Even with a relatively recent playthrough in my memory, I still struggled with some of the game’s more famously fiendish puzzles, such as those involving a magic road sign or track-racing cats. For first time players more familiar with Telltale’s recent offerings such as The Wolf Among Us or The Walking Dead, a walkthrough will be all but required reading to beat the game. Like many adventure games of the era, Grim Fandango’s puzzles range anywhere from satisfyingly head-scratching to frustratingly obtuse. Immersion is key, as running through the game solving its various puzzles will take quite a bit of time. The joy of discovery is integral to the game’s experience - immerse yourself in the world of Grim Fandango and you’ll likely find that the Land of the Dead is one of the most unique and memorable settings of any game. Grim Fandango combines its Mexican folklore influences with classical Hollywood and film noir, with jazz clubs, casinos, cruise ships, and criminal undergrounds being some of the many settings in which Manny will find himself.
Manny’s odyssey across the underworld ends up being an epic one, constantly throwing him in unexpected scenarios and situations. Not long after the opening moments, however, Manny uncovers a conspiracy that has not only been robbing him of clients, but wronged an innocent women, and thus embarks on a quest to save her. You play as Manny Calavera, an undead travel agent who tries to offer better travel packages to the recently deceased, allowing them to make it to the 9th Underworld more quickly. Drawing heavily from Mexican folklore and culture - specifically the Mexican “Day of the Dead” - Grim Fandango takes place within the Land of the Dead, a type of purgatory where souls arrive after dying and begin their four year journeys to the 9th Underworld. Right off the bat, Grim Fandango’s setting establishes it as one of the most unique and evocative games ever created. Grim Fandango is now not just simply a great late ‘90s adventure game, it’s an essential game for all eras. With nearly two decades passing since release, Grim Fandango holds up remarkably well this remaster deftly covers up lingering blemishes and wrinkles that would otherwise betray its age. Now, nearly 18 years after its original release, Grim Fandango has returned, remastered for PS4, PS Vita, and PC, with revamped graphics, controls, and a special features commentary provided by Schafer and other members of the original development team. Alas, despite critical acclaim upon its original release, Grim Fandango bombed commercially, its failure widely credited to the wider demise of adventure gaming.
Released during the apex of the point-and-click adventure’s popularity, Grim Fandango is considered to be the pinnacle of the genre, and the masterpiece of writer/designer Tim Schafer. By Jake Weston, posted on 16 February 2015 / 5,965 Viewsįor many, 1998's Grim Fandango marked the end of an era.
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