A Watercolor Wonderland: Taking A Closer Look At GRIS From Devolver Digital
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By: MithrandielGame developers all over the world are beginning to pull back the curtain on titles that will be premiering at PAX West in just a couple weeks from now. One such reveal was particularly stunning: GRIS.[arve url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO-pcdYDS0s" /]
With striking watercolor-inspired design, GRIS promises to be a breathtaking platformer, and we're certainly eager to get our hands on it once PAX has officially kicked off!
In the meantime, Roger Mendoza, one of the designers of GRIS from Nomada Studio, was gracious enough to answer some of our questions about the game. Check it out!
Tell us a little bit about GRIS - where are we? Who are we?
GRIS tells the story of Gris, a hopeful young girl lost in her own world, dealing with a painful experience in her life. Her journey through sorrow is manifested in her dress, which grants new abilities to better navigate her faded reality. As the story unfolds, Gris will grow emotionally and see her world in a different way, revealing new paths to explore using her new abilities.
Easily the most striking thing about GRIS is its stunning aesthetic. Where did the inspiration for this approach come from? How was it executed in game form?
We draw inspiration from different medias: music videos, the animated movies from Ghibli and Disney, the comic books of Moebius or the mobiles from Alexander Calder. The way to execute it in game is through a blend of computer graphics techniques and traditional art. We researched at the beginning of the project how to translate effects like watercolor or pencil shadowing so we can give it that handcrafted look.
Besides the look, what are some elements of GRIS that help to make it unique?
We want GRIS to be a pleasant experience, to enjoy the game without getting frustrated. That's why despite being a 2D platformer you can't die and there is no scoring system, but still has challenging and unique puzzles. Art is one of the selling points of the game but we also payed a lot of attention to sound design and music. We think that all this elements together make GRIS a game that you don't see often.
While the final release is still a few months away, what was a unique challenge in developing this title?
One of the biggest challenges was creating a game with people that never worked on video games before. On the team we have a blend of artists, illustrators and graphic designers and this is their first video game project. They brought very interesting ideas and feedback to the game, but they had to adjust to the technical limitations and learn the pipeline of creating a game. At the same time the programmers had to learn the techniques that artist use and recreate them in the game.
What’s the most impactful game you’ve ever played? In what ways, if any, did that title influence the development of GRIS?
It's no secret that Journey was a big inspiration for us. It was one of the first time that a game took such an artistic approach on a mainstream platform. It was a game changer and still remains one of our favourite games.
It's also fair to name games like Ori and the Blind Forest or Limbo/Inside too, which are game that we love and definitely influenced how GRIS shaped up.
What can fans who are attending PAX West expect from the GRIS demo?
They will be able to play a 20 minute demo that includes one of the levels of the game and small pieces of other areas. It's a good example of the kind of experience we're trying to create.
Any final announcements or comments?
We're very thankful for the reception GRIS is having so far! We're very proud and lucky to be creating the kind of game that we like to play, and it feels great to see people excited about it. We also would like to thank Devolver for giving us all the freedom and trust. Working with them has been a great experience for us!
Look forward to our first look and gameplay reflections from PAX West at the end of the month!
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