GrimGrimoire Once More Review: Spellbinding Strategy

GrimGrimore is a Real-Time Strategy game developed by Vanillaware and published by Nippon Ichi Software. The game was originally released on the PS2 in 2007. A remaster, named GrimGrimoire Once More, was released for the PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch in April 2023. MSRB is $50. My review is for the Nintendo Switch version.

Vanillaware is one of the few game studios that I wholeheartedly trust. I’ve adored every title that they’ve released on PS Vita and Switch, including Muramasa: Rebirth, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir, Dragon’s Crown, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. Their upcoming title, Unicorn Overlord, is my #1 most anticipated game of 2024. Their games display an impressive attention to detail. The in-game food alone is worth capturing with a screenshot. But that dedication extends beyond the art direction and animations. You can see it in their game design and narrative structure as well. They like to weave together simultaneous plotlines involving multiple protagonists, and at first it all seems like a confusing knot, but eventually it unravels into a glistening lace. GrimGrimoire was one of the first games the studio made, and I thought that we’d never receive a remaster of it like we did with their more popular titles. They’re not exactly a big studio with a big following. But I’m so happy that they proved me wrong.

Even better, GrimGrimoire Once More is a perfect Halloween game. It’s whimsical, mysterious, and tense. It’s yet another masterpiece with polished gameplay and a convoluted yet poignant story.

We’re Not in Hogwarts Anymore

Unlike later Vanillaware titles, GrimGrimoire only has one protagonist: Lillet Blan. But don’t worry, the story will get confusing soon enough. She arrives at a magical school called The Tower of the Silver Star, which was built long ago by an immensely powerful mage. The tower hides treasure, ghosts, and many dark secrets within its winding halls. Lillet meets an eclectic cast of both teachers and students, from the Lion-headed Alchemist, Chartreuse Grande, to his blunt apprentice Bartido Ballentyne. Lillet learns to summon and control magical creatures using books called Grimoires. At first, the game feels cozy as Lillet learns the basics of magic and navigates her way around the school. However, this feeling is quickly yanked out from under you as Lillet experiences the game’s first plot twist. I won’t spoil what it is, but Vanillaware still manages to create a stunning spider web of a story even with just one protagonist. More than once I’d try to guess the next event, only for the story to wander off in a different direction.

As always, their signature storybook style is on full display here. Most of the story happens in static scenes with characters just talking to each other, like a Visual Novel, but the writing and voice acting sell the emotional stakes. After finishing each chapter you’re treated to a still image that gets added to a gallery for you to peruse later. It sounds silly to say that I was hanging onto every word from talking jpegs, but these characters and scenes made me fill in the gaps with my imagination. I’m just as intrigued by what Vanillaware doesn’t show me as much by what they do.

The More Grimoires The Merrier

Inspired by classic Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games like Starcraft, Vanillaware sought to create a truly unique spin on this classic genre, and I think they pulled it off well. Most RTS games use a top-down or isometric perspective. You’re like a god overseeing your minions complete your commands. In GrimGrimoire, you take on a 2D side perspective, managing your summons as they navigate the winding halls of the Tower. This shift in perspective dramatically changes basic Strategy elements like unit balance and movement as well as base and defense construction. Verticality plays a key role here. Some units can only attack immediately in front of them, while others can shoot at a distance, including at enemies above and below them. Some units are slowed down by the bottleneck staircases, while others can fly about freely and ignore all terrain. It requires a slight change in your typical thinking pattern that a Strategy enthusiast is sure to enjoy.

Lillet can summon creatures from 4 different schools of magic: Glamour, Necromancy, Sorcery, and Alchemy. Each one is naturally strong against another. But some units have special abilities to keep things interesting. The Grimalkin, for example, is not only an adorable black cat, but it can also put enemies to sleep, rendering them helpless for a minute or so. I try to keep a couple of them on hand just in case a large and powerful enemy like a dragon or a chimera comes my way. It’s important to recruit a variety of unit types when making your strike force; spamming just one unit type usually won’t work in the later maps.

In addition to the story-based scenarios, you have another series of challenge maps that will truly test your strategic knowledge and speed. Some of these really made me come back multiple times before I found just the right combination to come out victorious. It’s worth pushing through the challenge, as they will reward you with skill points to put into your skill tree. You can power up your favorite units to become quite strong, or cover up some weaknesses for your next battle. And don’t worry about messing up your build — you can always refund your skill points and put them into a different area of the skill tree.

Yet Another Enchanting Vanillaware Game

In conclusion, GrimGrimoire Once More is a beautiful and delightful game. It hooked me fast with both its tense story and its Strategy gameplay. It’s a rather fast game to finish (the story mode only took me about 10 hours), but later I dove into the challenge mode and tried out multiple difficulties just so that I could have more time within the game and its charming world. Vanillaware, you wizards of game design, you did it yet again.