• Add Review
  • Subscribe
  • Nominate
  • Submit Media
  • RSS

Stealth, horror and buckets of blood

Grimorum is the Manhunt of the Rpgmaker games. That's all.

Hm ok, ok, I cannot do a review so short, so I'll explain: years ago I played Manhunt and it was a sort of stealth game with one-use-weapons, some shooting and lots of violence. Well, in Grimorum you will find many stealth sections, some shooting sections and lots of violence and gore. And a great horror story.



The Good
I said Manhunt, but there is clearly inspiration from horror movies like Saw for example, and many others. Grimorum is a dark supernatural adventure and it's cleverly told through various protagonists and cutscenes. A feature I liked a lot is how you often change perspective using different characters that contribuites to the same story, at a certain point you'll even play a new character during a flashback that will explain many things. Every level you will play will advance the story and you'll be always wondering what will happen next!

Mapping is quite good most of the times (I liked some more than others, nothing memorable but they were still good and serviceable). I find that the chipset used are perfect, and also lights and shadow are used in a very atmospheric manner. It's a dark game, no doubt! Music and sounds are selected with care, and I'll say another time: this game oozes atmophere, thanks to the attention to details and clever use of the resources.

Facesets comes mainly from Xenogears but they fit well as they aren't "cute" at all. They match very well with the custom chipset, that are slghtly taller than usual but they are all well done and they fit the scenarios perfectly.
Oh I forgot to say that this game is set in a modern realistic setting, so that's a plus! You seldom find games that recreate well modern enviroments as most resources fall on the fantasy genre, and others on the sci-fi.

Gameplay is mainly "run-and-gun"with lots of stealth sections in which you have to use silent weapons like the numerous glass shards (that are one-use weapon) and other levels where you collects powerful firearms (from guns to shotguns and rifles) to kill the enemy opposition. You have other parts in which you have to find items, clues and talk to some Npcs but they are often just fillers (like the numerous cutscenes) that explain the story. In fact everything is shown rather than told, thanks to a constant change of playable character (that masterfully describes them and sometimes their past) and perspective. Nice idea!



The Bad
Aside from the "adult content", gore, nudity, violence, and creepy situations that some people can find quite disturbing and unnecessary (most disturbing scenes are visualized, so yeah, be ready for pixelated gore details and a couple of anime gore pics), the game is pleasant to play but not without some problems: for example it's clear that Rpgmaker is versatile but not perfect for stealth sections and real time combat. Some parts can be frustrating and luckily you can save anytime and anywhere, otherwise it would be even more frustrating to play, considering that dying is really easy, you just make a little mistake and BAM! You are surrounded.
In some parts, like boss battles, you are expected not to use stealth so there is no problem at all, but when you have to sneak and you are seen everyone will be attracted to you no matter if there are walls or other obstacles... they're like iron nails and you are the magnet! It's funny that when you leave a map and you go back the enemies are resetted so that they are no longer alarmed.
At this time you will soon realize that some stealth parts can be simply avoided by running away as fast as possible to the next map, avoiding the enemies. Considering that you can save anywhere, this is sometimes the smartest choice (ok, not clearly the "honorable" one, still it works!)



The Verdict
If you can tolerate the themes of sex and violence, gore and creepy scenes, (this was not a problem for me) and a gameplay that is surely a clever and courageous idea but far from perfect and sometimes a bit frustrating in play (and this was a bit of a problem for me in some parts) you will have fun, I'm sure. Graphics and story (dialogues, characters, everything is well done with lot of attention to the details) are in my opinion excellent, this is a grim and dark world without powerful heroes, full of frail humans with their weaknesses. In short, this is a nice action-horror game very different from most other Rpgmaker games.
This deserve a solid 4 due to the high quality.

Posts

Pages: 1
This game is also the most violent and story-deepest game I've ever played for RPG Maker. Not a proper game for people that got disturbed easily, but definitely worth a look for anyone else. I didn't like the mixed graphics that much, but definitely everything else about the game. I'd rate it 4 stars as well.
author=Tw0Face
This game is also the most violent and story-deepest game I've ever played for RPG Maker. Not a proper game for people that got disturbed easily, but definitely worth a look for anyone else.


Surely I did not expect some cutscenes and pictures used.
I found it more disturbing than violent. I used to play D.Doomsday Door and E.Eve return the Heaven, two japanese sci-fi/horror Rpgmaker2003 that were really violent (enemy bosses are killed in gruesome manners, there are severed arms and crucifixion) but all gore is on the pixelated level and there are no really disturbing pictures or scenes.

author=Tw0Face
I didn't like the mixed graphics that much.


Well the problem is finding modern facesets (and other modern resources) that not look too "anime"/super deformed/cartoonish. Personally I'd reather taken the facesets from Persona (like they did in "Mystery Man Zero").

I admit that because of the style of gameplay (I love the rpgmaker games and I'm bad at stealth games) and the disturbing themes this is not one of my favourite games, anyway I've to admit that this was made with a lot of work and attention to the details.
author=TheRpgmakerAddict
Surely I did not expect some cutscenes and pictures used.
I found it more disturbing than violent.

Well, yes, that's probably the best word to describe it.

author=TheRpgmakerAddict
Well the problem is finding modern facesets (and other modern resources) that not look too "anime"/super deformed/cartoonish.

Yeah, you're quite right with this. Facesets that look too much like they were taken from random anime movies are known to destroy the atmosphere in such kind of games rather than being useful. However, the developer is well known for being quite capable of drawing proper faces by himself, so I'm just wondering that, this time, he not went with his own art style as well.

EDIT: What bothered me most about this game was the fact that the enemies can see you through the wall and (as well) kill you through the wall.
Thanks for the review dude.
It's true, the rm2k3 wasn't the best engine to choose for the desired gameplay.
It was one reason to deliver a better story and some nicer looking graphics.
I guess I'll go with Game Maker next time.
author=Red-Cube
Thanks for the review dude.
It's true, the rm2k3 wasn't the best engine to choose for the desired gameplay.
It was one reason to deliver a better story and some nicer looking graphics.
I guess I'll go with Game Maker next time.

Hey you did a great job anyway. Story parts were perfect, and I liked the art style (recent rpgmaker versions have that silly super-deformed charas and too clean scenarios). But yes, Rpgmaker is not well suited for some game styles (other games I played had poorer stealth sections, but usually these were just diversions), but it has a special place for me.
author=IndependentArt
added to my playlist. :)

You know that there is a German version as well? ;)

author=TheRpgmakerAddict
Hey you did a great job anyway. Story parts were perfect, and I liked the art style (recent rpgmaker versions have that silly super-deformed charas and too clean scenarios). But yes, Rpgmaker is not well suited for some game styles (other games I played had poorer stealth sections, but usually these were just diversions), but it has a special place for me.

Thanks.
You mean the RmMV? I dunno. I'm stuck with Rm2k3 when it comes to game making.
author=Red-Cube
Thanks.
You mean the RmMV? I dunno. I'm stuck with Rm2k3 when it comes to game making.


Yep. That and RmVXace and RmXP. I think that Rm2k3 has a better graphical appeal and charming pixelated look (also less super deformed charsets, so for a serious game like this it was the best choice)
Pages: 1