This game helped me through the pandemic. I just moved away from my home, and wanted to become independent, and also a friend cut ties with me the year prior, which happened a little before my dog passed away. I felt I had accomplished nothing, and that I dug my grave with my decision to be on my own. I was about to die of hunger, and I kept going. This game gave me a bit of hope that I needed. I got a job, and got paid right before I was running out of food, and kept moving forward. I feel like this game was very important to me, and I cannot describe how much I loved it. I still listen to its beautiful soundtrack from time to time.
Having just finished the game, with a million thoughts running through my mind and my emotions all over the place, this video was just what I needed to put everything into perspective. Wonderful analysis, thank you!
I've been musing over the stages of grief and the various ways the game's symbolism can be interpreted. And quite frankly, you managed to concisely, yet expressively, paint a clear picture of how it all ties together. One thing I'd like your take on is how the eyes of the statue are the last piece to fall into place. Simple metaphor? Or something more? In addition to that, I'd love to hear your interpretation of the secret achievements named after the five stages of grief (I will never be able to remember the words Kübler-Ross). I also find the music fascinating. From what I can tell, Nomada Studio made a set of simple, base melodies for various regions, and then used a variety of interweaving stems that fade in and out depending on your actions and location. The flow state achieved via visuals and audio design is remarkable; at every moment I always felt like I knew exactly what needed to be done. Crafting such an experience is one that requires boundless talent, creativity, a knack for rigorous introspection and an understanding of how the mind ticks.
I didn't pay much attention to the piecing of the statue back together during the final cutscene, but isn't the mouth the final piece to snap into place?. But one thing I did think was in the caves when you reach the statue, I felt the eyes opening showed that that was the end of the chaos. The statue was completed again, and it finally "came to life", and nothing that is incomplete or messy can come to life properly. The moment the eyes opened marked the moment the girl would no longer descend back down into grief, only ascend upwards out of it. I am no expect at music or more traditional art, I can understand logic like math and science much easier, but the type of ambient and un-ordered music of the game to be one of my favorite types. the OST of Gris reminds me at some points of Disasterpiece's work on the Hyper Light Drifter OST, which is my all time favorite soundtrack, game or otherwise.
@@pixeldemise3128 I was referring to the repeated appearance of the statue every time the girl moved from one phase to the next. The top of its head is the last piece to appear, which I took as perhaps an unwillingness or fear of acknowledging the mother's passing. Eyes are the windows to the soul and all that, and when communicating, the eyes are the only part of the face you focus on. As you said, it has only truly fixed itself when the eyes also open, symbolizing the acknowledgement and acceptance of what has happened. I'm no musical expert either, I'm much more confident when dealing with things that can be quantified and broken down. But aside from the technical aspects the music here, like in HLD, feels intrinsically tied to the world. I think that's the quality that allows me to feel like I'm back in it when simply listening to the OST.
After a whole year of being released, I have found this video while searching for someone analyzing the visuals of Gris. Despite not being aware of the meaning of the game itself, I stand now as a fan for the message it delivers. I must thank you for providing the analysis I wanted, as well as the interpretation I didn't know I needed. You deserve more recognition.
This video needs to be at the top of every gaming blog now that Gris won a Game Award for “Impact.” Very well explained; I would just do an addendum that includes the hidden “childhood” scene because it reinforces your interpretation beautifully.
I beat this game yesterday, it makes a lot of sense now. Amazing how many things I did and did not understand while playing! Beautiful video nontheless, thanks for making it!
i'm a year late but this video slightly helped me and i now really want to play this game. i just lost both of my grandparents to coronavirus and i feel like im being drowned by grief. i took a chance and just searched games about grief, looking for some kind of solace, and i came across this video. thank you.
Thank you for this, I'm doing a research project on grief and how to show it through a game and grief does this wonderfully. (I'm intended to then make the game next half of the year and maybe the year after if I can)
Great video. I am sorry you didn't achieved a better breakthrough with it, the depth you went in with it was certainly worth it. At least i managed to catch and watch it despite not being very popular.
Due to an audio bug, I had to take down the old video to fix it. Then fixing that messed another thing up because I didn't double check it, so I had to sit through rendering three times. The first time, to fix the issue, and to fix the second issue... Well, I didn't have anything to do on my computer today anyways... This was maybe the hardest thing that I have ever had to write. I really wanted to talk about it, but I have never been great at un-quantifiable emotions and talking about them. Things like suspense and action are easier for me to understand and write about, compared to a sensitive subject like grief.
People have always said that we sound similar, but I have never been able to hear it so it always confuses me when others say that. Though she is already mostly back to normal. Her arm is still weak, but aside from that she is completely recovered.
I just finished the game in about 5 hours. absolutely love it, especially as someone who has had a long ongoing struggle with depressive tendencies. I don't think that Gris' concept of dealing with grief is modelled quite as closely on the Five Stages as you suggest, but you explain it well in that context. also I'm not sure that the game makes it specific that the girl's grieving for her mother, is that confirmed? either way, great video, thanks for making it.
I thought it is the other way around .. Gris is dead and her mother is going through grief stages. At the end the mother is the one who shed a tear and then Gris moved to heaven as her mother let go.
Sorry, a little nitpick... I don't think the red turtle is representative of a friend. I believe it's an extension of Gris herself. It's a red turtle, red meaning stubbornness, passion, righteousness, etc. and the turtle is a symbolism of strength, shelter, and perseverance. It is a positive manifestation of Gris's anger.
