Grime

Grime is a highly accomplished Souls-like action-RPG that delivers a hefty challenge without being punitive.

Grime is a beautiful, well-designed, challenging game with a ton of content, but it runs extremely poorly on Switch, to the extent that it's hard to recommend this version of the game if you can get it on another platform. It's disappointing, because Grime does so much right, and developer Clover Bite has clearly put a lot of love into it over the years. But all of that love can't save an action game that just doesn't run well. In this genre, that's a deal-breaker. It's a shame Grime's Switch debut is so rocky, because playing as a rock creature with a black hole doubling as its cranium is really cool. Don't get us wrong: Grime is playable on Switch, but until (or if) things get ironed out with updates, this brutal world is one you might want to avoid.

Grime does a great deal of things in metroidvania and soulsborne gameplay quite well. It’s got an engaging combat system full of customization and fun weapons. Additionally, the ability to absorb enemies for unique abilities is a really great way to individualize your playstyle. It’s also got some incredible environments to explore chockfull of unique enemies and platforming to overcome. I really wish it had a better handle on fast-travel because of how tough and frustrating it can be. That aside, Grime is an invigorating, fun, and challenging journey with a rather outlandish story and a great handle on action-RPG platforming and combat.

Grime is a brutal rocky beast of a Metroidvania, set in a strange and truly alien world of bizarre monsters and darkly-beautiful landscapes.

Grime Definitive Edition is a fascinating action-platforming experience that I can't recommend experiencing on the Switch. Its unique visual and narrative presentations will compel genre fans to the end, but the game would surely be better enjoyed without Switch performance problems dragging it down.

The developers of GRIME, Clover Bite, more than deserve all of the praise they’ve received over the last three years. GRIME is up there with the best Soulslike metroidvanias, and the Definitive Edition is great value for money due to all of the content included. As a result of all this GRIME II is one of my most anticipated games of 2024. However, ultimately, the performance issues on Nintendo Switch mean I’m unable to score it higher, and I’d also recommend any Switch players seriously review whether there are better platforms to enjoy GRIME on.

You can absolutely see the potential in this Metroidvania experience, but it feels hamstrung by the Switch hardware

GRIME combines the core elements of two of the best action RPG game styles, but also introduces its own ideas to make it a unique experience. With the addition of its free expansions and the quality of life improvements, GRIME reaffirms itself as one of the best options among Soulsvania games.

GRIME is a series of good to great-pieces that are slightly held back by performance issues.  Depending on when you’re reading this review I hope those are fixed because this game is fantastic. It’s beautiful, ugly, terrifying, and something any Metroidvania Soulslike fan should love.

Aside from some performance issues, Grime is an interesting adaptation of soulsborne mechanics to the 2D action-adventure genre.