A Collection Aside
GRIS
DEVELOPER NOMADO STUDIO • PRICE $24 https://nomada.studio/
I’m guessing Gris will get its share of reviews and that most reviewers (and we have another review this issue, but Meghann’s appreciation for music is worth indulging – Ed) will highlight the art. It’s a pretty game where colours are collected incrementally. Red is first then, around 20 minutes later, green. I didn’t know how much I wanted green until it was there. I became even more fond of the music and sound design, however, very early on. A dust storm blew in and the piano transformed into swirling organ and vocal parts. These little musical accoutrements defined Gris for me, because I can appreciate how thoughtfully sound was implemented.
Progression often happens, for example, as you collect stars and bring them to a place where you can create a platform to a new area. As you approach the stars, a new, sparse, musical stem overrides the piece and it’s often a whole tone lower. This is very engaging, focusing attention and grounding an important moment. I particularly liked a textural change in the music, too, when you’re activating a kind of giant machine. In that case, the music functioned as a reward for cleverness and I felt motivated to continue on.
Over the course of the game, the protagonist finds her voice, eventually using it as an ability. Unsurprisingly, the vocal sounds weave into the soundscape. The story unfolds as a progression of metaphors
