Grimoire Groves

I had to figure out a lot myself, and if something doesn't work, like the mini-games with the creatures, then I don't know what the problem is. After twelve hours of playing time, I didn't manage to complete a single mini-game and only got scorched earth, regardless of whether I tried to press quickly, press more buttons at the same time, or hold the buttons down.

Grimoire Groves offers a unique blend of cozy aesthetic with satisfying, but not overwhelming, pacifistic action roguelite gameplay that can be played in both short bursts or marathon-style play sessions.

Grimoire Groves has an active ad campaign that claims some of its early players are calling it a mix of Hades and Animal Crossing. It is neither of those things. The NPCs aren’t dynamic, they aren’t your neighbors, and they will become the source of your headaches. The combat isn’t Hades, because it quickly becomes onerous and grindy, and I felt zero joy when I beat the first boss. The combat isn’t smooth, either; aiming your spells is inexact, and only the lack of enemy damage keeps that from being a gamekiller itself. This is a game I desperately looked forward to, and I work hard to be gentle in my reviews, because I can admire the effort. I wanted to be gentle this time, but my partner put his hand on my arm and pointed out that I literally screamed at my Steam Deck in frustration. Grimoire Groves is polished and pretty, put together by people who clearly know what they’re doing, and yet somehow forgot to make the game loop fun to repeat. I cannot recommend it. It made me angry and unhappy to continue, and nothing was satisfying about the loop or its characters. I hope it will improve, but it’s going to take a lot to bring me around for another try.

Grimoire Groves is a refreshing take on the standard roguelike genre, and I genuinely enjoy the core gameplay loop. The visuals are nice, and while the game is simple, it plays to its strengths. I also really enjoy building up the little encyclopedia that catalogs what you find in the Grove. The lack of accessibility options and problems I had with performance was disappointing in the release build, but these can be fixed with time. Despite these issues, Grimoire Groves is still a good performer on the Steam Deck.

Grimoire Groves took a bit of time to grow on me, but once it did I found myself impressed by its relaxing, adorable atmosphere, its friendly characters, and its unique take on witchy farmcraft. A roguelite with an incredibly unique identity, fans of Stardew Valley and Hades are sure to find some love for this little game.