Imagine Breaker, tbh I had the same thought haha, but that script only came out to about 1/50th of a page. So I had to write just a little bit more 🤷🏼♂️
I completely disagree here. I felt no urgency or threat during those sections. I put down my controller during the eel section just to see what would happen and basically watched the game play itself
I used to do all my tests in college in blue ink after noticing graders were more lenient when I did it accidentally once. No clue if it was really the cause or not, but I like to believe I’ve got the calming effect of the colour blue to thank for at least a few of the partial marks I got back in the day lol
Omg that's genius xD no clue if that helped your grades or not, but if it actually did that's some advanced college speedrun strats right there. Thanks so much as always my guy!
My boyfriend and I had the opportunity to play this game after his sister committed suicide and took with her his nephew. We didn't knew what was the topic of the game when we started to play, we simply bought it because the art style was beautiful and we were eager to distract our minds from the pain and sorrow. Playing the game allowed us to have a meaningful conversation about the situation and, on a certain way, experience the feelings with Gris. It was really meaningful for us to have found this game when we did. And I'm forever grateful to the developers for this masterpiece.
I downloaded the game because of the artstyle... I wasn't able to finish it because anything would make me cry, literally ANYTHING! The soundtrack, colors, the dust storm... everything made me think about the mistakes I committed in my past and how my decisions destroyed all my friendships
One of the details I really loved in the Depression chapter, was how Gris is only really able to escape safely due to the companion she made. Having a kind and helpful shoulder to lean on when in trouble is always a welcome aid when battling against depression. It might not be easy, but you have friends and family that care about you, even if you may not realize it. They don't want to see you hurting, so let them help out where they can, and you might be able to escape from grief in a better state than without them.
I played this game back when I had really bad depression, and it was as for every colour I regained in game, I got the ability to feel that emotion again in real life. This game was the most emotionally freeing game I've ever played in my life.
Dude I feel you, I just finished the game not half an hour ago. And the feeling is just calmness... blissful self reflexion. I've also been battling with depression for a long time. Take care and hope you are in a better place now!
I disagree with the interpretation that the underwater turtle represents anger, and the symbolism of red in general as anger in the game. Granted, the color red is distinctly used in the stage of grief called anger, and you talk in the end about how the model of the five stages of grief isn’t always so clean and simple in application, but I also think red has an association with passion, and just heightened emotion in general. The turtle never seems angry at all, all its actions are slow and gentle, and it’s sound design has it making cute and woeful noises. Because of this, my instinct makes it almost feel to me more like a representation of self-love. Or, with the shape it takes, it almost seems like it could be Gris’s heart, with the many light balls she’s getting in the underwater section acting as if she’s slowly piecing her heart back together, and learning how to love herself again, for it to come and burst through the doubt/anxiety/negativity eel in the end. I know a lot of this is just subjective experience, especially with a game that aims to broadly and wordlessly represent grief through mostly simple colors, but it just feels weird hearing the turtle claimed as representing anger when it just never seemed to do anything associated with anger to me. I think the stage called anger is a bad name regardless of this game though, as I think for many people it can be more like sadness, but that’s a beef for another day. I just wanted to give my two cents, but I also want to end by saying Gris is one of my favorite games of all time though, and I love so much of the interpretation and research you do in this video!! I think because I love the game so much it causes me to be passionate about the nitty-gritty details. I’d be interested to hear if anyone else agrees or disagrees with me in other comments as well!
I'm glad you said that! As I was editing the video it felt a little strange when I mentioned the turtle was representing anger. Self-love is probably a better interpretation, because anger can certainly be a part of why we protect ourselves, from being tired of being pushed around, etc. Self love or pride in one's self is probably a better context for any anger that may be there.
Based off of my own experiences, I think the turtle could be anger as well. Depression can be such a washed out feeling and sometimes just being angry can feel refreshing in a world of muffled calm. A flare of anger at circumstances can be the right pull out of fear and depression, can feel so amazing! My take is that anger formed as a calming and welcomed thing in a different, reckless, freeing, defiant way in the midst of the suffocating nothingness of depression.
I played this with my mom and she started crying at the end becuase she related to it so much. She's also a therapist and is recommending this game to some of her clients that might need it
I felt the therapy of it. Just finished it today. The way you hold the beauty inside of you, the ability to sing is the ability to call forth that beauty. And it gives you the resilience you need to confront your problems with confidence. Because you can do good again. You might want to hide from the trauma or struggles. But once you discover you do have some ability to pull through and restore beauty, then you can rely on that beauty inside of you to restore yourself. The self thats struggling, with your victories and ability, you have the means to face the problems instead of running. So you don't reach despair, because its your new trump card.
Depression often leads to Apathy and if I've learned anything from self work its that anger is the 1st emotion to spring up when you start accepting you're not ok. Angry for being depressed, angry for wasting time, angry for not being good enough and you can't run from the anger you have to let it out. The anger will be your 1st true emotion in a long time and it'll allow you to start feeling so you can learn to express more and more if you let it. But to often we are told anger is bad in all forms so repress and continue in our dark cavern
what I learned try to get rid of my emotions is that anger is the strongest it can override every other emotion (๑¯◡¯๑) you know what's the next strongest one it's lust, humans are disgusting (; ‾ ~‾)
@@kahn9563 numerous doesn't mean successful it's an animalistic shallow fake feeling to trick you into reproduction & procreation, it's kind of retarded to fall for it ( ಠ‿ಠ) we are an intelligent life form we don't need that (ok maybe we do (; ‾ ~‾) but I don't), and yes sex is disgusting
@@kahn9563 No I'm only entitled to facts, rather than trying to insult me why not try & prove me wrong looks like you are the one who's entitled to their own opinion ( ಠ‿ಠ) how deluded?!
I honestly love how they point out how the 5 stages aren't separate, but bleed into each other. Sometimes it does just feel like you're in 3 stages at once. I know after my dad passed away really suddenly when I was 11, it felt like I was in anger, depression and bargaining all at once.
Alexander Filip Yeah but it’s mostly associated with green even if it isn’t always green. Many sayings associated to money mention the colour green, and almost every image on google when searching “money” shows green
To add to a connection between blue and depression - severe depression often "calms" and "relaxes" you. Not in the healthy way for sure, but it kinda feels like it sometimes. Sure not in all cases, but you stop feeling (or start feeling less and less) emotions, and it can be kinda interpreted as calming, especially considering that fact that your emotions in this case are more and mostly (or all) negative. You go from constant anger, hysteria, self-blaming, nervousness, anxiety and other "amazing" things depression gives you to basically nothing - hopelessness stays, but in the "I'll never be okay again and I don't care about it anymore". People often even convince themselves that they should stop caring about things (ALL things) and just go with the flow to the wanted death, that it's "just how life is, can't do anything so should stop caring". And as you said, the more you stop caring and start avoiding and accepting, the harder it is to find the way out. But it kinda has an impact on both your mind and your body. You "relax" after constant stress and constant feelings, you just stop caring. And yes, it also portrays kinda the loss of energy and passion (from red to blue, you see).
its also the reason so many people with depression dont want to get better, to fall back into the feeling they have known for so long because it's comfortable and its familiar.
Fantastic, as always. The psychological relation to color was fascinating to hear about, however I think this video leaned much more towards being a general analysis of GRIS as well, Which is fantastic because after playing the game I did not find any videos to help me fully understand what the developers were going for. The emotional themes also made this feel a bit like your gaming from the heart episode. What I’m trying to get at Is the psychology, analysis, and emotion all in this video I feel is a great representation of what this channel is about, and a great vid overall.
Thanks Luke! I totally agree, the more I wrote the more I realized that this was really about Gris and grief. Color was sort of just the lens I examined it from. I also think I'm overdue for a GFTH, so those vibes may have bled into this one a bit haha.
I don't know why, but I had an incredibly strong reaction to this video. Im a grown man and I dont really cry...ever. But this video...made me cry...and I dont quite understand why. Last time I cried was watching Steins Gate something like 8 years ago, and it was very obvious to me why I cryed then - it felt very different this time. I look forward to playing this game and trying to understand it better (both the game and myself). So many emotions in just 20 minutes, it feels kind of unreal. Well done.
I felt the same.. I've been battling with some depressive episodes for a while now, but it was just recently that I started to recognize and accept that I'm not ok.. that I'm tired and scared and hurt. It was helpful that I found this video.. I'll definitely check the game out on my spare time.
Same. I’ve never even played this game, but just hearing about it brought me to tears. I can’t imagine how emotional actually playing the game must be, especially if you recently went through loss.
@@valkyrie2832 i cried a lot when i played the game. even though you've already seen the video, i highly recommend playing GRIS for yourself if you can
Man, I LOVE your videos. As an aspiring game developer, I feel as though something being overlooked in my courses is the psychology and GOD I love this! Color theory is so important, and building a game around it is brilliant and I am so glad you delved into the beauty that is Gris. I've been following you for a long time now (since at least the original "why you suck at exams" video) and look forward to every single upload. Please keep up the amazing content!
Honestly, the timing of the Eel jumpscare(? I wish I could find another way to describe it) is perfect. The scary music subsides, but you're still on your toes for most of that section. By the time the Eel reappears, you've grown accustomed to the low, spaced-apart lights and it's been just long enough for you to let your guard down. Which, in real life, is exactly what brings the dark thoughts back: letting your guard down.
No matter what creative project you're pursuing (illustration, for me), video games as a medium can provide so many insights and inspirations. Great content as always!
I played this game when I was going through a really bad depression after my grandma died because we weren't able to provide her with proper medical attention. I was blaming myself everyday, but this game helped me with my feelings of anger, depression, and guilt. I didn't know exactly why until today. Thank you so much for this analysis
I found this game a few months after cancer took my best friend, when she was only 27 years old. I've shared and recommended it to all her family and friends, as it hit me so hard. The statue in the game even bears a physical resemblance to her - making it all the more potent. As an artist myself the colors had a huge impact on me, as well as the music in the game. In the beginning, instead of going right and letting the world in, you cna choose to go left. You will fall often, stumbling on nothing, can cannot run. Th world zooms in and it is just you and your grief. only after confronting a smaller statue does Gris pick herself up and more on, letting the world in little by little. It is so easy to focus on your pain, on your loss, instead of healing yourself. I love that you addressed that the 'stages of grief' are not linear or singular, as well as the power of utilizing your anger. At first I didn't agree with the interpretation of the turtle, but looking at my own experience it does make sense. There are days I am filled with rage and sorrow and hate. Where I want the world to end becasue she isn't in it. And there are days I hate those thoughts where getting up and pressing on is my quiet rebellion against the world. To me - that is the turtle, that quiet determination born of hate and anger that pushes me forward and protects me from the world. From my work, from rude people. From everything. It is my shield as much as my weapon .
As someone deep into the depression stage of grief, I truly appreciate this analysis. It helped me understand what I'm going through a little better. Maybe I should give Gris a try as well.
I honestly started crying I'm glad I found this video. We're all in a tough situation right now, but I lost someone very dear to me a few days ago. Thank you
Although it's late, I always loved how the eyes on the initial cover are yellow aka acceptance. It's having to open your eyes again and look at the truth; understand that she's gone and accept it. It's a color detail I just really love and it hit me because it reminded me of Omori when the main character had to overcome his grief and open his eyes fully to see the truth of what had happened to his sister. Color theory in games is just amazing 🫶
When I first went through this game, all I really thought was "ooh, pretty colors". When I got to the last stage, however, I noticed the statue of the girl laying down in a corpse-like position, and on a whim, hit A. "Achievement Unlocked: Acceptance." ...what? With the realization, I went back through the entire game, picking up on little clues like you mentioned in the video. And yeah, I cried at the end. Even if it is just a game of pretty colors and the stages of grief.
Damn yeah I remember that! This game just caught me visually and emotionally on such a deep level that I never really pondered how or why it might have stuck me on such a deeply emotional level. Thanks random commenter from 3 years ago!
Thank you for the amazing video, I think you only missed one detail, GRIS was grieving due to the loss of her mother. The statue she keeps coming back to. At 21:13, you notice that she goes back to her mother's grave and furnishes it with new flowers. It's when the Acceptance achievement is awarded. Before she ascends to the sky, she kisses her mother goodbye.
Another insteresting thing i noticed is that, throughout the game, once you complete a stage, the stars of light that you have collected rise into the sky and bit by bit form a seemingly random constellation. It is only at the very end of the game, once acceptance has been reached, that you realise it is this constellation that makes up the final pathway for Gris to climb and escape her grief. For me, these stars symbolise the lessons you pick up along the way, even (or maybe especially) during your lowest points of anger, depression and self-destruction. In the moment, you may not even realise that lessons are being learned, and it is only at the end that they come together and you realise the purpose of everything you went through and how every lesson you learned was necessary to find peace at last.
I've been through a difficult breakup, and after it happened i was surprised by how much it felt like grieving. A dear friend gave me this game after a particularly bad fight with said ex. I remember playing the beginning through veiled eyes, and relating so much to every moment. I felt the anger through the red level - with all its uncontrollable force sweeping you away, but also in the way it solidifies you. You keep going, though slowly, with small steps. When i first saw blue, i cried as the rain started pouring down, feeling all the sadness but also some kind of soft release. It felt like allowing myself to feel and be vulnerable again, though through suffering. I cried again - yup, lots of crying in this - at the turtle scene, when all seemed lost but you fight back again. And then green and yellow, and all the colors harmonizing together, it was like coming back to finally living, and that ending with the musical duet... This game meant so much to me. I'm better now. I hope to find myself again - it's hard, everyday, but now i am hopeful and that's much more than what i used to be.
I’ve never played this game but there is another game that has a similar concept called rhyme. It’s also about the 5 stages of grief but it’s not really revealed to you that it’s about the loss of a loved one until the end. When I got to the final part of the game I was kind of mad that I didn’t understand the story, but when I realized that it was about a father grieving over the death of his son and trying to make it past all the stages of grief to finally be free and rest peacefully, I cried... a lot
Even without realizing the meaning of the colors, this game touced me deeply for its beauty and journey (also the ending made me cry). I deeply loved this game already, but now I also deeply respect it
Really enjoyed how this points out details I hadn't noticed or interpreted that way, such as the small yellow lights showing a path to acceptance, but I especially appreciate the acknowledgement that the five stages are not linear. I love how the colors from all the earlier chapters still show up as Gris goes through the grieving process, just like the feelings do in real life.
I. Loved. This. Seriously. As someone who wants to be a creator and is pushing toward that goal, the way you presented all this was engaging to watch. Actually, you convinced me to buy the game, too. I'm so glad I found this channel
Gris was recommended to me several times and when I first played it I might haven't given it the time and attention to detail it needed. Watching this video made me aware of so many subtle things I did missed. Thank you for all the research you did and adding the different studies. Your choice of words and editing style made this video become it's own wonderful journey.
I also love how even the directions you take symbolize how the character is feeling: bargaining, the stage characterized by thoughts like "if only I did something different", is the only time you progress by going right to left, effectively trying to go back in time. Later in sadness you swim deeper and deeper, symbolizing sinking into a depression
When I first came to understand the implications of this modle of grief about 6 years back, it had an enormous impact on me. Knowing that many people will be introduced to this theory by this video is a hard task to deal with, but I think it was done very well. Have you ever pondered about sound and light? I think they are one and the same - an expending wave. So by this idea his explanation leads us through this visual artwork like a guiding line. It surrounds details we ought to internalise and points us where we should place our attention next. It provides structure to what might seem like a haphazardly mixture of colours by framing it in his words. He is leading the viewers eyes using an imaginary colour - his voice. *Thank you*
Just lost my mother recently, and this explanation of this beautiful game has just made me feel a lot better with my emotions. Truly beautiful game and analysis. Thank you
I played it on the release, and oh em gee, I've never cried so much before. It was sad, it was beautiful, it was meaningful. If you are going to play, please do so while wearing headphones. Sound design of Gris is spectacular as well.
I played this game on me ipad, GODDAMN IT'S SO WOWIE MASSIVE BEUT OF A GAME, A SCREENSHOT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD WALLPAPER BRO WHAT EVEN HOW EVEN? i love the stone box thingy that you fed it apples BUT GODDAMN DUDE IT'S WORTH MY EYES.
Great video of a beautiful game! It's hard to believe it's been over a year since it came out, feels like I just played it yesterday, lol. It always blows my mind to hear about how much colour can affect us on a physiological level, that something so seemingly simple and mundane can have that much of an impact. Honestly just makes me even more interested in colour design and theory then I already am, and admittedly, it can at times feel like I'm already borderline obsessed with it. But maybe that's just me liking pretty colours just a bit too much. And I think you made some great insights here, especially in regards to the way the game mixes and combines colours. That was something I didn't even fully notice until you pointed it out!
Thanks Traven! Color psych is suuuuch a murky topic to be honest, there are a ton of associations that are pretty universal like the association to red and black since all cultures understand danger, etc. But a ton of associations are totally specific to culture and even individual experience. I think the best games can teach a player an association in the context of the game. But absolutely man, it’s so simple and easy to just “pick” a color of stuff, but when you can be intentional about it, it can really go a long way in making an experience something special.
This was a beautiful analysis of an amazing game that had me crying again! I've played through the game twice and both times I found myself bawling, especially in the underwater stage when you're crawling through the dark, bumping into walls as you keep trying to progress. You're moving so gracefully, the character is just flowing, and yet turns come so sharp that the grace of the movements don't matter. And then the creature chases you. Like someone else said, it probably won't hurt you, but I always race away from it knowing exactly what it is that I'm racing from even though I know its just a game and in no part do we actually die or have "lives" like in Super Mario or something. But that's the part that always makes me have to take a minute while I cry. Gris tells the story of this character's grief which I find similar to my own, but different in details. And yet the similarities are enough that it resonates strongly. No other game, or piece of media really, has touched me the way this game has. And I think it helped me through my grief by letting me know that my feelings are natural and part of the process. That it's messy and hard, but can also be beautiful as it's part of life. That I knew someone who meant so much to me that her life is part of the fabric and story of my own and I continue to grieve that loss is really something special. I can't believe this game is only something like $15 for all that, haha.
I found and started watching through your videos after my dad died two months ago, and you've honestly put out more content that deals with my feeling than I expected. I appreciate it.
This was such a thorough and fascinating dive into the symbolism and art of this game! I didn't really think much about it when I played through Gris but this video really helps to put words to how I felt throughout the experience. It really makes me appreciate it in a way I never did before!
I've watched this video so many times that I practically lost count by now. I really enjoy all of your Psych of Play series but this one just hits differently as it's the first video i've ever watched from you and the one that got me really really into video essays. But in particular it's a video on a calmer note and just feels really relaxing to watch.
Ive watched and rewatched this video so many times ever since it was posted. I was in my last year of highschool, and I still aways come back to watch this. It's the game that I never played, because I know it would destroy me. I am currently working, and I'm so stressed and overwhelmed by everything and everyone. Being on your 20's makes it feel like you know nothing, and everything is so scary and actually dangerous. This video reminds me of a not so distant past, where I was during the pandemic watching it, but I still could rest. I still could have freedom enough to sleep a bit more if I needed, to wake up when my body felt like it. Not anymore. Working 10 hours a day would destroy anyone. Watching this takes me back to my past, to everything I could have done to avoid this. To avoid being so overworked, to feel like I'm just wasting my life working on my best hours. Thank you so much for this video. I really, really love this.
Nah man! Thank you! The script and presentation was amazing, and you did a might fine job of defining every little bit of these emotions. I've come to understand feelings and the world with these sorts of video essays, and you present them in a way that's truly intriguing.
I first heard of this game from binging your channel a few months ago. My mom passed away a few years ago, and I have been working up the courage to play this game so I could watch this video. I'm very glad I did and waited. It was one of the most relatable games I've ever played even though there's no dialog. Thank you for introducing me to it, and for making such a perfect video on it as well.
As a kid when I lost my mother I never felt any anger. Hopelessness? Maybe. Bargaining? Definitely. I'd even become enamoured with the idea that she was up there in heaven, as I assumed that that was how the world worked. But, once time passed I stopped bargaining. Even longer, and I stopped crying. It feels weird to be accepting of what happened, not because you never thought you'd get this far, but because you now understand how silly all those emotions were. I don't believe in heaven anymore, and that's okay. I can live in a world without my mother, so long as I'm still alive I'm going to give it the best I've got. Maybe then, I can make my loss something worth grieving for.
i clicked this by accident when it popped up on my recommended but stayed for the beautiful annotation this is some good shit dude. your vids are well made from what i'm binge watching now.
I’m as speechless as Gris here... Still, I got to say I love your editing and how you scripted this video so well. Though I think what I really appreciate is how well you credit existing work to properly convey your points in the events of Gris. Continue the amazing work!
The part where the world turns upside down for good is such a powerful metaphor. We're grounded in reality - our own reality. Whilst the sky always has something infinite about it, it's there, yet it always seems out of reach. When depressed, living your life like you used to seems like an impossible feat. You might remember what it used to be like - you can still look up to the sky and tell it's blue after all, but that's what makes it the more painful. It's always there, looming over you, almost mocking you. As one sinks deeper, looking up to what used to be becomes harder and eventually unbearable. We succumb ourselves to the idea that things will stay this way - we accept our depression as reality. Slowly but surely, Gris gains ability to delve deeper into her mindscape - and the very last things she (re)gains, is her ability to sing. I've really been wondering about what her singing symbolizes throughout the last part of the game - her singing causes certain objects around her to mend, grow and even animate. Maybe her singing represents recovery? As Gris recovers, the world around her becomes more vibrant. Portrayed by the flowers blooming as she sings. It starts out very careful, but after a while of healing, mending and making things move around you, you arrive at THAT point. Gris is suspended in the air and finally sings her heart out. So what does that mean? In my interpretation - this is a critical point in Gris' recovery. She is finally breaking free from the reality that she succumbed to. What used to be the ground becomes the sky and vice versa. What once seemed to be unreachable to Gris, becomes the very reality she stands in. She can finally start living again. Whilst what once kept her shackled, becomes the vast emptiness above her. It's still there mind you - and that's never going to change. But if anything, that's a good thing; looking back at your lowest low becomes a testament on how hard you've fought and how far you've come. It serves as a constant reminder that things do, eventually get better. This is all just my interpretation though. That part of the game just resonated with me, so I felt the need to write all of it down.
Yes! I love this interpretation. I saw her singing as the thing that sort of made her herself. It can be anything for anyone of us. For her, it's singing, which she was doing at the beginning of the game when her world crumbled and she lost the ability. For me, when I was in the early stages of grief, I found I couldn't write, read, or play games to completion which I know is common with depression. It's hard to focus. But those were things that I enjoyed that felt integral to me experiencing and living life, so without them, I didn't feel like myself which added to the frustration and anger and sadness. Watching her sing again was a triumph! I cried my eyes out at that!
@@studyofme I think that's an absolutely beautiful interpretation - and it also seems very plausible! The fact that she sings with her mother makes it all the more bittersweet to me. Also, thank you so much! I just love reading messages like this, so this was an absolute treat!
i didnt even know, that celeste placed yellow lights around dangerous things and i played this game for a long time already. show you can always learn something knew i guess
between this game and Rime (which also goes through the stages of grief, if less subtly) i learned a lot about how to handle my own grief, and my own emotions in general. i'm honestly really grateful both of those games exist and that i had a chance to play them at a time when i needed that kind of assurance. excellent dissection of colour and the stages here, very interesting video!
Was really looking forward to this Gris video and it was everything I was hoping it would be. Super cool to see this game and its themes explored. Also the study in Japan with blue streetlights is crazy interesting.
@@DarylTalksGames The college in my town actually does have blue lights in the parking lots for the same reason, which I thought was really cool when I found out (Also I loved this video, it was beautiful and I really want to play Gris now)
Another great title exploring the stages of grief is Solace. It's a bullet hell shooter but between gameplay, color, and music, it sends it's message quite well. (I've only just started to dive into your channel, sorry for super late comments but I'm loving the content)
I'm finally trying to get my way out of depression after loosing my dad back in 2011... I was only 12... It's really true how you fumble about try to get through it. I want to be out though it keeps pulling me back in, only with the help of my friend of four years who will be husband has my struggle been made easier.
this video really helped me handle my grief, and it taught me that it’s normal to experience the stages out of order. i haven’t fully accepted it and honestly, i know it’ll take awhile to. but i’m working my way towards acceptance. thank you for this beautiful video!
this was literally amazing. i cannot tell you how baffled i am to have learned so much in a matter of 23 minutes. you're absolutely one of my favorite youtubers. you make overwhelming amounts of information cool and fun to watch, all with a mix of gameplay, its meanings and mechanics. i loved this and all your other videos so much!
(erhm ... a tad long) Like Journey, Gris is always a cathartic experience, and I have played it many times. For me, it's about moving through the grief process when it comes to trying to overcome any abuse/trauma that greatly diminishes who we thought we were, who we currently are and who we want to be. In my case, the mother is the metaphor, not the actual loss. I had a hard time recovering; it took years I felt I shouldn't need, and more than anything it was painful, from start to finish and beyond. It is interesting how use of color in the latter stages of Gris's experience isn't quite so straightforward (as I think of recovery). These are, to me, some of the implications of Nomado's rainbow in the acquisition-of-voice phase. *Fifth level design*: I literally always get lost in the design of that "temple" when trying to find my voice and then climb into the sky, our apotheosis. The colors are actually overwhelming, so everything about this therapeutic process is disorienting and while beautiful, also risks fracturing more than other stages. Direction becomes confusing, yet we somehow begin to grasp it slowly. And awareness of direction returns us to our "voice" and is meant to be the beginning in the (mostly) final path to fullest acceptance. *Red*: We can't control anger; it's an emotion. But we can control what we do with that anger to appreciate its value and keep us from turning it into rage. Gris leads us toward a solution. We can use the emotion in a positive way to understand why a situation angers us and find productive ways of diffusing and coping, even strengthening bonds. The much smaller red particles may reflect anger, but they have become agents in helping us move forward. We can use only them to get to places we need to go to grow in ways we couldn't before. *Black*: I believe we never fully heal from emotional trauma. It's always with us ... can we truly ever erase what we have seen and heard and felt during a tragic event in our past? To carry on, we have to learn to accept it happened. We can't change it, but we can transform it, despite we will never completely be free of the memory. Some element of life can trigger black; it can seem to swallow us again. These times, it will have much more the appearance of ourselves, because it is now *our* black. But we are in a better position to understand where we are and hopefully how we can push through that black to the surface. Your work is so beautifully done, well presented and edited. Thank you for this.
This year I’ve lost two of my four grandparents. Each from each side of the family. My grandma was as close to me as my mom, if not even more. She was warm, sweet, kind and funny. She raised me. My grandpa was stern, rude, abusive. Scary. I went through so much confussion and pain and it was so hard to process, lost both of them in the span of 4 months. I helped take care of both before their passing. My grandma’s death helped me gain a connection that was nonexistent with my mom. This game made me understand her pain a little more. Loosing my grandma was incredibly hard, but I cannot even imagine how hard it must’ve been for mom… May all of us recover from grief smoothly.
10:41 Music? Honestly the bells in this section seemed to represent something else in my opinion,a very prominent coping mechanism against grief: faith As in these are church bells!
I wholeheartedly agree with this. Along the same lines, to me, the turtle represented faith's rescue in times of danger. Like, when you have said your last prayer and suddenly, you are rescued and you have strength to escape the depths of your despair.
@@MissJuxtiePoda Turtle? I was talking about the music here,the turtle represents anger according to this video (Or a literal representation of a friend in need according to other interpretations...)
@@THExRISER I watched the video (and other interpretations). I just assumed that, as you did, I'd expand on the conversation and give my opinion. Perhaps I should have clarified further that the previous comment was my contribution to your opinion?
@@MissJuxtiePoda Oh sorry,misunderstood your comment,your saying that the turtle as well can be interpreted as a representation of faith,if I may ask,what made you reach that conclusion?
Your use of audio in contrast with an explanation of color, released something within me. For years I haven't been able to cry, single tears began to flow from my eyes scene to scene. I now have a desire to create. It may seem so trivial, but the little details in addition to your explanation allowed me to feel *something*. For that reason I thank you.
Right?? I’ve always read it in French because it’s way prettier than pronouncing it like grease in my opinion, although if you roll the r it’s pretty too
Gris is a game that says so much without having to say anything at all. One of the most beautiful games I have ever played both. The art, music, sound design, effects, all come together to create this painting of emotion, I love it. Thank you for making a video about it.
Damn, I never fully liked Gris even though I loved the art and music. But with this video, I think I really like Gris. Such a tasteful and borderless dissection of grief and loss.
Thank you so much for this video! When I beat the game I was left crying. I didn’t know why. I didn’t understand what the game had told me subconsciously. You’ve helped me gain a better understanding of the game and of grief. I can appreciate this game even more now!
i didn't even play the game, but just listening to you explain it made me cry multiple times. it always brought me back to those weeks and months of laying in my bed, crying over my dead dog i felt as if i had failed to protect and save. sickness took her, and to this day it's hard to even think about her with tearing up in anger and sorrow. i remember those nights i begged to whoever listening to give me another day with her, those nights my tears were silent while the noise of my own screaming and crying as she died in my arms rang in my ears, those nights where i wanted to hurt myself just to feel the pain. i never played that game, but as i saw Gris go through all five stages of grief, i felt as if i was going along with her.
This actually really helped me, I have found myself to be lost in a lot of emotions and I didn’t know what to think of it or how to understand how I feel, who I am, and who I want to be. This video helped me understand that I was and am on the beginning of the “acceptance” phase. Although I don’t usually watch things like this- I needed to see this to help guild me to who I once was. (Also your video on the peace of being lost helped me a lot too)
I played this game back in June or July of last year. I really liked it. It was short but it left a huge impact. Glad it got it an award at the Game Awards. This video was really well made
I remember playing this game shortly after it was released, in the same year that I lost an aunt I loved very much. I had no idea that the game was focused on the theme of grief, so it was a huge surprise for me to feel so identified with the emotions and colors that the story was unfolding. And I totally agree with you, grief is not an orderly or linear process. Three years have passed, and I've gone through two more grievings in addition to the first, being three losses in total. I'm still learning how to get back to normal, but this game is something that really comforts me, since it reminds me that these situations are part of life, and there're possibilities to move forward. (sorry for my english btw)
while I know it is how the creators said it is supposed to be said, as a french speaker it's weirdly jarring and disconcerting hearing the "s" at the end of Gris being actually pronounced. I do like that the hero of the game is literally called "grey" and as she goes through her journey she regains the colours in her life bit by bit
It bothered me so much too 😂 I thought he was saying Grease at first. It does somewhat annoy me that the creators took a french word but changed the pronunciation tho and somehow anyone who says it correctly are the ones who are wrong 😂
@@Ash_W04 19:08 The studio that made the game is based on Barcelona and they didn't take the French word for it, rather they used the Spanish where it's pronounced with the "s".
Great video essay. I just finished this game and had no idea what game it was before i bought it. The ending had me in tears and connected deeply with me. I wanted to know what others thought and to my suprise many said they were very disappointed by the lack of challenge and dialogue etc. I didnt get it. The game didnt need dialogue, it explained it all through the levels and patterns. It wasnt meant to challenge you in a competitive manner. Seeing this video essay was the discussions i thought id find, i am Happy i found it. If you are suffering depression or dealing with loss, I highly recommend this game. It was and is beautiful.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this video. My father died a year and a half ago and Its still rough but having somewhere like this video to come and just let it out is soooo therapeutic. I didn't know about this game before this video and I probably wouldn't even make it though the whole game because I would just cry too much. It helps to know there is no right way to grief and it feels alot better afterwards when you just sit down and cry every once in a while. Like being angry at your depression is one of the most relatable things I think a story has ever conveyed to me
A side question: you mention several times about the wavelength of light and how much the eye is relieved by shorter-wavelength colors than longer-wavelength ones. But that seems a bit off: light with longer wavelengths have less energy, and should therefore strike your eye with less intensity (all other things held constant). No doubt blue and green do actually feel more comforting than intense red, but I feel like that's much more of a psychological effect than a physical one regarding the wavelengths of light and how our eyes receive the light, as you seem to imply with these statements. But I'm no ophthalmologist and I could be wrong on this; do you know if it is actually the case that they eye physically handles shorter wavelengths more easily (for some measure of "easily") than longer ones? And/or am I misinterpreting what you're saying regarding the wavelengths of light?
I do not start in denial, I start in acceptance. I have no idea why would you need to go trough stages, just accept boforehand that death is inevitable and you will have no grief ever.
as someone who is heavily influenced by colours, this video has really helped me visualise my current situation more clearly. my dad passed last month and i physically feel myself flow and stumble through all these different shades or colours of life and within my own psyche. knowing that the colours of my personal stages of grief will forever be with me is almost a comfort. i can look forward to happier colours and remember that i continue to overcome the emptiness of the white that clouds my mind or blacks that have stopped me from believing i can move forward. my journey is only starting and i hope i can embrace all the colours that will come with it.
In Danish, the word “gris” means “pig”. If you were to translate the word “pig” to Danish you would get the word: “gris”. So every time someone talks about this game, i as a dane, giggle a bit : - )
This video released days after one of my best friends passed. A video about grief released when im dealing with some of the most grief i ever have in life. Now i stumble upon this video days after my dog died. Again in anguish of a lost friend. Thank you for this video from the bottom of my heart. Im going to buy this to experience the game first hand. Everyone that has lost someone in life stay strong.
Daryl: The colors of Gris represent the 5 stages of grief
Me: Ooohh pretty colors, I like this game
I really appreciate games that can be understood meaningfully on multiple levels.
Imagine Breaker, tbh I had the same thought haha, but that script only came out to about 1/50th of a page. So I had to write just a little bit more 🤷🏼♂️
thats literally the reason i put that on my steam wishlist lol
Dang 1k likes but only 3 replies, no no no 4 now
Yeheee colours YAYY
I really like how the black inky creatures can't actually hurt you, but they still make you and Gris feel in danger
Kind of like how dark thoughts can't hurt you physically, only mentally. Though they feel so scary and all-encompassing.
I completely disagree here. I felt no urgency or threat during those sections. I put down my controller during the eel section just to see what would happen and basically watched the game play itself
@@mr.awesome27 Thank for your opinion
The eel part scared me because I have a fear of eels ;-;
@@mr.awesome27 Thank you for your opinion
I used to do all my tests in college in blue ink after noticing graders were more lenient when I did it accidentally once. No clue if it was really the cause or not, but I like to believe I’ve got the calming effect of the colour blue to thank for at least a few of the partial marks I got back in the day lol
btw the dramatic elements in this video were really well paced, good stuff!
Omg that's genius xD no clue if that helped your grades or not, but if it actually did that's some advanced college speedrun strats right there. Thanks so much as always my guy!
Or maybe it's because it's easier to see within the questions which are black, so the lecturer doesn't need to look too hard to find the answers
In germany we are only allowed to write with blue, lol.
Scientifically blue is a colour which makes the brain work better. It is the color of mind and calmness which makes sense, right?
My boyfriend and I had the opportunity to play this game after his sister committed suicide and took with her his nephew. We didn't knew what was the topic of the game when we started to play, we simply bought it because the art style was beautiful and we were eager to distract our minds from the pain and sorrow.
Playing the game allowed us to have a meaningful conversation about the situation and, on a certain way, experience the feelings with Gris.
It was really meaningful for us to have found this game when we did. And I'm forever grateful to the developers for this masterpiece.
i am so sorry for your loss i hope and wish the best for you glad gris helped you griev
I downloaded the game because of the artstyle... I wasn't able to finish it because anything would make me cry, literally ANYTHING! The soundtrack, colors, the dust storm... everything made me think about the mistakes I committed in my past and how my decisions destroyed all my friendships
"his sister committed suicide and took with her his nephew." What kind of trechery is this.
Thank you for sharing. I wish you, your boyfriend, and the rest of your loved ones the best especially during such a time like this.
@@brunal.m.5681 th-cam.com/video/c_5JCHMhztM/w-d-xo.html The song helps me, maby its helps you too...
One of the details I really loved in the Depression chapter, was how Gris is only really able to escape safely due to the companion she made. Having a kind and helpful shoulder to lean on when in trouble is always a welcome aid when battling against depression. It might not be easy, but you have friends and family that care about you, even if you may not realize it. They don't want to see you hurting, so let them help out where they can, and you might be able to escape from grief in a better state than without them.
I played this game back when I had really bad depression, and it was as for every colour I regained in game, I got the ability to feel that emotion again in real life. This game was the most emotionally freeing game I've ever played in my life.
I hope you're better, take care!
Im so glad for you, i hope youre feeling better now! 😊
Dude I feel you, I just finished the game not half an hour ago. And the feeling is just calmness... blissful self reflexion. I've also been battling with depression for a long time. Take care and hope you are in a better place now!
@@MrWepx-hy6sn same here, just finished it 40 min ago. I was crying and it was a really good cry, glad I did played this game
That's really heartwarming to hear!
It's amazing how color can have such an impact on your feelings! Well made Daryl!
Thanks as always Aaron :)
Fun fact!
Color and nice aesthetics around the home can help improve how you feel!
Makes colorblind people seem like they have no life
7 0 7 dang u absolutely destroyed color blind people
Yesss that’s true and amazing video. 🥰🥰🥰
I disagree with the interpretation that the underwater turtle represents anger, and the symbolism of red in general as anger in the game. Granted, the color red is distinctly used in the stage of grief called anger, and you talk in the end about how the model of the five stages of grief isn’t always so clean and simple in application, but I also think red has an association with passion, and just heightened emotion in general. The turtle never seems angry at all, all its actions are slow and gentle, and it’s sound design has it making cute and woeful noises. Because of this, my instinct makes it almost feel to me more like a representation of self-love. Or, with the shape it takes, it almost seems like it could be Gris’s heart, with the many light balls she’s getting in the underwater section acting as if she’s slowly piecing her heart back together, and learning how to love herself again, for it to come and burst through the doubt/anxiety/negativity eel in the end. I know a lot of this is just subjective experience, especially with a game that aims to broadly and wordlessly represent grief through mostly simple colors, but it just feels weird hearing the turtle claimed as representing anger when it just never seemed to do anything associated with anger to me. I think the stage called anger is a bad name regardless of this game though, as I think for many people it can be more like sadness, but that’s a beef for another day. I just wanted to give my two cents, but I also want to end by saying Gris is one of my favorite games of all time though, and I love so much of the interpretation and research you do in this video!! I think because I love the game so much it causes me to be passionate about the nitty-gritty details. I’d be interested to hear if anyone else agrees or disagrees with me in other comments as well!
I'm glad you said that! As I was editing the video it felt a little strange when I mentioned the turtle was representing anger. Self-love is probably a better interpretation, because anger can certainly be a part of why we protect ourselves, from being tired of being pushed around, etc. Self love or pride in one's self is probably a better context for any anger that may be there.
Based off of my own experiences, I think the turtle could be anger as well. Depression can be such a washed out feeling and sometimes just being angry can feel refreshing in a world of muffled calm. A flare of anger at circumstances can be the right pull out of fear and depression, can feel so amazing! My take is that anger formed as a calming and welcomed thing in a different, reckless, freeing, defiant way in the midst of the suffocating nothingness of depression.
Damn this made me cry
I thing that red represents the fate
Can I just say: A sea turtle would, just in general, be kind of an odd choice for an animal meant to symbolize anger.
I played this with my mom and she started crying at the end becuase she related to it so much.
She's also a therapist and is recommending this game to some of her clients that might need it
Therapy in the form of gaming?!?! Heck yes!
I felt the therapy of it. Just finished it today. The way you hold the beauty inside of you, the ability to sing is the ability to call forth that beauty. And it gives you the resilience you need to confront your problems with confidence. Because you can do good again. You might want to hide from the trauma or struggles. But once you discover you do have some ability to pull through and restore beauty, then you can rely on that beauty inside of you to restore yourself. The self thats struggling, with your victories and ability, you have the means to face the problems instead of running. So you don't reach despair, because its your new trump card.
Depression often leads to Apathy and if I've learned anything from self work its that anger is the 1st emotion to spring up when you start accepting you're not ok.
Angry for being depressed, angry for wasting time, angry for not being good enough and you can't run from the anger you have to let it out.
The anger will be your 1st true emotion in a long time and it'll allow you to start feeling so you can learn to express more and more if you let it.
But to often we are told anger is bad in all forms so repress and continue in our dark cavern
what I learned try to get rid of my emotions is that anger is the strongest it can override every other emotion (๑¯◡¯๑) you know what's the next strongest one it's lust, humans are disgusting (; ‾ ~‾)
@@3mar00ss6 Lust is not necessarily disgusting, without lust we as a species wouldn't be as successful and numerous as we are today.
@@kahn9563 numerous doesn't mean successful it's an animalistic shallow fake feeling to trick you into reproduction & procreation, it's kind of retarded to fall for it ( ಠ‿ಠ) we are an intelligent life form we don't need that (ok maybe we do (; ‾ ~‾) but I don't), and yes sex is disgusting
@@3mar00ss6 You're entitled to your own opinion.
@@kahn9563 No I'm only entitled to facts, rather than trying to insult me why not try & prove me wrong looks like you are the one who's entitled to their own opinion ( ಠ‿ಠ) how deluded?!
You can actually attempt to sing the entire game, fun fact.
Ohhh I'd love to do that :D
yeah i was experimenting with all the buttons and i saw that and i thought she was praying or something
It's necessary to unlock a trophy
yeah I kept trying to comunicate with the little things and my buddy square rock but It never worked >.
i thought it was a greet, i was greeting all the animals 😂
I honestly love how they point out how the 5 stages aren't separate, but bleed into each other. Sometimes it does just feel like you're in 3 stages at once. I know after my dad passed away really suddenly when I was 11, it felt like I was in anger, depression and bargaining all at once.
I feel like another reason bargaining is shown as green is because we associate it to money.
That is a damn good point 👌🏼
Profile pic matches your statement.
Money isn't green everywhere. Certainly not in Spain where they use Euros.
Alexander Filip
Yeah but it’s mostly associated with green even if it isn’t always green. Many sayings associated to money mention the colour green, and almost every image on google when searching “money” shows green
@@alexanderfilip2679 100€ bills are green sooooooo
Gris actually made me cry when the little tree buddy left to go join his friends
Me too! I was so sad 💔😭
To add to a connection between blue and depression - severe depression often "calms" and "relaxes" you. Not in the healthy way for sure, but it kinda feels like it sometimes. Sure not in all cases, but you stop feeling (or start feeling less and less) emotions, and it can be kinda interpreted as calming, especially considering that fact that your emotions in this case are more and mostly (or all) negative. You go from constant anger, hysteria, self-blaming, nervousness, anxiety and other "amazing" things depression gives you to basically nothing - hopelessness stays, but in the "I'll never be okay again and I don't care about it anymore". People often even convince themselves that they should stop caring about things (ALL things) and just go with the flow to the wanted death, that it's "just how life is, can't do anything so should stop caring". And as you said, the more you stop caring and start avoiding and accepting, the harder it is to find the way out. But it kinda has an impact on both your mind and your body. You "relax" after constant stress and constant feelings, you just stop caring.
And yes, it also portrays kinda the loss of energy and passion (from red to blue, you see).
wait, you mean that's not normal? aw shit
This is a side note but depressants are drugs that calm you down, so the word roots also tie in to calmness
Apathy.
@@thornowl6368 Well I used to think about it as normal too. It isn't.
its also the reason so many people with depression dont want to get better, to fall back into the feeling they have known for so long because it's comfortable and its familiar.
Fantastic, as always. The psychological relation to color was fascinating to hear about, however I think this video leaned much more towards being a general analysis of GRIS as well, Which is fantastic because after playing the game I did not find any videos to help me fully understand what the developers were going for. The emotional themes also made this feel a bit like your gaming from the heart episode. What I’m trying to get at Is the psychology, analysis, and emotion all in this video I feel is a great representation of what this channel is about, and a great vid overall.
Thanks Luke! I totally agree, the more I wrote the more I realized that this was really about Gris and grief. Color was sort of just the lens I examined it from. I also think I'm overdue for a GFTH, so those vibes may have bled into this one a bit haha.
I don't know why, but I had an incredibly strong reaction to this video. Im a grown man and I dont really cry...ever. But this video...made me cry...and I dont quite understand why. Last time I cried was watching Steins Gate something like 8 years ago, and it was very obvious to me why I cryed then - it felt very different this time. I look forward to playing this game and trying to understand it better (both the game and myself). So many emotions in just 20 minutes, it feels kind of unreal. Well done.
i had to hold my tears back until the video hit me with the moon - from then on i was gone
I felt the same.. I've been battling with some depressive episodes for a while now, but it was just recently that I started to recognize and accept that I'm not ok.. that I'm tired and scared and hurt.
It was helpful that I found this video.. I'll definitely check the game out on my spare time.
Same. I’ve never even played this game, but just hearing about it brought me to tears. I can’t imagine how emotional actually playing the game must be, especially if you recently went through loss.
@@valkyrie2832 i cried a lot when i played the game. even though you've already seen the video, i highly recommend playing GRIS for yourself if you can
Man, I LOVE your videos. As an aspiring game developer, I feel as though something being overlooked in my courses is the psychology and GOD I love this! Color theory is so important, and building a game around it is brilliant and I am so glad you delved into the beauty that is Gris. I've been following you for a long time now (since at least the original "why you suck at exams" video) and look forward to every single upload. Please keep up the amazing content!
Thanks so much for the love E B, comments like this make all the many hours of work on these videos so worth it :)
Honestly, the timing of the Eel jumpscare(? I wish I could find another way to describe it) is perfect. The scary music subsides, but you're still on your toes for most of that section. By the time the Eel reappears, you've grown accustomed to the low, spaced-apart lights and it's been just long enough for you to let your guard down. Which, in real life, is exactly what brings the dark thoughts back: letting your guard down.
No matter what creative project you're pursuing (illustration, for me), video games as a medium can provide so many insights and inspirations. Great content as always!
Thanks so much Chris!
I have never been so moved by a video before and never thought i would need this so much. This is truely honest work at its finest. Thank you daryl.
Thank *you* for watching :)
This channel is a hidden gem. Thank you for this video, Daryl. You just gained a new suscriber! Keep them comin'.
I played this game when I was going through a really bad depression after my grandma died because we weren't able to provide her with proper medical attention. I was blaming myself everyday, but this game helped me with my feelings of anger, depression, and guilt. I didn't know exactly why until today. Thank you so much for this analysis
I found this game a few months after cancer took my best friend, when she was only 27 years old. I've shared and recommended it to all her family and friends, as it hit me so hard. The statue in the game even bears a physical resemblance to her - making it all the more potent. As an artist myself the colors had a huge impact on me, as well as the music in the game. In the beginning, instead of going right and letting the world in, you cna choose to go left. You will fall often, stumbling on nothing, can cannot run. Th world zooms in and it is just you and your grief. only after confronting a smaller statue does Gris pick herself up and more on, letting the world in little by little. It is so easy to focus on your pain, on your loss, instead of healing yourself.
I love that you addressed that the 'stages of grief' are not linear or singular, as well as the power of utilizing your anger. At first I didn't agree with the interpretation of the turtle, but looking at my own experience it does make sense. There are days I am filled with rage and sorrow and hate. Where I want the world to end becasue she isn't in it. And there are days I hate those thoughts where getting up and pressing on is my quiet rebellion against the world. To me - that is the turtle, that quiet determination born of hate and anger that pushes me forward and protects me from the world. From my work, from rude people. From everything. It is my shield as much as my weapon .
As someone deep into the depression stage of grief, I truly appreciate this analysis. It helped me understand what I'm going through a little better. Maybe I should give Gris a try as well.
I honestly started crying
I'm glad I found this video. We're all in a tough situation right now, but I lost someone very dear to me a few days ago. Thank you
I hope you are doing better now
Keep going，hope you get a better life
Although it's late, I always loved how the eyes on the initial cover are yellow aka acceptance. It's having to open your eyes again and look at the truth; understand that she's gone and accept it. It's a color detail I just really love and it hit me because it reminded me of Omori when the main character had to overcome his grief and open his eyes fully to see the truth of what had happened to his sister. Color theory in games is just amazing 🫶
literally the combination of the music, animation, and speaking made me cry again
When I first went through this game, all I really thought was "ooh, pretty colors". When I got to the last stage, however, I noticed the statue of the girl laying down in a corpse-like position, and on a whim, hit A. "Achievement Unlocked: Acceptance."
...what?
With the realization, I went back through the entire game, picking up on little clues like you mentioned in the video. And yeah, I cried at the end. Even if it is just a game of pretty colors and the stages of grief.
Damn yeah I remember that! This game just caught me visually and emotionally on such a deep level that I never really pondered how or why it might have stuck me on such a deeply emotional level. Thanks random commenter from 3 years ago!
@@lunar_husky thank you, random replier from one day ago :)
Thank you for the amazing video, I think you only missed one detail, GRIS was grieving due to the loss of her mother. The statue she keeps coming back to. At 21:13, you notice that she goes back to her mother's grave and furnishes it with new flowers. It's when the Acceptance achievement is awarded. Before she ascends to the sky, she kisses her mother goodbye.
Another insteresting thing i noticed is that, throughout the game, once you complete a stage, the stars of light that you have collected rise into the sky and bit by bit form a seemingly random constellation. It is only at the very end of the game, once acceptance has been reached, that you realise it is this constellation that makes up the final pathway for Gris to climb and escape her grief.
For me, these stars symbolise the lessons you pick up along the way, even (or maybe especially) during your lowest points of anger, depression and self-destruction. In the moment, you may not even realise that lessons are being learned, and it is only at the end that they come together and you realise the purpose of everything you went through and how every lesson you learned was necessary to find peace at last.
this is the fastest I've ever subscribed to someone in my life
So glad to have you on board! Also 10/10 username right there
Sameee
Right there with you, absolute beauty and fantastically explained. Can’t wait for more.
I've been through a difficult breakup, and after it happened i was surprised by how much it felt like grieving. A dear friend gave me this game after a particularly bad fight with said ex. I remember playing the beginning through veiled eyes, and relating so much to every moment. I felt the anger through the red level - with all its uncontrollable force sweeping you away, but also in the way it solidifies you. You keep going, though slowly, with small steps. When i first saw blue, i cried as the rain started pouring down, feeling all the sadness but also some kind of soft release. It felt like allowing myself to feel and be vulnerable again, though through suffering. I cried again - yup, lots of crying in this - at the turtle scene, when all seemed lost but you fight back again. And then green and yellow, and all the colors harmonizing together, it was like coming back to finally living, and that ending with the musical duet... This game meant so much to me. I'm better now. I hope to find myself again - it's hard, everyday, but now i am hopeful and that's much more than what i used to be.
I’ve never played this game but there is another game that has a similar concept called rhyme. It’s also about the 5 stages of grief but it’s not really revealed to you that it’s about the loss of a loved one until the end. When I got to the final part of the game I was kind of mad that I didn’t understand the story, but when I realized that it was about a father grieving over the death of his son and trying to make it past all the stages of grief to finally be free and rest peacefully, I cried... a lot
Even without realizing the meaning of the colors, this game touced me deeply for its beauty and journey (also the ending made me cry).
I deeply loved this game already, but now I also deeply respect it
Really enjoyed how this points out details I hadn't noticed or interpreted that way, such as the small yellow lights showing a path to acceptance, but I especially appreciate the acknowledgement that the five stages are not linear. I love how the colors from all the earlier chapters still show up as Gris goes through the grieving process, just like the feelings do in real life.
Everyone: "Gris"
Daryl: "GREASE"
I. Loved. This. Seriously. As someone who wants to be a creator and is pushing toward that goal, the way you presented all this was engaging to watch. Actually, you convinced me to buy the game, too. I'm so glad I found this channel
Gris was recommended to me several times and when I first played it I might haven't given it the time and attention to detail it needed. Watching this video made me aware of so many subtle things I did missed. Thank you for all the research you did and adding the different studies. Your choice of words and editing style made this video become it's own wonderful journey.
I also love how even the directions you take symbolize how the character is feeling: bargaining, the stage characterized by thoughts like "if only I did something different", is the only time you progress by going right to left, effectively trying to go back in time. Later in sadness you swim deeper and deeper, symbolizing sinking into a depression
When I first came to understand the implications of this modle of grief about 6 years back, it had an enormous impact on me. Knowing that many people will be introduced to this theory by this video is a hard task to deal with, but I think it was done very well.
Have you ever pondered about sound and light? I think they are one and the same - an expending wave.
So by this idea his explanation leads us through this visual artwork like a guiding line. It surrounds details we ought to internalise and points us where we should place our attention next. It provides structure to what might seem like a haphazardly mixture of colours by framing it in his words.
He is leading the viewers eyes using an imaginary colour - his voice. *Thank you*
Just lost my mother recently, and this explanation of this beautiful game has just made me feel a lot better with my emotions. Truly beautiful game and analysis. Thank you
ok, i don't even want to know how much I would cry actually playing this game when only this video made me cry!!!
I played it on the release, and oh em gee, I've never cried so much before. It was sad, it was beautiful, it was meaningful.
If you are going to play, please do so while wearing headphones. Sound design of Gris is spectacular as well.
I played this game on me ipad, GODDAMN IT'S SO WOWIE MASSIVE BEUT OF A GAME, A SCREENSHOT LOOKS LIKE A GOOD WALLPAPER BRO WHAT EVEN HOW EVEN? i love the stone box thingy that you fed it apples BUT GODDAMN DUDE IT'S WORTH MY EYES.
I just wanted to play it because I wanna learn how to draw pretty colours together but I didn’t wanna cry
Great video of a beautiful game! It's hard to believe it's been over a year since it came out, feels like I just played it yesterday, lol.
It always blows my mind to hear about how much colour can affect us on a physiological level, that something so seemingly simple and mundane can have that much of an impact. Honestly just makes me even more interested in colour design and theory then I already am, and admittedly, it can at times feel like I'm already borderline obsessed with it. But maybe that's just me liking pretty colours just a bit too much.
And I think you made some great insights here, especially in regards to the way the game mixes and combines colours. That was something I didn't even fully notice until you pointed it out!
Thanks Traven! Color psych is suuuuch a murky topic to be honest, there are a ton of associations that are pretty universal like the association to red and black since all cultures understand danger, etc. But a ton of associations are totally specific to culture and even individual experience. I think the best games can teach a player an association in the context of the game. But absolutely man, it’s so simple and easy to just “pick” a color of stuff, but when you can be intentional about it, it can really go a long way in making an experience something special.
This was a beautiful analysis of an amazing game that had me crying again! I've played through the game twice and both times I found myself bawling, especially in the underwater stage when you're crawling through the dark, bumping into walls as you keep trying to progress. You're moving so gracefully, the character is just flowing, and yet turns come so sharp that the grace of the movements don't matter. And then the creature chases you. Like someone else said, it probably won't hurt you, but I always race away from it knowing exactly what it is that I'm racing from even though I know its just a game and in no part do we actually die or have "lives" like in Super Mario or something.
But that's the part that always makes me have to take a minute while I cry. Gris tells the story of this character's grief which I find similar to my own, but different in details. And yet the similarities are enough that it resonates strongly. No other game, or piece of media really, has touched me the way this game has. And I think it helped me through my grief by letting me know that my feelings are natural and part of the process. That it's messy and hard, but can also be beautiful as it's part of life. That I knew someone who meant so much to me that her life is part of the fabric and story of my own and I continue to grieve that loss is really something special.
I can't believe this game is only something like $15 for all that, haha.
8:58
"In this section, Gris manage to control her anger"
- fall straight from the platform
I found and started watching through your videos after my dad died two months ago, and you've honestly put out more content that deals with my feeling than I expected. I appreciate it.
Terribly sorry for your loss, stay strong my friend!
This was such a thorough and fascinating dive into the symbolism and art of this game! I didn't really think much about it when I played through Gris but this video really helps to put words to how I felt throughout the experience. It really makes me appreciate it in a way I never did before!
I've watched this video so many times that I practically lost count by now. I really enjoy all of your Psych of Play series but this one just hits differently as it's the first video i've ever watched from you and the one that got me really really into video essays. But in particular it's a video on a calmer note and just feels really relaxing to watch.
Ive watched and rewatched this video so many times ever since it was posted. I was in my last year of highschool, and I still aways come back to watch this. It's the game that I never played, because I know it would destroy me. I am currently working, and I'm so stressed and overwhelmed by everything and everyone. Being on your 20's makes it feel like you know nothing, and everything is so scary and actually dangerous. This video reminds me of a not so distant past, where I was during the pandemic watching it, but I still could rest. I still could have freedom enough to sleep a bit more if I needed, to wake up when my body felt like it. Not anymore. Working 10 hours a day would destroy anyone. Watching this takes me back to my past, to everything I could have done to avoid this. To avoid being so overworked, to feel like I'm just wasting my life working on my best hours. Thank you so much for this video. I really, really love this.
This channel is a hidden gem. Thank you for this video, Daryl. You just gained a new suscriber! Keep them comin'.
>Daryl: How gris made you cry with its colors
>My eyes: How girls made you cry.
the end of the video:
How Gris video by Daryl made me cry
same
do i have dyslexia
Nah man! Thank you! The script and presentation was amazing, and you did a might fine job of defining every little bit of these emotions. I've come to understand feelings and the world with these sorts of video essays, and you present them in a way that's truly intriguing.
I first heard of this game from binging your channel a few months ago. My mom passed away a few years ago, and I have been working up the courage to play this game so I could watch this video. I'm very glad I did and waited. It was one of the most relatable games I've ever played even though there's no dialog. Thank you for introducing me to it, and for making such a perfect video on it as well.
As a kid when I lost my mother I never felt any anger. Hopelessness? Maybe. Bargaining? Definitely. I'd even become enamoured with the idea that she was up there in heaven, as I assumed that that was how the world worked.
But, once time passed I stopped bargaining. Even longer, and I stopped crying. It feels weird to be accepting of what happened, not because you never thought you'd get this far, but because you now understand how silly all those emotions were.
I don't believe in heaven anymore, and that's okay. I can live in a world without my mother, so long as I'm still alive I'm going to give it the best I've got. Maybe then, I can make my loss something worth grieving for.
But there is heaven and hell. Why would you not believing be better?
i clicked this by accident when it popped up on my recommended but stayed for the beautiful annotation this is some good shit dude. your vids are well made from what i'm binge watching now.
I’m as speechless as Gris here... Still, I got to say I love your editing and how you scripted this video so well. Though I think what I really appreciate is how well you credit existing work to properly convey your points in the events of Gris. Continue the amazing work!
The part where the world turns upside down for good is such a powerful metaphor.
We're grounded in reality - our own reality. Whilst the sky always has something infinite about it, it's there, yet it always seems out of reach. When depressed, living your life like you used to seems like an impossible feat. You might remember what it used to be like - you can still look up to the sky and tell it's blue after all, but that's what makes it the more painful. It's always there, looming over you, almost mocking you. As one sinks deeper, looking up to what used to be becomes harder and eventually unbearable. We succumb ourselves to the idea that things will stay this way - we accept our depression as reality.
Slowly but surely, Gris gains ability to delve deeper into her mindscape - and the very last things she (re)gains, is her ability to sing. I've really been wondering about what her singing symbolizes throughout the last part of the game - her singing causes certain objects around her to mend, grow and even animate. Maybe her singing represents recovery? As Gris recovers, the world around her becomes more vibrant. Portrayed by the flowers blooming as she sings. It starts out very careful, but after a while of healing, mending and making things move around you, you arrive at THAT point.
Gris is suspended in the air and finally sings her heart out. So what does that mean? In my interpretation - this is a critical point in Gris' recovery. She is finally breaking free from the reality that she succumbed to. What used to be the ground becomes the sky and vice versa. What once seemed to be unreachable to Gris, becomes the very reality she stands in. She can finally start living again. Whilst what once kept her shackled, becomes the vast emptiness above her. It's still there mind you - and that's never going to change. But if anything, that's a good thing; looking back at your lowest low becomes a testament on how hard you've fought and how far you've come. It serves as a constant reminder that things do, eventually get better.
This is all just my interpretation though. That part of the game just resonated with me, so I felt the need to write all of it down.
Yes! I love this interpretation. I saw her singing as the thing that sort of made her herself. It can be anything for anyone of us. For her, it's singing, which she was doing at the beginning of the game when her world crumbled and she lost the ability. For me, when I was in the early stages of grief, I found I couldn't write, read, or play games to completion which I know is common with depression. It's hard to focus. But those were things that I enjoyed that felt integral to me experiencing and living life, so without them, I didn't feel like myself which added to the frustration and anger and sadness. Watching her sing again was a triumph! I cried my eyes out at that!
@@studyofme I think that's an absolutely beautiful interpretation - and it also seems very plausible! The fact that she sings with her mother makes it all the more bittersweet to me.
Also, thank you so much! I just love reading messages like this, so this was an absolute treat!
i didnt even know, that celeste placed yellow lights around dangerous things and i played this game for a long time already. show you can always learn something knew i guess
between this game and Rime (which also goes through the stages of grief, if less subtly) i learned a lot about how to handle my own grief, and my own emotions in general. i'm honestly really grateful both of those games exist and that i had a chance to play them at a time when i needed that kind of assurance.
excellent dissection of colour and the stages here, very interesting video!
Was really looking forward to this Gris video and it was everything I was hoping it would be. Super cool to see this game and its themes explored. Also the study in Japan with blue streetlights is crazy interesting.
Glad you enjoyed it man, isn’t that blue light study wild?? I’m surprised we haven’t seen it more all over the world
@@DarylTalksGames The college in my town actually does have blue lights in the parking lots for the same reason, which I thought was really cool when I found out (Also I loved this video, it was beautiful and I really want to play Gris now)
Another great title exploring the stages of grief is Solace. It's a bullet hell shooter but between gameplay, color, and music, it sends it's message quite well.
(I've only just started to dive into your channel, sorry for super late comments but I'm loving the content)
Shoutout to solace, love that game and first played it over 10 years ago 🙌
I'm finally trying to get my way out of depression after loosing my dad back in 2011... I was only 12... It's really true how you fumble about try to get through it. I want to be out though it keeps pulling me back in, only with the help of my friend of four years who will be husband has my struggle been made easier.
this video really helped me handle my grief, and it taught me that it’s normal to experience the stages out of order. i haven’t fully accepted it and honestly, i know it’ll take awhile to. but i’m working my way towards acceptance. thank you for this beautiful video!
I'll definitely have to come back to this one after I play the game
this was literally amazing. i cannot tell you how baffled i am to have learned so much in a matter of 23 minutes. you're absolutely one of my favorite youtubers. you make overwhelming amounts of information cool and fun to watch, all with a mix of gameplay, its meanings and mechanics.
i loved this and all your other videos so much!
(erhm ... a tad long) Like Journey, Gris is always a cathartic experience, and I have played it many times. For me, it's about moving through the grief process when it comes to trying to overcome any abuse/trauma that greatly diminishes who we thought we were, who we currently are and who we want to be. In my case, the mother is the metaphor, not the actual loss. I had a hard time recovering; it took years I felt I shouldn't need, and more than anything it was painful, from start to finish and beyond. It is interesting how use of color in the latter stages of Gris's experience isn't quite so straightforward (as I think of recovery). These are, to me, some of the implications of Nomado's rainbow in the acquisition-of-voice phase.
*Fifth level design*: I literally always get lost in the design of that "temple" when trying to find my voice and then climb into the sky, our apotheosis. The colors are actually overwhelming, so everything about this therapeutic process is disorienting and while beautiful, also risks fracturing more than other stages. Direction becomes confusing, yet we somehow begin to grasp it slowly. And awareness of direction returns us to our "voice" and is meant to be the beginning in the (mostly) final path to fullest acceptance.
*Red*: We can't control anger; it's an emotion. But we can control what we do with that anger to appreciate its value and keep us from turning it into rage. Gris leads us toward a solution. We can use the emotion in a positive way to understand why a situation angers us and find productive ways of diffusing and coping, even strengthening bonds. The much smaller red particles may reflect anger, but they have become agents in helping us move forward. We can use only them to get to places we need to go to grow in ways we couldn't before.
*Black*: I believe we never fully heal from emotional trauma. It's always with us ... can we truly ever erase what we have seen and heard and felt during a tragic event in our past? To carry on, we have to learn to accept it happened. We can't change it, but we can transform it, despite we will never completely be free of the memory. Some element of life can trigger black; it can seem to swallow us again. These times, it will have much more the appearance of ourselves, because it is now *our* black. But we are in a better position to understand where we are and hopefully how we can push through that black to the surface.
Your work is so beautifully done, well presented and edited. Thank you for this.
This year I’ve lost two of my four grandparents.
Each from each side of the family.
My grandma was as close to me as my mom, if not even more. She was warm, sweet, kind and funny. She raised me.
My grandpa was stern, rude, abusive. Scary.
I went through so much confussion and pain and it was so hard to process, lost both of them in the span of 4 months.
I helped take care of both before their passing.
My grandma’s death helped me gain a connection that was nonexistent with my mom.
This game made me understand her pain a little more.
Loosing my grandma was incredibly hard, but I cannot even imagine how hard it must’ve been for mom…
May all of us recover from grief smoothly.
10:41 Music? Honestly the bells in this section seemed to represent something else in my opinion,a very prominent coping mechanism against grief: faith
As in these are church bells!
@Masha That's another way to look at it,but they'd still be church bells in that case as well.
I wholeheartedly agree with this. Along the same lines, to me, the turtle represented faith's rescue in times of danger. Like, when you have said your last prayer and suddenly, you are rescued and you have strength to escape the depths of your despair.
@@MissJuxtiePoda Turtle? I was talking about the music here,the turtle represents anger according to this video (Or a literal representation of a friend in need according to other interpretations...)
@@THExRISER I watched the video (and other interpretations). I just assumed that, as you did, I'd expand on the conversation and give my opinion. Perhaps I should have clarified further that the previous comment was my contribution to your opinion?
@@MissJuxtiePoda Oh sorry,misunderstood your comment,your saying that the turtle as well can be interpreted as a representation of faith,if I may ask,what made you reach that conclusion?
Your use of audio in contrast with an explanation of color, released something within me. For years I haven't been able to cry, single tears began to flow from my eyes scene to scene. I now have a desire to create. It may seem so trivial, but the little details in addition to your explanation allowed me to feel *something*. For that reason I thank you.
"The name Gris of our protagonist means Gray in Spanish"
*cries in baguette*
Right?? I’ve always read it in French because it’s way prettier than pronouncing it like grease in my opinion, although if you roll the r it’s pretty too
Gris is a game that says so much without having to say anything at all. One of the most beautiful games I have ever played both. The art, music, sound design, effects, all come together to create this painting of emotion, I love it. Thank you for making a video about it.
Wonderful work. This has become one of my favorite channels
I always come back to watch this video. Its so beautiful
Damn, I never fully liked Gris even though I loved the art and music. But with this video, I think I really like Gris. Such a tasteful and borderless dissection of grief and loss.
Thank you so much for this video! When I beat the game I was left crying. I didn’t know why. I didn’t understand what the game had told me subconsciously. You’ve helped me gain a better understanding of the game and of grief. I can appreciate this game even more now!
I'm not gonna lie, this was pretty epic :v
Good video I just got this recommended and I'm going to check out the channel :v
Thanks for stopping by man!
i didn't even play the game, but just listening to you explain it made me cry multiple times. it always brought me back to those weeks and months of laying in my bed, crying over my dead dog i felt as if i had failed to protect and save. sickness took her, and to this day it's hard to even think about her with tearing up in anger and sorrow. i remember those nights i begged to whoever listening to give me another day with her, those nights my tears were silent while the noise of my own screaming and crying as she died in my arms rang in my ears, those nights where i wanted to hurt myself just to feel the pain.
i never played that game, but as i saw Gris go through all five stages of grief, i felt as if i was going along with her.
Wow, now THAT is great analysis video. I must go make stuff now
This actually really helped me, I have found myself to be lost in a lot of emotions and I didn’t know what to think of it or how to understand how I feel, who I am, and who I want to be. This video helped me understand that I was and am on the beginning of the “acceptance” phase. Although I don’t usually watch things like this- I needed to see this to help guild me to who I once was. (Also your video on the peace of being lost helped me a lot too)
I played this game back in June or July of last year. I really liked it. It was short but it left a huge impact. Glad it got it an award at the Game Awards. This video was really well made
This was beautiful. Thank you! This helped me understand a lot about myself right now.
I think it's important to mention that "gris" is "gray" in Spanish. Playing the game with that in mind can really change the experience.
They did in the video.
Gris is gray in French as well, not only Spanish
I remember playing this game shortly after it was released, in the same year that I lost an aunt I loved very much. I had no idea that the game was focused on the theme of grief, so it was a huge surprise for me to feel so identified with the emotions and colors that the story was unfolding. And I totally agree with you, grief is not an orderly or linear process. Three years have passed, and I've gone through two more grievings in addition to the first, being three losses in total. I'm still learning how to get back to normal, but this game is something that really comforts me, since it reminds me that these situations are part of life, and there're possibilities to move forward. (sorry for my english btw)
while I know it is how the creators said it is supposed to be said, as a french speaker it's weirdly jarring and disconcerting hearing the "s" at the end of Gris being actually pronounced. I do like that the hero of the game is literally called "grey" and as she goes through her journey she regains the colours in her life bit by bit
I thought it was a bit weird how he said gris as well
It bothered me so much too 😂 I thought he was saying Grease at first. It does somewhat annoy me that the creators took a french word but changed the pronunciation tho and somehow anyone who says it correctly are the ones who are wrong 😂
@@Ash_W04 19:08
The studio that made the game is based on Barcelona and they didn't take the French word for it, rather they used the Spanish where it's pronounced with the "s".
@@oneregretzz Another case of premature commentulation. 🤷
@@Ash_W04 It's the Spanish word for grey because the game is Spanish.
Great video essay. I just finished this game and had no idea what game it was before i bought it. The ending had me in tears and connected deeply with me.
I wanted to know what others thought and to my suprise many said they were very disappointed by the lack of challenge and dialogue etc. I didnt get it. The game didnt need dialogue, it explained it all through the levels and patterns. It wasnt meant to challenge you in a competitive manner.
Seeing this video essay was the discussions i thought id find, i am Happy i found it.
If you are suffering depression or dealing with loss, I highly recommend this game. It was and is beautiful.
"Red is associated with pain."
Me, who wears a red trench coat: uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Me wearing red and being my favorite color: "Well, that seem fitting"
It can also be associated with love and passion????
Just alone during this video I started crying like 5 times :D Loved the game and am really looking forward to their new game Neva.
Right right? Same
It's a beautiful game
When i got to the turtle rescuing you part when playing it i had to pause just to sob. It means so much to me
*Blind People:* TH-cam Recommendations has a funny sense of humor
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this video. My father died a year and a half ago and Its still rough but having somewhere like this video to come and just let it out is soooo therapeutic. I didn't know about this game before this video and I probably wouldn't even make it though the whole game because I would just cry too much. It helps to know there is no right way to grief and it feels alot better afterwards when you just sit down and cry every once in a while. Like being angry at your depression is one of the most relatable things I think a story has ever conveyed to me
A side question: you mention several times about the wavelength of light and how much the eye is relieved by shorter-wavelength colors than longer-wavelength ones. But that seems a bit off: light with longer wavelengths have less energy, and should therefore strike your eye with less intensity (all other things held constant). No doubt blue and green do actually feel more comforting than intense red, but I feel like that's much more of a psychological effect than a physical one regarding the wavelengths of light and how our eyes receive the light, as you seem to imply with these statements. But I'm no ophthalmologist and I could be wrong on this; do you know if it is actually the case that they eye physically handles shorter wavelengths more easily (for some measure of "easily") than longer ones? And/or am I misinterpreting what you're saying regarding the wavelengths of light?
I do not start in denial, I start in acceptance. I have no idea why would you need to go trough stages, just accept boforehand that death is inevitable and you will have no grief ever.
Im just gone.. the word Gris in Norwegian means pig. soo ehee, I was caught of guard when I first saw this beautiful game w that name.
as someone who is heavily influenced by colours, this video has really helped me visualise my current situation more clearly. my dad passed last month and i physically feel myself flow and stumble through all these different shades or colours of life and within my own psyche. knowing that the colours of my personal stages of grief will forever be with me is almost a comfort. i can look forward to happier colours and remember that i continue to overcome the emptiness of the white that clouds my mind or blacks that have stopped me from believing i can move forward. my journey is only starting and i hope i can embrace all the colours that will come with it.
I missed that voice. Thanks for these psych of play videos.
Thanks for watching them Kit!
This is one of the most interesting things I've seen. The game is so cleverly made and your commentary makes it all the more captivating to watch!
Ah yes, the 5 stages of Gris
Two of my favorite topics, video game design and psychology! I fell in love with your channel the moment I found it. Keep it up dude!
In Danish, the word “gris” means “pig”. If you were to translate the word “pig” to Danish you would get the word: “gris”. So every time someone talks about this game, i as a dane, giggle a bit : - )
This video released days after one of my best friends passed. A video about grief released when im dealing with some of the most grief i ever have in life. Now i stumble upon this video days after my dog died. Again in anguish of a lost friend. Thank you for this video from the bottom of my heart. Im going to buy this to experience the game first hand. Everyone that has lost someone in life stay strong.