Grunn Review - A Must-Play Creepy Gardening Adventure by Sokpop Collective
Grunn is described as a normal gardening game, but it is far from that. With 11 endings, puzzles to solve, and some occasional gardening, this indie game is one of my must-plays of 2024.
A Normal Gardening Game
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Good Game Lobby Review of Grunn, the latest release by the indie gaming studio Sokpop Collective.
Grunn is described as a normal gardening game, but it is far from that. With 11 endings, puzzles to solve, and some occasional gardening, this game is a great example of how a simple idea can be fleshed out into one of my favorite games released this year.
Sokpop Collective
Before we get into the game, I wanted to start off by explaining who Sokpop Collective is.
This small Dutch indie studio is made up of four game designers with the goal of creating 100 games. Starting in 2017, they were releasing one game every two weeks for a number of years. After years of hard work and dedication that reached that goal, and figured, why not develop an additional 100 games?
They shifted to releasing one game a month and set up a subscription service for $3 a month. It’s an interesting concept and one I totally love, considering it supports indie developers and provides a steady output of interesting games. Grunn, the game we’re checking out today, is one of them.
Keep in mind, if you aren’t part of the collective, the game is set at $12.99 on Itch.io and on sale for $10 on Steam. But for only $3, you get Grunn and two additional games. I recommend checking them out! Full disclosure: I did receive a game key for this review, but I liked the game so much that I joined their Patreon immediately. If you’d like to win a copy of the game, make sure to comment on this video and subscribe, and I’ll pick the winner later this week!
A Weekend Getaway
Now let’s grab our shears because we only have a weekend to start sprucing up this garden.
You begin the weekend on a bus, where you meet the first character, the bus driver. Unfortunately, you're met with weird vocal tones, and you can’t quite make sense of what they are saying. This holds true for all NPCs in the game. You know, totally normal stuff—nothing to be scared about.
You leave the bus, but are blocked off by a locked door and a Polaroid showing a key in a garden. You turn to the small garden, pick up the key, unlock the door, and head over the bridge. A plank breaks, and you hear the bus drive off. You are now officially in the world of Grunn, and that intro gives you a great start for the gameplay. Sometimes you’ll find items you’re not even sure what to do with, but rest assured, that bone will come in handy. Yes, you can pet the dog in Grunn.
Over and Over and Over
The first place you go is your shed, where you will stay for the weekend. The owner has left you notes on what tasks they need you to take care of and where to find the tools you’ll need. Your first tool is a pair of shears used to cut the grass, which is oddly satisfying. I usually dislike farming simulators or games where you needlessly farm for a common goal, but the sound and atmosphere were oddly on point for me. Even if I was set on a different task, I’d still cut grass any chance I got.
As you explore, you find more Polaroids that give you clues on where to head next. Each time you find that Polaroid’s location, you "solve a picture."
This feels straightforward until you start to cut some nice white flowers by the church, and as you cut more, you realize something is off. You die and experience one of the 11 endings the game has set up for you. I honestly didn’t know that was the game’s premise, so after finding my first ending and being sent back to the main menu, I was a bit shocked. Could I just end there and review the game? Was that the end of Grunn? Not exactly!
Without spoiling too much, I wanted to show another ending and how it occurs. I was gardening the main area a few times and hadn’t even noticed that a door was there the whole time with a secret entrance. You can’t cross the path, so you need to get the plank that’s behind the gas station. The maze has a few dead ends, but it’s clear something is off. It feels like someone is watching you at all times, and when you reach the end of the maze, you have someone staring right at you. You press the symbol on the ground, and you are immobilized as the walls close in on you. You’re dead. Another of the 11 endings realized. A few of the endings are much more complex, but for fear of spoilers, I recommend picking up the game and finding them on your own. They are either really funny or jump-scare styled. After each ending, you’re met with a character who tells you they need your help. They send you back to restart the process and help them. Each day, you need to get to bed before midnight, for fear of—you know—either death or another ending, maybe?
Warping Reality
Let’s talk about the game’s visuals!
Grunn has a sunny vibe when you start, and as night gets closer and the world darkens, it has all the makings of a scary indie film. The world itself feels like you're on a mushroom trip, with everything around you almost breathing in the way things move. People’s faces have odd shapes and movements that make them look more sinister. The deep purples and dark greens give it a garden feel, while the interiors of areas are dark and without light, adding suspense to what might be around the next corner—a ghost, or a snail racing to the finish line.
You can go through a secret entrance filled with mushrooms or find a full white area with only a blanket waiting for you. The secret entrances around the game give it a unique look and vibe.
Sound Garden
The sound design is on point. Each noise—from the shears, hammer, or trowel—has a nice feel. The sound of your steps in the dark or the ghosts you encounter adds more mystery to the increasingly scary vibe.
Finding items or unlocking new things also has a nice touch in the sound design. My favorite item is the horn, which sounds hilarious when you add it to your inventory.
The soundtrack from the trailer and the odd music you hear throughout the game is eerie and wonky. It sets a mood of mystery and fright. I’m eagerly awaiting the release of the soundtrack because certain secret areas have their own themes.
A Must-Play for 2024
So, is Grunn worth your time? For the price of $3, you can join an indie game collective of thousands, get Discord access to a wonderful community, pick up this great indie game, and see how the shrubs are sheared.
Grunn is a short and sweet creepy indie game that explores inventive new ways to trick and treat the player, with funny and at times scary results. It’s one of my latest must-plays, and I highly recommend it. Thanks for reading the review and make sure to comment to let me know if you will play Grunn or like what you have seen!
🎮Grunn | Steam | Itch | Patreon
🗓️Release Date | Out Now!
If you are looking for more indie games to play then why not head to the main Review section here:
A gardening game with eleven endings? And a horror vibe? I've known about Grunn, but I never knew what to make of it. Thanks for the review!