Review for It’s Grim Up North
Game information
It's Grim Up North by Bad Reaction Games features tried and true point-and-click mechanics where players control an entertaining science fiction tale set in Yorkshire, England. Attractive pixel-art visuals are reinforced by music and sound effects which, though they are a trifle distracting and loud, succeed in building a zany world. The game is filled with multiple characters who are the catalysts for hilarious challenges, with chuckle-inducing resolutions. Surprisingly, there is a possibility that certain puzzles have no solution. When this occurs, adventurers must engage their enemies with a convenient strategic combat system, and reflexes have very little say in the outcome of the encounters. Players will enjoy a stimulating journey, seeking to discover why the situation came to be so very grim up north.
The player guides an irascible detective named Terry as he tries to determine why some of his neighbors are acting strangely: a mystery that might prove to be out of this world. Terry’s personality – that of a jaded, cantankerous fussbudget – reveals itself through quick-witted dialogues. (For instance, during the early part of the adventure, he makes a joke about public transportation that had me in stitches.)
Appealing pixel art brings Yorkshire, England to life. The most memorable locations are the Garden-Con festival and the pub. Both have a lot of room to move around, and they employ bright color palettes. The soundtrack is so loud (especially the tuba music) that it threatens to interfere with the concentration required to deduce puzzle solutions. I also didn’t care for the buzzing sounds that occur during the unvoiced dialogs. Fortunately, it is easy to lower the volume in the settings menu.
It's Grim Up North challenges the player with playful puzzles that fit the comedic story. At the pub Terry stumbles upon a whimsical task in which he must contend with modern technology to gain a specific item. I enjoyed his conversation while trying to accomplish this mission. Garden-Con also has an intriguing challenge in which Terry reaches a puzzle solution by performing as a rapper in a talent show. You select Terry’s lyrics by left-clicking on choices from a list, and while he raps Terry performs a free-spirited, animated dance.
Sometimes there won’t be clever solutions to problems – times when combat becomes necessary. It's Grim Up North handles this in a strategic manner. An ingeniously conceived system is accessible to players of many different abilities. The player executes an action by selecting cards from the lower-left corner of the screen. Red cards are for attacking, and if the player completes the Quick Time Event by pressing the indicated button, the enemy sustains damage. If accomplished at precisely the indicated moment, the damage will increase. Terry can be healed using green cards, and blue cards protect him. However, the cards can only be used a finite number of times. If Terry fails, you can decide to skip the encounter, in which case the game will continue as if he was successful. Or you can choose to try it again. It’s easy, even for those with slow reflexes, to fight using this system.
A detailed tutorial, which is accessible from the main menu, fully explains how to use the interface. Left-clicking on an area of interest moves Terry to that spot. Right-clicking cycles through the other commands: talk to, pick up and use. Click the talk icon on the character to whom you wish to speak, then select a topic from the list. Using an item is accomplished by either left-clicking on the bag in the upper-left corner or pressing Tab. Select the item of your choice, click on the “close” button, and then on the area of interest. Combine items by clicking on each one and moving them to the squares at the bottom of the screen. A hotspot indicator and notebook that lists objectives are accessible by activating the lightbulb or notebook icons.
Comprising the first chapter in a comical tale, It's Grim Up North ends on an exciting cliffhanger. Although the sound design was distracting, it didn’t lessen my appreciation of the game. I experienced a lively story, engaging puzzles, impressive locales and a wackily relatable protagonist.
