Grim Fandango

 PC
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 813 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 724 out of 813
  2. Mixed: 56 out of 813
  3. Negative: 33 out of 813
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  1. Zarithra
    Aug 26, 2023
    10
    Masterpiece Story, animation (at that time), and music made this unforgettable experience. I've completed it maybe 5 times, so I wish it was more forgettable so that I can enjoy it as much as I did the first time. Granted that some puzzles are bordering illogical, it still shouldn't take away from the experience. If you get stuck, just read a walkthrough.
  2. Mastereed
    Apr 27, 2023
    9
    A MORTAL MASTERPIECE

    BEFORE WE BEGIN: Grim Fandango Remastered was originally developed by LucasArts, remastered and financed by Double Fine, and released in 2015. It brings back several noteworthy graphical improvements from the original title dating back to 1998. The game is 100% complete in its pc version. DEAD, UNDEAD: The introduction to the game's plot is extremely    A MORTAL MASTERPIECE

    BEFORE WE BEGIN:
    Grim Fandango Remastered was originally developed by LucasArts, remastered and financed by Double Fine, and released in 2015. It brings back several noteworthy graphical improvements from the original title dating back to 1998.
    The game is 100% complete in its pc version.

    DEAD, UNDEAD:
    The introduction to the game's plot is extremely straightforward and crystal clear. The superb quality of art direction that this title has to offer is already underscored by the extremely creative LucasArts and Double Fine logos alone, which always take the style of the reference game and change from time to time. Thanks to the introductory cutscene, the player is immediately able to understand everything that revolves around the protagonist Manny Calavera, a death travel agent dedicated to earning enough to reach the ninth afterlife. As soon as the movie ends, the player finds himself with a fresh assignment to fulfill and can begin his work immediately. The first thing that jumps out at you, or rather, that does not jump out at you is the lack of a HUD, this is because throughout the game it will be the player's job to unearth the interacting objects, making the adventure more interactive and surprising.

    PURSUING DEATH:
    The game gameplay is that of a typical early 2000s graphic adventure, with a focus by the developers to move away from what was the usual point-and-click of that era. The Remastered version then made it possible to use the mouse, which was originally blocked. As mentioned above, one of the main features of Grim Fandango is that it does not have any always-on HUD. Like other graphic adventures, there is an inventory of possessed objects and a menu of interactions with objects set up on the map, but unlike other LucasArts titles it is not possible to join possessed objects together. The additional mother feature is, of course, the puzzles. They are varied and almost always require the ingenuity of the player. Some of them, however, rely far too much on dialogue between the various characters. This becomes a problem given the inability to listen to some of them several times, making the solution of the riddles almost impossible to understand and causing them to expire at a mere use of all available options. This forces the player to wander the map in search of often nonexistent solutions. The game plot turns out to be extremely varied. It spans four years where Manny will accomplish various tasks, with numerous intrigues to be solved, both work-related and emotional.

    DEADLY GOOD:
    Grim Fandango's graphics, whether original or remastered, are certainly one of its focal points. It still manages to be stunning to this day, with extremely detailed and inspired models. Thanks to meticulous techniques put in place by the development team, many of the models turn out to be well-defined and far superior to those out there. The atmosphere that the art in this game manages to create is unmatched, with styles of Mexican folklore combined with the noire of mystery movies. Of course, the animations belong to that era and have remained untouched in its remastered version, so as not to spoil the authors' original tone. Moreover, the variety of environments, always different throughout the journey, grants a style that is always original and never predictable. The conception of the style and the studies that led to its development are noticeable from the minuteness of the details ranging from the backgrounds to the characters' expressions, from their characterization to the interwoven and branching story; all of which led to the creation of this majestic composition.

    THE NINTH NOTE:
    The music side perfectly accompanies what was described in the chapter above. The extremely inspired soundtrack goes to perfectly enhance every environment and scene in the game, as well as catalyze the setting of the noir style. Finally, an incredibly noteworthy point is that of the voice acting, which is excellent in its English language but reaches one of its highest peaks ever seen in a video game in its Italian version, which takes advantage of the numerous presence of dialects to give additional characterization to the characters.

    BUT WHY 9?

    PROS:
    Grim Fandango is for sure one of those games that once played is hard to forget. The number of positive points is staggering. It is certain that it remains a unique product of its kind but more importantly a game that borders on narrative and illustrative perfection.

    CONS:
    The real negative point is added by the remastering of the game, which, while adding a myriad of technical and graphical fixes, goes on to create a variety of bugs that are capable of completely breaking the game. Between those that delete game saves, those that completely lock the player out, and those that create amusing graphical glitches, it is almost impossible not to encounter any of them.

    RATING
    Gameplay: 8
    Music: 9,5
    Story: 10
    Puzzle: 8
    _    … Expand
  3. kassalex
    Feb 8, 2023
    8
    jó a története, szerte ágazó a karakterek szrethetöek a játék hossza kb 2-3 órás!
  4. tjaeve
    Feb 7, 2023
    10
    Probably my favorite game of all time.
    From the puzzles and the charming characters, to the environment and the masterclass in world-building.
    This is the game that, to me, is the closest thing the world of games ever has come to actual art.
  5. DiegoVildez
    Jan 31, 2023
    10
    this game is something else, I enjoyed so much , thanks for everything guys
  6. Mahmoudragheb
    Dec 14, 2022
    10
    A one in a century game

    Love it though. Wish there was a proper remake or a sequel
  7. EVIL_UJIN
    Oct 15, 2022
    9
    Отличные классический квест с великолепным черным юмором, классными персонажами и декорациями. Уверен, понраится всем, даже тем, кто не играет в квесты. Учтите - квест хардкорный, олдскульный, это вам не Dreamfall с простенькими головоломками, тут никто за ручку не водит, в некоторых моментах придется попотеть и включать мозги на полную. РекомендуюОтличные классический квест с великолепным черным юмором, классными персонажами и декорациями. Уверен, понраится всем, даже тем, кто не играет в квесты. Учтите - квест хардкорный, олдскульный, это вам не Dreamfall с простенькими головоломками, тут никто за ручку не водит, в некоторых моментах придется попотеть и включать мозги на полную. Рекомендую
  8. Christian_TV
    May 26, 2022
    10
    One of the best PC games EVER
    Grim Fandango make you cry,make you laugh and can entertain you.
    With a subtle irony the game runs fast.
    Puzzles that make you mind-bending to be solved.
    Incredible storyline
    Memorable soundtrack
    and an immense charm
    I recommend Grim Fandango to anyone who loves video games
  9. Yaav13
    Apr 7, 2022
    6
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 6.
  10. my1metacritic
    Jan 16, 2022
    10
    Best adventure game to date, unforgettable story and funny characters. Damn I miss old point and click adventure games.
  11. B00tador
    Nov 28, 2021
    7
    A very original game with great humour, but overly obtuse puzzles (normal for the genre) harm it from getting a higher score.
  12. andyg33
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    I remember being 13yo playing this without a supported graphics card and whatever there was a shadow or fog/mist I would instead see inverted colours and weird flashes making the game more eerie and weird for a kid just getting into 3d games. Fond memories
  13. DinoBeam
    Oct 30, 2021
    2
    The puzzles are way way too random, illogical, convoluted. At first I was really digging the art style, writing, and atmosphere, then I got really stuck after trying everything I could think of. I looked up what to do online, and it was just such random ridiculous stuff there were no clues for, there was no "Aha!" moment.
  14. Sjsfjdjwb
    Jul 24, 2021
    10
    Esta increíble el juego. Gran historia,grandes gráficos,buenos personajes y gran doblaje al español de España. Que siendo Latinoamericano me sorprendió lo bien que está trabajado.
  15. AlissonZ8
    May 11, 2021
    10
    Jogo incrível demais. Tem uma ótima história e ótimos personagens.
    O jogo não tem um tempo de jogo pequeno mas em nenhum momento eu me senti entediado, e sim com mais vontade de concluir a história.
  16. spzHades
    Feb 22, 2021
    10
    I played dozens of games from 97 till now.
    I can say with my hand on my hearth that this game is a perfect 10.
    There is no other game to match this. I cried when i finished it. It's the only time i cried finishing a game. I truly think this should be the no 1 rated game. It's just too beautiful. I was 13 y/o when i finished it. I still remember the feeling after 18 years. If you have    I played dozens of games from 97 till now.
    I can say with my hand on my hearth that this game is a perfect 10.
    There is no other game to match this. I cried when i finished it. It's the only time i cried finishing a game.
    I truly think this should be the no 1 rated game. It's just too beautiful.
    I was 13 y/o when i finished it. I still remember the feeling after 18 years.
    If you have a kid that like video games, give him/her this to play.    … Expand
  17. ChesterField
    May 1, 2020
    10
    The funniest, most difficult and most personality of all the graphic adventures with monkey island that I have ever played. Lucas Arts is definitely the king of the genre. Unforgettable characters and artistic section. Nothing more to say, forced its purchase for fans of the genre.
  18. Ismaelponce
    Sep 6, 2019
    10
    La mejor aventura gráfica jamás creada, y un juego con un guión y personaje envidiables, un reflejo del mejor momento de LucasArts y un juego que bebiendo de la cine negro y de la antigua tradición de dejar dinero a los muertos en su tumba para la otra vida crea un mundo único, que todos, todos recordaremos.
  19. damaso7
    Jan 10, 2018
    8
    Idea original donde las haya, ambientación fantástica, diseño de niveles un poco caótico e historia brillante con toque de humor que adolece de profundidad en algunas escenas.
  20. Genezi
    Jun 10, 2017
    9
    Great game. i have spent a lot of time on this title. It has a great story with memorable characters. Good gameplay and best cut scenes with good dialogs.
  21. Obomrapaz
    Sep 17, 2015
    10
    Grim Fandango é um jogo de computador do gênero aventura feito pela LucasArts em 1998. É o primeiro jogo de computador feito em 3D pela LucasArts.

    Baseado no folclore Asteca, a temática do jogo é derivada do Día de los Muertos, uma data comemorativa mexicana tradicionalmente celebrada com festas. O título é explicado por um poema lido por um dos personagens do jogo. A trama está    Grim Fandango é um jogo de computador do gênero aventura feito pela LucasArts em 1998. É o primeiro jogo de computador feito em 3D pela LucasArts.

    Baseado no folclore Asteca, a temática do jogo é derivada do Día de los Muertos, uma data comemorativa mexicana tradicionalmente celebrada com festas. O título é explicado por um poema lido por um dos personagens do jogo. A trama está centrada no protagonista Manny Calavera em sua jornada para desvendar uma teia de corrupção no Mundo dos Mortos e salvar a aparentemente inocente Mercedes Colomar    … Expand
  22. Datkii
    Aug 4, 2015
    10
    Surely the greatest adventure game of all time !
    Beatiful OST, an original story with appealing characters, you must try this game in your life !
    A remaster as been releas not long ago, here is your chance !
  23. Wolfie1987
    Feb 20, 2015
    10
    This game is Tim Burton's Batman. This game is Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. This game is Tim Schafer's magnum opus. The king of adventure games. There is a remastered version out now - in case you've missed this gem.
  24. Machine1211
    Feb 1, 2015
    8
    Pros: really fantastic atmosphere and music, a lots of humour and hilarious story with adorable characters.
    Cons: impossibly hard puzzles, the control scheme is far from perfect
  25. Jugalator
    Dec 16, 2014
    10
    Potentially even better than the famed Monkey Island games. Although they made this genre famous by bringing it to the masses, in hindsight, this game represents their pinnacle to me. The ultimate product of their golden age. This game is a film noir styled game which touched me much like watching a very good movie, or reading a good book. It lingered for a long time within me even after IPotentially even better than the famed Monkey Island games. Although they made this genre famous by bringing it to the masses, in hindsight, this game represents their pinnacle to me. The ultimate product of their golden age. This game is a film noir styled game which touched me much like watching a very good movie, or reading a good book. It lingered for a long time within me even after I had finished it. It finds beauty and comedy in themes that are traditionally not beautiful nor funny. That it stands without a sequel is somehow illustrative of the kind of game it is: there can be no two highest pinnacles, only one.… Expand
  26. PeterRTalbot
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    If you only buy one PC adventure game, strike that, one PC game, no one electronic game period, this should be it. There is no other game which so clearly excelled in use of structure, interface, music, 2d art direction, voice talent, scripting at both character and plot levels to create an imaginative world which is once familiar and accessible, and at the same time thought provoking andIf you only buy one PC adventure game, strike that, one PC game, no one electronic game period, this should be it. There is no other game which so clearly excelled in use of structure, interface, music, 2d art direction, voice talent, scripting at both character and plot levels to create an imaginative world which is once familiar and accessible, and at the same time thought provoking and full of humor. No tired old sword and sorcery rehash here. This is the ONLY video game that has achieved the level of fine art in all respects. An unforgettable experience. Forget all others: LucasArts had a complete failure of nerve due to this game: it went over its initial market audiences' head. This is the only game on any top gamers list that is commendable for actual grownup adult play.… Expand
  27. ausgebombt85
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    This game has everything. I can safely say this is my favorite game of all time. It's got a fantastic ambiance, unforgettable music, compelling, funny and witty characters, excellent writing, superb voice acting, a perfect story, hard puzzles, a very lenghty "campaign" (I guess that's what kids would call it these days), tongue in cheek references to noir movies, the Dia De Los MuertosThis game has everything. I can safely say this is my favorite game of all time. It's got a fantastic ambiance, unforgettable music, compelling, funny and witty characters, excellent writing, superb voice acting, a perfect story, hard puzzles, a very lenghty "campaign" (I guess that's what kids would call it these days), tongue in cheek references to noir movies, the Dia De Los Muertos tradition and other Lucas Arts games.

    This game was everything that used to be exciting and great about the video games industry. The pinnacle of the point and click andventures. Even with its clunky controls and out dated graphics, this is still the funniest, greatest game I have played until today.    … Expand
  28. Morthoron
    Jun 12, 2014
    10
    Grim Fandango is simply the best graphic adventure game ever created, along with Monkey Island I & II. Awesome setting, well written characters, challenging enigmas. It never got the popularity it deserves, but I can assure it's a masterpiece.
  29. DobryiBrock
    Jan 29, 2014
    9
    Absolutely awesome and classic quest with perfect storyline and interesting characters.It is the Land of the Dead,old jazz country with weird creatures.Let's see what present will you have after your death!
  30. Tubey
    Jan 28, 2014
    10
    I could detail the premise, of how this is about Manny and his journey through the land of the dead, but I don't want to unveil any spoilers whatsoever. Simply put, this game is just... sensational.

    I can't write enough superlatives for it. It's timeless too - every bit as enjoyable to play in 2014 as it was upon release. No game has come close to being as atmospheric, as complete an    I could detail the premise, of how this is about Manny and his journey through the land of the dead, but I don't want to unveil any spoilers whatsoever. Simply put, this game is just... sensational.

    I can't write enough superlatives for it. It's timeless too - every bit as enjoyable to play in 2014 as it was upon release. No game has come close to being as atmospheric, as complete an experience since. The definitive title in a golden age of PC gaming. It took the foundations laid by the exceptional Monkey Island series and expanded on it to create a storytelling experience that is as close to faultless as gaming can get. The art style is sublime and perfectly pulled off, utterly timeless, and the ambient soundtrack is as good as anything you can imagine. The whole thing is just seamless, a work of absolute genius from a very talented game studio. You are pulled into the world from the onset and it doesn't let you go.

    The puzzles are excellent, if sometimes a bit contrived but not overly so as to detract from the gaming experience. Everything is logical without being too easy, whilst managing to be challenging yet not impossible. The sole issue with the title is that you look at all other games in an unfavourable light next to it. As in it can ruin gaming for you in the long term, as you end up using it as the benchmark for everything else. An insanely, impossibly high benchmark.

    Make no mistake, this is the quintessential PC gaming experience. You owe it to yourself to pick this game up. The hype doesn't do it justice. Just... get it, seriously. Make it work on a modern system, do whatever you can to invest your time into it. It's a life changing title, one of the greatest of all time and I wouldn't argue with anyone who calls it the single greatest game ever made. So good, that no other point and click adventure could measure up to it afterwards. So good, that at certain times you can't help but actually applaud it. I mean physically clap. Incredible.

    If you've ever played a FPS and thought, "is there something a bit more to gaming than this?"... well, here's your answer. Please, please, please play this game.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 1998
4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 1998
3
#3 Most Shared PC Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Computer Games Magazine
    100
    The large cast of characters is unforgettable. Although for the most part they are skeletons in 40s garb, with mask-like faces that can be attributed to Day of the Dead festivities, their personalities render them as distinct and memorable as members of an extremely diverse cast from any fine film.
    Read full review
  2. IGN
    94
    Hands down the best adventure game we've ever seen...You'll love Grim Fandango's incredible art, storyline and character development.
    Read full review
  3. Just Adventure
    100
    Quite possibly one of the top five adventures of all time, and certainly in the Top Ten. The style, atmosphere, wit, creativity and inventiveness are what makes Grim Fandango remarkable.
    Read full review
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