Return to Grace

It’s a pretty good game for anyone who misses the days when games like What Remains of Edith Finch and Firewatch were gracing best-of lists. Return to Grace is probably a little late to get the same kind of widespread acclaim and reputation, but if there were any justice, it would get both, and deservedly so.

Return to Grace is an immersive yet charming retro sci-fi adventure, engaging you with its plethora of personality and lore from start to finish.

Return to Grace is an immersive narrative experience that shines when it comes to character interactions. The cast of Artificial Intelligence constructs is varied, fun, and challenges players to re-evaluate their approach and priorities. They are also beautifully voiced, as is the main character Adie. The story is also captivating, although some sections toward the conclusion feel rushed. Gameplay strives for variety but most of the featured mechanics feel shallow. It would have been better for the developers to focus on just one core idea and execute it with more complexity and a higher difficulty level. Despite this limitation, Return to Grace is one of the most interesting science fiction adventures I’ve played recently, and as many players as possible need to experience the banter of its A.I. companions.

While not as deep as it could be, Return to Grace’s discussion of the role of AI in people’s lives – with those very AIs themselves – is a pleasant accompaniment to the wonderful sites discovered aboard an abandoned space base of the future.