Shadow's Grove

Shadow's Grove is an emotionally driven third-person action-adventure that combines supernatural exploration, environmental puzzles, and combat with a heartfelt story about grief, companionship, and acceptance. Developed by Fenris Games and published by DigiPen Institute of Technology, this free-to-play student project attempts to deliver a meaningful experience through its imaginative interpretation of the afterlife. Rather than relying entirely on conventional action mechanics, the game places considerable emphasis on the relationship between its protagonists, creating an adventure where emotional storytelling and gameplay are closely connected. Its ambitions are admirable, particularly considering its educational origins, although certain aspects of its design suggest an experience with more potential than refinement. The narrative follows Astrid, a young spirit guide struggling to come to terms with the loss of Eri, her beloved wolf companion. Their journey unfolds within the Valley of Souls, a mysterious realm where the boundaries between life, death, and memory become increasingly uncertain. As Astrid explores this supernatural environment, Eri's fading presence remains esse…

I restarted the story 3 times, the first time I closed it because I wasn't playing any more that night, when I came back there was no saved game, 2nd and 3rd times I find a giant skeleton and drop, and the story resets. So at this point I'm just giving up and uninstalling.

Shadow's Grove is a game that caught me off guard with how emotional it ended up being. I am playing as Astrid, a young spirit guide who is trying to deal with losing her lifelong companion Eri. The strange part is that Eri is still with her as a fading spirit, and the two of them have to travel through the Valley of Souls together. I liked this setup because the game is not just about exploring an afterlife. It is really about trying to accept a loss that neither character is ready to let go of. The ability to switch between human and wolf forms is easily one of my favourite ideas. Astrid and Eri each have their own abilities, so I have to use both of them to get through the different areas. Eri can help with things that Astrid cannot do, while Astrid's magic gives me another way to deal with obstacles and enemies. I liked that the two characters actually feel connected through the gameplay rather than the relationship only being explained through dialogue. The environmental puzzles are simple but they fit the world nicely. I am moving through different surreal areas and working out how to manipulate the environment to open new paths. I never felt like the puzzles were trying to…

good.

WTF Bruv... Why is there a black lady in a Norse setting? Why does she have a male's face? Why does her male face have a look on it like her brain's full of tumors? Why does she walk with a stiffness and urgency like she's ballpointing? Why is she appropriating Norse culture by dying her hair blonde and putting it into Norse Braids? And most important of all, What The Dog Doin'? Can we stop with the woke DEI slop culture BS and just go back to making good games, please?

Claramente inacabado. Tem uma base até que OK, desejo bastante sorte ao dev, Quando estiver finalizado volto a jogar.