GRIME

[h2]Phenomenal 2D Metroidvania - Miles and miles above most others.[/h2] [h3]The Good[/h3] Grime has massive ambition, slowly unravelling to reveal a more than excellent Metroidvania. The setting is truly bizarre and you learn early on that you're going to get something quite unique... You play as a 'proportioned' being fighting and absorbing more malformed beings. The combat is kinda souls like, with a heavy focus on parrying. It is unforgiving and you will die a lot so if that isn't your bag this game may not be for you. Apart from the art style, everything else in this game gets slowly (and I mean [b]slowly[/b]) dripped down to you--Weapons, Armours, Abilities, Map, Story. It's a slow burner for sure and I can see why a large chunk of people tap out early but the game is definitely better for it. The prominent vibe I got from Grime is that it doesn't treat you like a kid and it expects you to work things out for yourself--there are so many subtle nuanced things in combat and platforming that you just end up stumbling across and it's super engrossing. There are a million different weapons with special abilities for you to choose from that work with different stat spreads, allowing you to suit the combat to your style. There's upgrades and consumables and...yeah, its kinda souls like. For me, the combat came second to the exploration which is where Grime shines best. There are SO MANY secrets to uncover and the movement system through platforming feels really fresh and intricate towards the end. I might be misremembering how hard Celeste was but there is a section in Grime that harked similar feelings. The story is pretty bleak and mostly just hinted at rather than revealed, but the atmosphere is thick. Depressing but in a good way. [h3]The Not As Good[/h3] Both the combat and the platforming have a little bit of jank. For the most part they're very snappy and fluid, but you do get frustrated trying to account for the jank from time to time. Something that you can definitely get used to. I'm far from a masochist, but I did feel like all the bosses were a little easy. You get crushed pretty easily but once you figure out what they're doing it's not hard at all. There was no boss where I thought, "Wow, that was crazy" after beating them. [h3]Should you play it?[/h3] If you enjoy sombre worlds, platforming off the beaten path or curious mythos I would recommend this as a must-play. There has been a sequel announced and I think it is going to be really really special.

Grime is a masterpiece. It stands alongside metroidvania classics such as Hollow Knight, Blasphemous, and Ori, thanks to its mysterious world, surreal art style, and atmospheric soundtrack. The environments feel eerie, sad, and oddly beautiful all at once. Combat is tight and rewarding, with a unique absorption mechanic and a solid variety of weapons, skills and armor sets that allow for multiple builds. Bosses are challenging but fair, and a New Game+ mode offers added difficulty for those seeking more. If you enjoy cryptic storytelling, engaging exploration, and satisfying combat, Grime is for you.

A really unique Metroidvania that has you pretty much play as Void Fiend from RoR2, and mixes in Sekiro parrying mechanics. Def worth a play through for sure, and love the atmosphere of the game even though I have no clue what is going on!

incredibly beautiful visually, and the music is the best of any game I've played, mechanics are sound (mostly, it can be a bit iffy at times) a 9.5/10 for sure. Also NG+ changes a lot of the enemies and bosses attacks so it's a lot more interesting than them dealing more damage and beefing up their health bars, gotta love little details like that.

Absolutely phenomenal game one of the best metroids out. Looking forward to Grime 2. easy 9 / 10

Loved the game, great vibes, mechanics and at times surprising gameplay/exploration. There is a bug I found when fighting the bosses. Few times they persist living even after losing all health, the only way to remedy this is to die and kill them again, this happened with the vulture & Shidra. Fix it if possible. Looking forward to the sequel!

A good metroidvania concept that hits many of the quality marks; it plays like an early access. There are control delay issues with problematic game play timing inconsistency that make the game feel broken. Map is confusing at times and bosses fights are deceptive. I hope GRIME II is better.

Unplayable in macbook, some texts are not displaying and 2 movements don't work

A Hidden Gem with Raw Style and Brutal Beauty Just wrapped up Grime, and I have to say—this game genuinely surprised me in the best way. The world design is surreal and captivating, offering a unique atmosphere that kept pulling me forward. While I wish some of the zone themes had more memorable tracks (especially compared to titles like Hollow Knight or Metroid), the soundtrack still hits hard where it matters most. The boss themes in particular are fantastic—intense, evocative, and fitting for the fights they accompany. Speaking of bosses, Dreamborn Terror was a standout. An absolutely brutal battle, but one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had in an action-platformer. I think it took me around 30–40 attempts to finally win, and the first time I made it to phase 4 (the final phase) and died, it tilted me hard. Still, the satisfaction of finally beating it was incredible. The Kinship ending was a very satisfying conclusion, and added a thoughtful layer to the journey. Combat overall feels solid—maybe a touch sluggish at times—but the unique mechanics and thoughtful progression make up for it. The Hunt Point system is a great touch, giving you more reason to engage deeply with the world and its enemies. If you’re into atmospheric, difficult action-platformers with strong boss design and a rich world, Grime is well worth your time. It’s not without rough edges, but what it offers is memorable and absolutely worth experiencing.

Un gran metroidvania con una estetica y ambientación absolutamente únicos, no es muy desafiante pero es muy agradable de jugar y explorar el mundo.

If you like sekiro YOU WILL LOVE THIS. Very satisfying parry gameplay loop with lots of replayability value. Would recommand

LewisBavin wrote an accurate review of this, read that instead. Tedium due to the scarcity of checkpoints and fast-travel are Grime's biggest hurdle. It was the only aspect that hampered my full immersion, funneled freedom clashed with the game’s otherwise brilliant design. In my experience, most upgrades and armor sets were only collected post-game as backtracking halted pace. For one that likes both, souls-like and the exploration aspect of metroidvanias: Grime reminded me of how beautiful 'art' is and why games are my favorite medium.

It's real good.