LogFAQs > #947931212

1. GRIS - Player_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g9_d713gJo

Ill start off with a bold statement. This is the most aesthetically beautiful video game sequence I have ever seen. In fact, Ive never seen anything like it in any medium, and I would be interested to watch an entire movie like this.

Its perhaps no surprise the intro is a work of art when you look into its inspiration, the works of Spanish artist Conrad Roset. The striking art style in the intro is both highly detailed and simplistic at the same time, which calls your attention to certain details. For instance, the character has what look like thin sticks for arms and legs, devoid of any intricacies. But her face has plenty of details such as freckles, rosy cheeks, long eyelashes, and realistic lips. Her face is where the personality lies, and its an oddly transfixing image from the moment you first see it. But theres also so much beauty in the animation, such as the way the characters dress swirls as she levitates, and the mesmerizing motion of her body as she falls.

But this intro is more than gorgeous artwork. The music is also outstanding and is intricately tied into the story (which Ill get to in a moment). The vocals in the early part of the intro are hauntingly intoxicating, making me think of the mythological Sirens Song (albeit without the inevitable shipwreck). But the real magic happens with the music during the fall (starting at around 1:16), as a melancholy piano part is accompanied by soaring strings and the unique sounds of the harmonium (I had to look that one up to identify it). It all comes together to create a sound that is emotionally cathartic and soothing (the likes of which Ive hardly ever heard in a video game, aside perhaps from Celeste).

Okay, so weve established this intro has great visuals and music, but what about the story? Glad you asked. Theres a lot going on here, but its open to interpretation, which in my view makes for the most interesting kinds of stories. We first see the character perched atop the secure rock hand that seems to serve as her entire world. When she sings, she can even float above the surface of the hand, which calls into question why she even needs it in the first place. But then something goes wrong. We see the rock hand start to crumble, and almost as soon as it does, her voice fades. She reaches for her throat and trembles in utter terror at the prospect of having lost her voice, and all of a sudden, she can no longer float. But just as she is dependent on the rock hand, it completely crumbles to pieces and she falls. And as she hurdles through the sky, constantly falling, she becomes smaller and smaller in our view until she is nothing more than a tiny speck, and eventually becomes lost completely in the white clouds.

Like I said, its open to interpretation, but Im going to give it a try because analyzing stuff like this is something I enjoy doing. Without having played the game to know if Im right, I would say this story represents themes of anxiety and depression. The main character has lost something precious to her, represented by her voice (but probably not literally her voice), and without it, she feels her support has crumbled away, leaving her to fall and sink into depression. And as she does, she becomes smaller and smaller, feeling more and more alone, until she is lost completely. This suggests the game will be abstractly about the character finding her way out of her despair.

Suffice it to say, this is an intro that does everything just right, and makes me want to play a game I had never even heard of before this. And really, what more could you ask for in an intro than that?