[Review]Grindstone

[R e i]

Grindstone Game info

Developer:Capybara Games
Platform:IOS, MacOS, Nintendo Switch
Release:September 16, 2019
Genre:Adventure, puzzle

 

 

Apply the minutiae of your daily tasks to the mechanics of Grindstone, and you’ve got a recipe for a satisfying lifestyle as far as we’re concerned. This methodical puzzle game has a delightful focus on the excitement of building momentum and a beautifully balanced sense of risk and reward. It’s also about killing monsters, which is an element that mostly does not directly translate to your real life, but they could be a metaphor, if you like.Basically, you’ll be presented with an all-too-familiar grid of colourful monsters called "creeps", and must trace a path through similar-toned beasties in order to build up a combo and move around the screen. You can go in the cardinal directions as well as diagonally and it's often possible to trace much longer paths of monsters than it initially appears, thanks to elements such as the introduction of larger, stronger creatures as well as other modifiers such as path-blocking bouldersThe effortlessness of building chains and the way the game flows mean that even as an essentially turn-based title, the action constantly feels dynamic, punchy and exciting. Strong art and animation contribute to this, but while it's well-drawn and a good fit, we couldn't help but find its character designs a touch familiar – a very en vogue sort of cartoon style, like you'd see on Cartoon Network. We're not wild about some of the music, either – one track called to mind the appalling PS2 title Crash of the Titans, which is never fun to be reminded of. Still, it all works, it's contemporary and it's never anything other than perfectly clear what you're doing.Ending a turn next to a monster in a... let's say irate mindset will see you taking damage, and as each level goes on you'll find more and more creeps taking (frankly, understandable) umbrage to your slaughter of their kin. As the screens get increasingly dangerous, you're incentivised to stick around and take out more and more monsters in order to acquire special items, such as keys to open chests or crowns worn by powerful, kingly opponents. It's a smart application of risk and reward, as once you've achieved each level's completion goal – defeating a certain number or certain type of enemy, for example – the most expedient move is simply to leave via the now-open exit. But that won't net you those bonuses, which you'll be using between stages to produce items from blueprints, craft useful bonuses and refill your waning health, which doesn't restore automatically.

 

 

As you can likely tell, then, there's much more going on here than it will appear at first. Never wavering from its appealing simplicity, Grindstone's introduction of new elements drastically changes your approach to its challenges, and eventually, you'll need to make more and more use of the advantages offered to you. There are alternate outfits to be unlocked, which confer in-game bonuses, but most crucial are the aforementioned items. The ability to teleport to any space or execute a powerful spin attack can change the tide of a battle, but these boons won't recharge until the stage ends – some of them will even require you to expend resources in order to regain them.These resources are the, er, source of the only real issue that we had with Grindstone; there are a fair number of them and they can feel a little redundant – a firm reminder of the mobile origins of the game. Of course, there's nothing wrong with mobile games, but it's generally pleasant when the seams are a little less visible. We're not wildly keen on the gating of progress behind collecting certain items, either; while the requirements are extremely far from unreasonably demanding, it still feels like it runs against the otherwise freewheeling and friendly nature of the proceedings to suddenly drop a gate in the player's way and state "by the way, those optional objectives? They weren't entirely optional after all".It's a very minor issue, though, as Grindstone absolutely nails the most important thing about any game of this nature – the central mechanic of chaining enemies never, ever stops being fun. Factoring in the titular grindstones that allow you to switch colours mid-combo, there's so much to consider that no single turn is a no-brainer. Yes, occasionally there'll be situations where very few meaningful moves are possible, but you'll spend these planning ahead as you become more familiar with your arsenal and get better and more efficient at laying waste to wave after wave of creeps.
There are plenty of levels, each with side objectives for additional replay value. The inclusion of boss battles which change up the gameplay further are also very welcome, but even without this well-tuned variety, Grindstone would still be an outstanding effort. It's such an accessible game; simultaneously challenging and incredibly friendly – booting the game lets you jump straight back into your last session, even mid-level, for example.

 

 

It only took a single tutorialized level for me to be sold on Grindstone. I'm that into the core concept. Basically, it's a mishmash of colored gem matching and turn-based tactics, and it's executed brilliantly.Playing as Jorj, an adventuring dad who's definitely seen better days, you'll try to ascend Grindstone Mountain floor by floor, level by level, turn by turn. My initial read on the game had me thinking I was in for a punishing roguelike (since you need to top up your health between rounds and occasionally grind for gear-repairing resources), but it isn't one. Grindstone can be super tricky, but it's not a roguelike.Each turn, you'll trace a path between a group of red, yellow, blue, green, or purple monsters in hopes of making the largest chain possible – while also ending your attack in a safe spot and, ideally, setting yourself up for future success. It's that simple! (Except, in many cases, it totally isn't.) Like all the best brain-busters, you have to constantly consider micro and macro factors. You can't get tunnel vision.Jorj can move in eight directions (in other words, diagonals are fair game), and if he takes down at least ten creeps in a single strike, a gem will land on the map that can be used to string together an attack on different-colored monsters – for instance: a yellow group first, then green (or whatever else is in reach).That basic premise – generating enough momentum to clear the board when the time is right – factors into larger foes, who have HP and roam around. The longer your combo, the more damage you'll dish when you bump into a Big Guy. The principle also goes for breakable obstacles, trap-door-opening levers, skeleton-raising tombstones, bosses, and so much more. One of my favorite parts of Grindstone is seeing an enemy for the first time, working out its quirks, and using them to my advantage.Most levels require you to kill a certain number of creeps – or in some cases the smarter, non-color-coded creatures – to open the exit door. Here's the trick, though: even the simplest foes can be deadly if you ignore them for too long. Every turn, more and more puny monsters will become enraged, a signal that if you end a turn sitting beside them, you'll take a hit. By default, Jorj only has three hearts.When he bites the dust, you'll lose all of your items and progress in a level. Failure stings when you're deep into earning an optional objective (say, unlocking a treasure chest), or clearing a bonus challenge ("kill three bats in one chain"), or simply trying to depart from a long battle after a job well done. It isn't necessarily enough to win – you have to get out alive. There's a sense of mounting urgency.

 

Grindstone System Requirements
Minimum Requirements
OS: Win Xp 32
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 1.8GHz / AMD Athlon XP 1700+
Graphics: AMD Radeon X600 Series or NVIDIA GeForce 210
System Memory: 1 GB RAM
Storage: 500 MB Hard drive space
DirectX 9 Compatible Graphics Card
Recommended Requirements
OS: Win Xp 32
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 2.0GHz / AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+
Graphics: AMD Radeon X1900 GT or NVIDIA GeForce GT 340
System Memory: 2 GB RAM
Storage: 500 MB Hard drive space