Quick Review: Grow Home

I want to see a view from the top of the world.

Just one crystal, and that low power issue
will have been dealt with.

A creation of Reflections, a Ubisoft Studio, published by Ubisoft (well, yeah) and released on February 4th, 2015, Grow Home is the story of BUD. The little robot has been sent downwards onto an alien planet by his home ship, named M.O.M., in the hopes that he can rescue his home planet. His mission involves growing a Star Plant on this world that will reach an altitude of two kilometers (2000m), which will also allow BUD to return “home” to the ship, and find a Star Seed on the way as his home world needs the oxygen its plant will grant.

One hand at a time... yes, that will do.
Slow and steady, the climber goes up.

BUD is fairly resistant, but not indestructible; a high enough fall or being too long in water will destroy him, but he will be revived at the last checkpoint. His movements are “procedurally animated”, a fancy way of saying that he moves with ragdoll physics, most noticeable when he takes his first steps or does sharp turns on foot. It makes him unwieldy and a bit of a klutz, to say the least. He will mainly be climbing vines and mountains, however, and for this, he uses one mouse button for each hand; Left for left, Right for right. Climbing is a mechanic that’s a bit difficult to get the hang of, but it’s the focus of the game so you better get good at it. You can also use it to grab items and drag them around. BUD also jumps with Space.

Have you ever tried controlling the
growth of a plant?

The poor little dodo-like Warble is shaking...
I think I traumatized it.

You take control of sprouts nicknamed Star Shoots, which will make them grow, and then you control the direction in which they grow. However, the trunk of the Star Plant itself won’t grow unless you offer it sustenance, and that involves crashing Star Shoots into islands floating in the sky that still have some nutrients (denoted by a green, slimy bottom) on them.

Some plants have abilities that will help BUD, like daisies that he can use to glide as long as they have petals, which they lose over time; or leaves that can turn into hang gliders. Also of note: The wildlife, with creatures resembling sheep and dodos. You can even feed them with the large, edible plants around. One sheep will follow BUD around after the robot rescues it from boulders. This sort of attention to detail, these touches give the world some color, that’s what makes a good game great.

How that daisy can keep me in the air with its
three petals, I'll never know.

Gem. Gimme.

There are two important side-quests: The first involves finding 100 power Crystals scattered around the game. After you’ve collected enough you’ll unlock new abilities for BUD, such as a drone you can deploy to get a larger view of the surroundings, a jetpack that will get more fuel and thrust power the more crystals you find, or a crystal detector. The second is to complete the data bank, which you do by grabbing plants and animals and taking them into the teleporters, which are also data scanners as well as BUD’s respawn points when he dies. I had a lot of fun dragging a sheep or a dodo behind me to get them to the nearest teleporter. Once the main game is complete, M.O.M. will give you the optional quest of finding eight more Star Seeds around this world.

I loved this one! It’s on the short side, but it’s still a pretty fun experience. Getting used to controlling BUD, and especially learning to climb efficiently, takes a moment. The game messes with your perception of gravity after you’ve spent a couple hours playing it.

Breathtaking.

Terence? Pfah! I'd call him Shaun.

All of the little details added to its otherwise-simple concept, all of the little things you can find… It’s genuinely enjoyable throughout. The low-poly style helps give the experience a ton of charm. Everything is cute here. The sights are impressive, as well. Look down from 1,800 meters down to the world below. Feels grand. The quest is engaging and interesting, and the side-quests offer enough rewards to entice players to take them. The Crystals, in particular, are items the game wants you to find, with audio clues and upgrades that focus on finding more.

If you can get your hands on this one, you’re gonna have a fun time. I recommend it, definitely. There is a sequel that I haven’t played, titled Grow Up, if you want more after playing this one. You can find this title on Steam for 7.99$ US.