Gris - Story and Analysis 

My favourite metaphor was a subtle one. It's the orb in the water level where you swim up on it and it runs away. So you try turning into a rock, swimming faster, being more efficient--you chase harder. But then it occurs to you to just wait. And wouldn't you know it, the star comes back to you if you're just patient. No trick.

Everytime I see the final scene, with Gris singing while the darkness tries to take over, and then her mother's statue starts singing as well, I cry. So badly. And cried right now lol

Something else I liked with the giant bird section is that while it represents darkness and setbacks in the grieving process, you ultimately need to use it's qualities to progress in the story.

I think the final form the dark things took is not her mother, but her self. Her mother got long hair

I’m in the middle of grieving losing my baby from a miscarriage that happened last month after our second IVF cycle (I’d guess I’m in the depression stage). I played this game over the last couple nights. I was constantly on the edge of tears (not in a bad way), and was full on weeping as the credits rolled. I’m a cosplayer, and immediately decided Gris will be my next cosplay. Almost as a way to honor and say goodbye to my baby before moving forward.

The last demon Gris faces before she takes her step is herself, I saw this as after facing and overcoming all the hurt you’ve felt, the hurdles you’ve leapt, and the darkness you stepped out of. The only thing standing in your way, the final demon that you’ve still yet to prevail, is yourself

I was initially highly impressed with the beauty and the music of the game. It was introduced to me by a friend of mine. Coincidentally after this game, my grandmother who I have grown up with and is very close passed on. This game suddenly has a whole new meaning. And i love that this game can relate to anyone who has experienced loss, trauma, or pain in their lives. This game is more than words. And this can only be experienced when you play the game itself.

This was an incredible analysis. You connected the colours with the abilities and with the stages of grief and the emotions one might be feeling when in mourning in such a perfect way... Just a little something that I noticed you didn't point out: At 3:50 you walk through a hall supported by pillars that portray women covering their faces. You mention how it's symbolic of the main character having lost her support, her "pillar", but it's also interesting how each pillar shows the women being gradually turned into stone, with each statue being more... well, pillar like. I feel it's a metaphor for how sorrow and grief can be paralyzing, stopping your life in its tracks, slowly turning you into stone if you're unable to move on and get over that sadness.

When there is red, anger holds us dead, When there is green, beauty's to be seen, When there is blue, transparent tears will ensue, When hope flowers from a mother's kiss, she will find herself, Gris.

This game was such a sudden coincidence for me. Gris was purchased only because i found it so beautiful and refined, the music and overall smoothness made me eager to have it. And i had no clue what it's about. The fact is i lost my mother a year ago, and finding out Gris's plot shocked me and made cry at first. But i couldn't stop playing anyway and enjoyed it to the very last second. Thank you for this video and all your thoughts, you helped me to find something new in the game i loved so much.

I can't say that I connected with the story, although I knew what was being hinted at during the game, but the power of the beautiful artwork and music definitely had an affect on me.

Something I thought of after watching your review was how the statue of her “mother” breaks apart completely in the beginning . I say “mother’ because I think deliberately they made it vague as to the statue being her mother. She could just as easily be a lover or a friend. Initially her “mother” falls apart completely. But when you see her again, she returns as missing her head. It’s like the acknowledgement that her mother as a person is gone but her body remains, dead. But it isn’t till the end she is brought back again, whole. As though she isn’t really gone. She is still there, always, in some way. And when you finally accept that she’s never is truly gone, but still there, you finally have the ability to move on. You can’t keep letting the darkness and the loss consume you. You have your memories and lessons you learned from your lost lover/loved one and you move on. This is just my way of looking at it having experienced grief in many ways in my life. I think you shared many good points. Well done. I cried as well playing the game. No shame in that. It’s healthy. Well done 👍🏼.

Thanks for the kind comments, it is truly a special one and clearly connects with those who give it the chance or, need it to connect in some way. Best wishes to anyone who needs it

I know its not as serious as a mother dying but my guinea pig died and at first i was in denial an wouldn't accept it and then out of nowhere i couldn't stop crying and this game helped me get thru it. I had him since i was in 8th grade and i graduated 12th grade a few months ago he died just a week ago. Rip Remmi 🖤

I remember when I finished the first playthrough of this game, and completely breaking down in tears. From the frustration of completing the puzzles (which was so satisfying once I found the solution and got through them) through to that AMAZING chase sequence when passing through the underwater portion, even the trophies which pop up from time to time... It was especially the sequence when Gris sings her heart out, even when that manifestation of her self-doubt, that crippling image of her sorrow which drowns her and pushes her down... and coming out of it, strong... liberated, and a better person... I was shaking like a leaf, then I just wept. This game, gives so much catharsis honestly. Especially that ending. I actually went out of my way to thank the team and let them know how much I appreciate all that they did. Would have also sent them an email thanking them for a job handled EXCEPTIONALLY well, but honestly, I cancelled that idea and found the facebook page of the game, and sent them a message. This game, is the embodiment of catharsis, done exceptionally well.

i thought the statue were her old self and she was trying to feel in peace again with herself, leaving the old one "die" and becoming stronger,

Beautiful analysis! Thanks for showing me another way of looking at the story of this game! Also, very moving to read all the interpretations and stories from the other commenters. As someone who’s experienced depression for the last three years, I interpreted Gris as being a woman grieving about the loss of self (note: I didn’t see the memory sequence in my playthrough). The ending felt to me like she was finally moving on after regaining the capacity to love herself again. Because depression feels like a constant battle with yourself, I thought the black goo transformed into herself at the end of the story. The blue chapter read as especially beautiful to me since you see the stars in the sky first but than you fall into the black void. I had the feeling the game was saying: “If you want to go up, you have to go down first”. Kind of like how you feel worse the first few weeks of starting therapy because you must first confront yourself with your problems before you can start working on them. The game really made me feel that I could heal again.

I finally played this yesterday and was wondering if someone else interpreted it in the same way I did. This is exactly how I saw the story. It's incredible how so much can be said without a single word.

6:10 I feel like the bell ringing is like a wake up call of some sort.

What a truly a remarkable analysis, I completed the game twice and watched several videos and you came up with some details that I had never noticed. This game is an absolute masterpiece, the way it combines every element of the game to add up to the story is just incredible. The colors, the music and even the abilities and the puzzles always have a meaning that fits the story. The final scene, with the mother singing and the colors exploding, it's so well put together that it makes me cry every time, it instantly makes you think of the people, or the relations that you might have lost, of all those rough moments (that darkness always menacing till the end). And to think of your personal evolution and the hits you had to take to grow stronger and get through them. It's simply so god damn beautiful, have never seen a game like this.

For everyone who loves how they have incorporated the story themes in GRIS, you should play Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. They also incorporated the themes of mental health beautifully into the level design & gameplay mechanics.

I lost my mother when I was 5 Wasn't really aware of the situation up until I was 12 when I really start missing her comparing my life with other kids knowing my life could never turn out that way , sometimes I feel devastated , out of shape , hopeless , helpless. Now I am 21 as time passes the grief become less and less but it could never be demolished as I also need it to keep me remember life goes on. This game finds a spot in my heart forever.

A game of many games that I have not seen like it touches your heart, even if you seal it a thousand times, you will not get bored!

I thought this was about gris' death. She was stuck in limbo eventually realizing she has died. First she denies the fact she died. Second she become angered that she has died and is stuck in limbo. Third is her bargaining to be revived. Fourth is depression because she is unable to come back to life. Fifth would be her accepting her fate and passing on to heaven. The statues would represent a god or her memories of when she was alive. The black bird/butterflies are represented as demons trying to drag her to hell. That's what I believed... well it is art so it can have different interpretations.

Thanks for making the analysis and thank you so much for sharing! I went to something very similar as Gris and still are dealing with it today. I knew the game had something symbolic on every corner and you explained it in your way very beautifully

Gris just made me realize i'm still not over my things... Im still in this Its not over yet Gris makes me think about how i am still processing my own trauma 5 years and im still trying Its slow yes but there is no other way out then keep going foreward Im close to acceptance but same time pretty far away I can't know for sure I thought i accepted it but i fell back down and kuebiko effect got me once more Who knows If anyone else here is going through something Know its ok to be scared its ok if you don't know how to feel You can save yourself only on your own No one is gonna push you to safety, you'll need to work your way out But always know you are loved

It’s also a possibility that Gris is the one who’s dieing. And her death breaks the statue, whomever it is. Because at the end she’s the one who “ascends” to the stars after restoring the world, the colors and the meaning, both for her and the statue. Her last stage being to face herself and then accepting to take it all in, that could be accepting death. And the statue helps this time, witch could mean acceptance from the statue as well.

Great job, and thank you so much for your analysis; it really helped me to appreciate the game as more than a piece of beautiful art. I personally cannot think of a more beautiful portrayal of the process of grief than this game.

Beautifully seen. This kind of insight and sensitivity clearly shows you speak from experience. Thank you for experience the awe and love once again for Gris beauty and depth.

Your analysis was absolutely beautiful and made that much more poignant by sharing with us your own experiences of shadows. Thank you so much.

I finished the game yesterday and was really hoping for an analysis of it all since I had some trouble understanding some of its meaning, though the loss/grieving part was pretty clear. Really great video and analysis, I listened to the whole thing, it was very relaxing and it helped me understand. Thanks for making it!

Really touching analysis, I connected immediately with the "feeling" of grief and loss of that game, due to my personal experiences. Thank you!

Thank you very much. I enjoyed your analysis a lot, and with your help i found another way of looking at this story. It's a really beautiful depiction of what humans have to confront in their lives. Every time i hear someone speak about these things, i realize that we all have our struggles and hard times. In the end, we are never alone in our grieve and sorrow. Out there is someone going thru hard times. This somehow helps me a lot if i'm feeling bad and i also gain better understanding an more patience for other people. Good man to talk about this subject. Cheers

This is a great video. Thank you for your efforts and detailed explanation of the symbolism in the game. Completed the game 3 times and now going for the 4th time.

Thank you so much for this thoughtful and interesting analysis. It's so interesting how each person's experience will lead them to see things in their own unique way. Love this game.

An analysis full of sincerity, and a good interpretation of Gris's symbolism. Good job !

Thank you brother for investing your time and putting it out for all of us to understand this beautiful game better.

I loved this video. Thanks for giving some time to GRIS. This game is a masterpiece & I'm dying to see what Nomada does in the future.

I’ve been wanting to play this game but never actually did it, but yesterday I did and it was amazing. I fell in love with it, with the music, the art style, the gameplay, the meaning, just everything.. It really touched me and I think you did a wonderful job with this video. Thank you! This game made me cry and gave me goosebumps, I’ll definitely replay it. I’m speechless. ❤️

Thanks for this video. I have just completed the game and your breakdown of the game brought tears to my eyes.

Great video! I very much enjoyed this game as I felt deply connected to the characters journey through grief. I found your analysis really interesting and very well thought of. Thank you for taking the time to do this, it's clear that this game was special to you as well.

A beautiful analysis for a beautiful game. Truly special.

Astounding analysis. I had to go back and play the entire game all over again because of you. More like 😊a fog lifted. Thank you

Amazing analysis. I understood most of the games hints but your video definitely ad depth to my understanding of this game. Thank you so much!

"More like a work of art" Video games ARE art

I just finished the game today, and I wanted to look for his lore. This video made me cry, wonderful interpretation about the story of Gris, i figured something like that would be the story, but you took it to a deeper level. Nice video, great job.

I love your analysis and voice.. Brings a little tear into my eyes

Loved your analysis! I finished the game yesterday and will recommend to a friend, along with your video! I would add that when she uses the bird wind in her favor instead of fighting it, is like accepting the negative thoughts and learning to live with them. :)

This was one of the most profound and incredibly well elaborated review I’ve ever seen in my life. Your voice, the sentiment and depth you’ve shared made this game even more meaningful to me. I’m going through something along those lines and this made me feel better. Thanks a lot mate, you spoke to my soul! Cheers.

I just finished the game while watching this video. I've never been this emotional while playing a game before, it has left me with a feeling I can't describe although I haven't gone in any similar experience in my life. Thank you greatly for this review, and a greater thanks to the developers of this game.

shed a tear or two myself after watching this

Just perfect, Eros. Hats down for this wonderful explaination.

i was thoroughly convinced Gris is a witch trying to restore the world and the goddess thereof, but i definitely got the emotional impacts of the different colors

I just finished playing this game. I lost a friend in January to suicide and man did I cry so badly playing this game. I felt like I was playing thru the emotions I myself felt and still am feeling. I had no idea what the game was fully about when I bought it. This was such a beautiful and emotional game unlike anything I have ever played. This game was like therapy for me in a way. Your analysis was spot on 👐🏼

So, just some extra proof that the loss the girl is dealing with is her mother, if anyone happened to be doubtful: the name of the solo piano main menu song, Mae, is actually mother in Japanese. There’s actually a few Japanese song names in the soundtrack, including Unagi for eel.

I bought this game on a whim because of the art style back in 2018 when it came out during the winter sale, unfortunately I didn't touch it for close to 6 months but when I finally played it, Gris became one of my favourite games of all time

Just the review i was looking for. Thanks for helping me understand a bit more!

You explained everything so well. Beautiful game

How I perceived the story. (Perhaps even sadder, and perhaps some of you can describe my viewpoint even better) Gris is a young girl, that has fallen terminally ill. She can't have joy anymore. She seeks support from her mother and has questions. Her mother see's this, knows what is happening. And breaks appart, not able to be dealing with her daughters fate. Gris can't talk anymore to her mother, she is broken. Gris doesn't know what to do and starts going forward. Determined to help her mother by stayong alive. Time starts ticking. You can see it in the art. You can hear it in the footsteps. I perceived going up with dying and going down with being alive. Going left is indeed going back, while going right is going forward in the proces. Going all the way down might be going to the hospital or another department of the hospital. Steeling herself to deal with the pain when getting medicine. She goes down to earth. Or wanting the pain to end when she steels herself to any wind blowing. Jumping means mostly a little leap from her to get forward or a little acceptance that she is dying. Gris has to deal with the stages of grief of her own demise. Occasionly she looks for her mother who is slowly getting it together as well. Through her stages, the doctors look scary at first. The docters first try to send her in a direction. Eventually she and the doctor go in the same direction. Sending her up or forward. The doctors are dark non the less. Scary. Except for the turtle, who seems to be more compasionate. The turtle lights the path while Gris herself walks it. The turtle also takes over when the second doctor is chasing her up. "She can take this path herself in her own pace". The rain represents all the tears. The water represents accumulated grief. The water also represents the struggle of fighting to stay alive. Soon she learns how to struggle. The first time is always the hardest. It goes up and down. But easier with each passing moment. Perhaps even leading to false hope. When Gris finally is getting her voice back just a little. She tries a cry for help from her mother. Her mother, barely got it together and breaks again. She can't deal with her daughter being in pain. Gris now has her voice back and shows she has dealt with most of the acceptance. The medicine, although helping her up. Ease the pain as well. Despite that she is now going up faster and faster. But she is at ease and sings to see the joy again. However, the footsteps start making a ticking noise again. She looks at her mother who is still broken. And there it is. It is her time to die. All the lights to guide her up into the sky have been gathered. She calls one last time for her mother despite her mother being broken. Gris wants to talk to her mother one last time. Her mother puts herself together. The doctors are there too. Gris see's that her mother is together. She rushes forward to her mother. Asking if it is ok for her to die. Her mother cries loudly one last time. They hug, Gris gives a final kiss, which is saying that she loves her mother. And her mother leaves a tear for losing Gris. Her mother moves her hand with the gesture of letting go. She gives "permission" to die. And Gris goes up into the sky with the stars. Things go white. Then darkness. *** Secret scene: Her mother and Gris look at the sky. Gris asks how to get up there. Her mom responds that she has to follow the light. The forest might represent a part of the hospital. There is another patient. She helps the little guy. And the little guy helps her. Let me know what you think?

Excellent analysis, you have just gained another sub!

Thanks a lot for this video, this game is so beautiful and have such a deep meaning in every thing.

Really well done, man. Just got done making a video similar to this myself (although, not quite as in depth as yours), and was looking to see if others felt similarly about the game. I don't really do game reviews either, but Gris was the exception. Excellent video, subscribed.

This deserves so many more likes than it has

A beautiful analysis. A very astute observation.

I am not ashamed to say that I have been crying for the last 20 minutes. Thank you.

Beautiful analysis and story telling ❣️✨

I'm a simple man, I see Gris content, I hit like

this is such a beautifull and honest analysis

Great review. Kept me interested the whole way

I've only just found out about this game today. I love the animation & theme. It's breathtaking~ 👌 ✨ 🌠

I initially thought it was an older sister but mother fits well too. Also the lights you are collecting I believe are the fireflies they caught together while the elder was alive. Very well done on the video encapsulating the whole of the story arc & it's effect on you. I too found myself forced to stop playing a time or two when I was overcome by a scene. This game is a true work of art and worthy of every bit of praise it has received. Loved it.

damn i'm almost crying again just watching this video. the game was sooo beautiful. i never expected it to be so strong and hit me so emotional.

For a long time I was stuck in denial, anger and depression... this game put a comma at the end of it all, through facing her fears I faced mine! This analysis while sounding a bit unconfident is exactly how I interpreted it unconsciously, because it was all perfectly crafted with symbolism and parallels so that anyone may understand it.

Wow! I literally just finished playing the game a few hours ago and it was beautiful! Happy to see this video :)

Great Video, Loved your analysis of it just finished playing through it myself!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas. This is a very beautiful and bitter sweet game, much like real life.

I played this game 5 times now and I still get teary at the ending because I have lost two people in my life that died by a heart attack and drinking too much Alcohol... It reminded me of myself how I finally excepted their deaths and moved on

Yeah, dude! Your analysis got it!

Very well done video essay. Thank you.

I watched a playthrough of this game and for the first time in my life I think I felt a fragment of what it feels like to lose your mother, like my own mother did when she was a child. It helped me understand at least for a little how my mom has felt her whole life, and I cried at the ending as I realized what the game was about.

I'd like to think that even if it's a metaphor, the different scenery shown in the ending is her actual world and that the girl and her mother had magical powers similar to the abilities in the game.

I have watched this video more than I have played the game. And I have completed GRIS of course.

(inglish isn't my native idiom). Ok, I will try to explain what you make me feel with this video and everything you say. Thanks, i didn't know about this game and history. Everything you said touch deeply inside me, I have chronical depression and a lot of another mental stuffs, so, the way you explained everything was too much for me (in a good way. Too emocionak). Thanks, it was amazing. (I've already cry with you video). 🌸💗 I have to play that game!

Great video! Amazing analysis. I just finished the game and it was amazing.

Wonderful analysis

Thus game made me cry so hard it's absolutely beautiful

To me the most emotional moment was Gris kissing the statue of her "mother" at the end and the statue shedding a tear. I already knew the game when it came out, cried when I watched the playthroughs, Then bought it but I couldn't play it on my computer for technical reasons. Then two months ago my mother passed on. Now I'm coming back to the game and playing it with a new perception: this game is my story and it is everyone's story when they lose someone dear. As another analysis video about it underlines, it is very relatable how messy the process of grief is pictured in this game. I feel like these last two months have been exactly like that, just in my own journey and detour around all these emotions and the world without my mother.

Please give us more such commentary, no offense to Elite. but your insightful analysis further deepened my experience of Gris. It was like finding a bucket of water in a parched desert.

Reminded me a lot of RiME which also deals with the 5 stages of grief. Great video!

I think I'm the only one that has my interpretation of the ending. Everyone thinks she is saved from the darkness in the end. I beg to differ. The dead don't sing. They don't reciprocate, and the mother/loved one was definitely reciprocating Gris' affections. Here is my interpretation to explain this. When the dark depression swallows her whole in the end, it symbolizes that she kills herself. It's only after she dies that the darkness is gone, and the two, now dead, sing their duet together into the afterlife, represented in her ascension into the sky. Also, the stars were symbolically used as they used to be in the past, being the only way people could navigate in the dark.

I know the game is about the protagonist losing her mother but my interpretation when I first played it was about someone who fell into a deep depression. The statues of the lady representing herself, first feeling like a broken person but slowly gaining a sense of self and of being complete again. I saw the black goo as her depression and self doubt attacking her sense of happiness and self worth. I think the beginning of the game when she had nothing but had to force herself up really got the sense of what being depressed really is like. Regardless of my miss reading of the game, it still stands as one of my most moving gaming experiences, and I thank the team for making it.

It’s my favorite Indie game! Played it on the switch. I finished it in around 5 hours. It was such a blast.

I liked the game, but actually didn't think about loss at all when I played through - I don't think you are wrong in your analysis though. What I got from it was themes of depression, friendship and taking leaps of faith. I was mostly trying to enjoy the beautiful art and music, and not analysing what I was experiencing, because this imo can ruin ones experience of a piece of art/media. Nonetheless, I believe your analysis is very good, and makes me appreciate aspects I didnt think about. Beautiful game!

Funny, I actually never thought of that mother death thing. To me, the statue was the ICH in Freud's theory, while the little one was the ÜBER ICH, that tries to reconnect and overcome depression.

Great analysis!

I'm here because I finished this game and went "ok I kind of get it but not completely internet pls help." I think for me one of the major hindrances to not understanding the game is that I somehow I kept on missing the statues (ughhhhh denial you have to go backward instead of forward I'm such a dummy) so the first statue/achievement I found was depression xD at which point I was like "ok this confirms what I thought this game was about but WHERE ARE THE OTHER STATUES HOW DID I MISS STAGES 1-3 WTH" anyway I loved your other insights into the game and when you pointed out all the symbolism I was like "DANG you right! I didn't even think of that"--thanks for this and for sharing your experience with grief, this was all much appreciated

I really like this analysis. I don’t think that’s what this storybis about, I didn’t think so while playing it and don’t think so now, but I really do like your view of it. I do hope that it is in fact what the developers intended.

Nice analysis, game is amazing

At first, I thought it was about the stages of depression, I didn't get the mother and daughter aspect. But the game is actually about the stages of grief... dealing with the loss of a love one. As she grief, the world around her crumbles and looses color (Life), then she falls deep into darkness (Depression). In case it wasn't obvious, "Gris" is Spanish for gray. As you go through different stages, you're moving forward (bringing color to the world), regaining your self (gaining back your abilities) and rebuilding towards the path you were at the beginning of the game (repairing what has crumbled while accepting the loss). At the end, the character reaches high above were she was initially, the character herself has gained color and she continues upward effectively overcoming grief. At least that was my take after finishing the game.

Great video thank you!