Grow Home Review Summary

Fun, relaxing gameplay with beautiful colorful graphics, but the experience is marred by clunky controls, technical bugs, and a disappointingly short length.

Game is fun and enjoyable: Players consistently describe the game as fun, enjoyable, and satisfying to play. It is seen as a charming, simple, and pleasant experience that provides entertainment value.

Game is relaxing and calming: The game is frequently praised for its relaxing and calming nature, often described as meditative, therapeutic, and peaceful. It is considered a great way to unwind and play at one's own pace.

Beautiful and colorful graphics: The game's graphics are frequently praised for being beautiful, colorful, and easy on the eyes. The pastel colors and vibrant visuals contribute to the overall positive experience.

Exploration and discovery are highlights: Players enjoy the exploration and discovery aspects of the game, finding new things at every corner. The world is interesting and filled with wonder, making it great for leisurely exploration.

Soundtrack is relaxing and fitting: The gentle and ambient soundtrack is highly praised for creating a relaxing atmosphere that fits the gameplay well. The music is soothing and helps set the mood for the peaceful experience.

Game is very short: Multiple reviewers noted the game's short length, with completion times ranging from 1.5 to 5 hours. This brevity limits replay value and leaves players wanting more content.

Controls are clunky and janky: Many reviewers criticized the controls as awkward, unresponsive, and sometimes fighting against the player. The robot's movement and handling were frequently described as clunky and difficult to master.

Robot movement is clumsy and unpredictable: The procedural animation system made BUD's movement feel clumsy, wobbly, and sometimes uncontrollable. Players noted the robot stumbling, swaying, and even falling over, which added to the frustration.

Climbing mechanics are frustrating: The climbing system was a major source of frustration, with issues like janky controls, unintended releases, and punishing falls. Precise movements were hard to execute, leading to rage-inducing setbacks.

Technical issues and bugs present: Players encountered various technical problems, including crashes, startup issues, save bugs, and controller compatibility problems. These issues disrupted gameplay and sometimes required restarts.

Climbing is core mechanic: The game is fundamentally about climbing and exploration, with physics-based climbing mechanics. Players climb a giant plant, walls, and other surfaces, making climbing the central gameplay loop.

Grow giant plant to reach stars: The main objective is to grow a colossal plant, like a beanstalk, to reach floating islands or a spaceship. Players guide the plant's growth by steering branches toward minerals and islands, creating a unique growth-and-climb experience.

Control robot BUD: Players control B.U.D., a small, clumsy robot with a mission to cultivate a giant plant. The robot's two hands are controlled separately, adding a unique control scheme to the climbing and exploration.

Exploration and discovery: The game emphasizes exploration and discovery, featuring a large, freely explorable world with floating islands, caves, and vibrant vegetation. The sense of exploration is a key part of the gameplay.

Collect crystals for upgrades: Crystal collection is a major gameplay element, with hidden gems that unlock and upgrade abilities like a jetpack. The game is a collectathon, encouraging players to hunt for all collectibles.

General performance is smooth: Several reviews highlight that the game runs smoothly without performance issues, indicating a well-optimized experience on various systems.

Steam Deck performance praised: Multiple users report excellent performance on Steam Deck, especially with Proton Experimental, noting smooth gameplay and near-perfect out-of-the-box functionality.

Startup problems reported: Users encounter various startup issues, including needing Windows 7 compatibility mode, multiple attempts to launch, black screens, and forced power offs.

PC port has issues: Some users report frame rate and crashing issues on the PC port, suggesting potential optimization problems or bugs.

Controller issues exist: Some users experience controller-related problems, such as infinite camera spin and issues with Steam controller when plugged in after launch.

Highly recommended overall: Many reviewers strongly recommend the game, calling it a must-try and saying they can't recommend it enough. This indicates a very positive reception.

Best on sale: Several reviewers suggest buying the game on sale or waiting for a discount, implying it's worth the price but better value when reduced. This is a common sentiment among players.

Controller recommended: A mix of feedback recommends using a controller, with some saying keyboard and mouse is not recommended. This suggests the game's controls are better suited to a gamepad.

Good for all ages: The game is recommended for all ages, including children and younger players. It's seen as a family-friendly title that can be enjoyed by both young and old.

Short and satisfying: Reviewers describe the game as a short, satisfying experience ideal for an afternoon or a few hours of chilled gameplay. It's recommended for those looking for a brief, enjoyable session.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $8.00.

Game completion: 6.0h.

Story completion: 3.0h.

Session length: 1.5h.

Endgame: 3.0h.

The game is immediately fun thanks to its unique climbing and plant-growing mechanics, but enjoyment tends to drop after a few hours as repetition and janky controls become more noticeable, especially for completionists.

Friction: janky controls; frustrating physics; repetitive tasks; lack of narrative incentive; tedious collectibles.

The Chill Seeker: Leisurely climbing and exploring at own pace, often listening to music. Motivation: Relaxation and stress relief through peaceful exploration. Stance: buy.

The Completionist: Systematic collection of all crystals, flowers, and achievements, often using guides. Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and collecting all achievements. Stance: buy.

The Mechanics Enthusiast: Experimenting with plant growth, climbing, and exploring, often seeking creative solutions. Motivation: Experiencing innovative climbing and physics-based gameplay. Stance: buy.

Steam Deck: Grow Home delivers a smooth Steam Deck experience: it avoids the typical Ubisoft launcher hassle, runs well out of the box for at least one user and with Proton Experimental for another, and its only notable drawback is an unnecessary always-online requirement that does not hinder gameplay when online.

Linux and Proton: All provided reviews report flawless Linux/Proton compatibility. The game runs without issues on GNU/Linux, performs great on Steam Deck with Proton Experimental, works out of the box, and does not require the Uplay launcher. No negative Linux-specific feedback exists.

Game is very short: Multiple reviews highlight the game's short length, with completion times ranging from 2 to 5 hours and 100% completion achievable in a few more hours. This is a common and specific complaint, affecting the perceived value.

No Ubisoft launcher required: Players appreciate that the game does not require the Ubisoft launcher (Uplay) to play, which is unusual for a Ubisoft title. This is seen as a positive feature, making the game more accessible on Steam.

Developed by Ubisoft Reflections: Reviews note that the game was developed by Reflections, a Ubisoft studio, and is a Ubisoft title. This context is mentioned frequently, sometimes to contrast with other Ubisoft games.

Low price point: The game is praised for its low price, with many calling it a steal or fair for the content offered. This is a key positive factor, especially given the short playtime.

Best played with controller: Reviews recommend using a gamepad for the best experience, though mouse and keyboard also work. This is a practical tip for players.