Page 90 - PC Gamer - UK (February 2020)

FREE G AMES RE VIE W

COOL TITLES FOR NO CASH by Tom Sykes

You see enemies on the map. There’s a timed element to
No random encounters. the turn-based combat.

REAPERCHEAP

It’s not so grim being a reaper in the sweet GRIMM’S HOLLOW

inally, an Undertale-style RPG where you can really make the down even when you’re in the middle
most of the combat system – without feeling awful about every NEED TO KNOW of the command menu. A menu you
enemy you kill. Grimm’s Hollow begins with a girl named WHAT IS IT? navigate entirely by using the up and
Lavender waking up in the afterlife. Hey, so it turns out there’s A turn-based RPG down keys.
Fa purgatory, and it’s full of violent ghosts, but also reapers to where you play as a
dispatch them to the Great Beyond. Upon death, Lavender is designated as grim reaper UP, UP, DOWN, DOWN
a reaper, while her similarly deceased little brother becomes a ghost. EXPECT TO PAY A bigger problem is the uneven
Free difficulty level. Battles are brutal –
I mentioned Undertale, and that’s implementation. Borrowing the best DEVELOPER but what the game doesn’t tell you is
because Grimm lives in its enormous bits from classic JRPGs, there’s a Mahum Najam that you can purchase stat upgrades
shadow, with its spooky, kooky Final Fantasy-style ATB system PUBLISHER that trivialise it, almost right away.
underworld, its cute and funny cast (turn-based meets real-time combat), In-house Later encounters do redress the
of characters, and the surprising partnered with the quick-time balance, but it feels like a big,
REVIEWED ON
emotion it can evoke through its flourishes from the forgotten Shadow AMD A4-6300@3.7GHz, ambitious combat system has been
earnest dialogue. It isn’t Hearts. After every 6GB RAM, GeForce GT jammed, slightly inelegantly, into a
mawkish or overly melee attack, you’ll be 610 two-hour game.
sentimental; in fact, it The game’s asked to hit the down MULTIPLAYER However, I think some iffy
undercuts its combat system key on a Golf-style No balancing is a fair trade off for a
melancholy at almost is feature-rich, swing-o-meter. Do it LINK relatively complex battle system that
every opportunity, with right, and you’ll inflict bit.ly/GrimmHollow held my attention to the close of the
a stupid joke. Naturally, if a little more damage. But hit game. The Hollow’s three dungeons
that only endeared me awkward too early, or wait too are pretty enjoyable to explore, as you
more to the memorable long, and your attack hunt secret doors and fight ghosts to
characters. There’s will whiff. Also, you’ll an absolute banger of a battle theme.
Grimm, the master reaper who be asked for a timed response when It’s an epic RPG in miniature, and the
enjoys a nice cup of tea, and Baker, defending special enemy attacks. It’s compression isn’t perfect. But few
who forgoes slaying for baking bread. a neat system, most of the time. games have such enormous heart.
Over the course of a couple of hours When it feels fair, these QTEs
you’ll get to know these characters succeed in keeping you engaged VE R D I C T
intimately, adding weight to the during battles – I’ve played so many A full-fledged RPG
dramatic events of each ending. JRPGs where I just hit confirm over shrunk to one you’ll finish
To get there, you’ll need to master and over during regular combat. But in a couple of hours. A bit 80
the game’s combat system, which is they conflict awkwardly with the unbalanced, but you’ll
feature-rich, if a little awkward in menu system. You can be asked to hit forgive it it’s flaws.

90 FEBRUARY 2020