Zero Punctuation Season 13 Episode 2 Gris and Ashen

Zero Punctuation is a popular video game review series presented by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, known for its fast-paced, humorous, and brutally honest style. Season 13, episode 2 (named Gris and Ashen) is no exception.

The episode starts with Yahtzee describing the game Gris, a visually stunning 2D platformer that centers around a girl called Gris who is lost in her own world and must deal with her pain and grief. Yahtzee praises the game's art style, which he describes as "a watercolor painting come to life," and its use of color to convey emotion. He also commends the game's excellent sound design and music, which works in harmony with the art style to create a compelling experience.

However, Yahtzee also criticizes the lack of challenge in Gris, which he finds to be too easy, calling it a "walking simulator" rather than a game. He notes that the game's story revolved around trying to piece together "vaguely metaphorical environmental puzzles" that do little to engage the player.

Next, Yahtzee moves on to discuss Ashen, a game that he describes as a Dark Souls clone. It's an action role-playing game set in a world where the sun has died and everyone must find light in this dark world. Yahtzee kicks off his critique by stating that although Ashen is trying its best to be a Dark Souls clone, it just falls short. He highlights that while the game may have lovable NPCs and a great sense of immersion, the gameplay and design are just okay at best.

Yahtzee further goes on to say that while Ashen has the mechanics and ideas of the Dark Souls gameplay loop, it doesn't have the same level of polish or balance. He mentions that the game lacks the weight and impact of weapons in the game world and that enemies have a tendency to glitch awkwardly. He also criticizes the game for its lack of in-game tutorials for mechanics, making it difficult for the player to learn how the game is played.

Yahtzee concludes the episode by summarizing that while Gris is an enjoyable experience, it's not much of a game, and Ashen is just a mediocre implementation of the Dark Souls formula. He suggests that fans of the Dark Souls franchise should just go back and play Dark Souls, and anyone looking for a memorable gaming experience should try out Gris.

In conclusion, Zero Punctuation season 13 episode 2 gives us an insightful review of two popular indie games, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses in a funny and informative way. Fans of Yahtzee's unique and entertaining style of video game reviews will not be disappointed with this episode.