe?

Recommendation:
Gris is a visually striking game that deals with issues that everyone can identify with.  It's the type of game that offers a relaxing outlet for emotions.  I would recommend it to someone who is looking for a casual game that is very artistic in nature.  It's worth checking out on Game Pass, but I don't know if I would buy it.