Introduction

If you’ve ever wanted to spend your evenings caring for a plant you did not actually plant, then oh boy, does ‘Grow Home’ have you covered. Slip into the mechanical shoes of B.U.D., a robot seeking to grow a gigantic plant that will oxygenate its planet. Doesn’t that sound like the kind of thing that should come with a side of instructions, or at least a handbook titled 'How Not to Kill Your Plant'? Spoiler alert: IT IS NOT EASY.

Gameplay

The premise is refreshingly simple. You control B.U.D. with the most complex control scheme since, well, watching your grandma trying to use a smartphone. You’ll walk, you’ll climb, and you’ll intermittently drop off the edges of this planet like an overzealous toddler. The game allows players to interact with the environment in ways that can, at times, be as graceful as a drunken ballet dancer. Using B.U.D.'s two arms separately means you can fight gravity like a toddler trying to outrun a looming nap time. Not only can you climb this beanstalk of giant proportions, there's even powerup crystals sprouting up on floating islands, just waiting for you to collect them like they owe you money. This cosmic climb is not without its challenges; as the height increases, so does the intensity of 'What the heck am I doing?' moments, especially when B.U.D.'s limbs decide to act against your desires and go full 'Untitled Goose Game' on your plans.

Graphics

The graphics have that delightful aesthetic of a kid's first art project, with low-poly visuals that somehow land on the cute side of things despite looking like something you'd produce after a rough weekend. The landscapes are as vibrant as your uncle's dad jokes at Thanksgiving—excessively colorful and just all-around charming. If you can handle your heartstrings tugging at the sight of charming details and oversized plants, you might actually find a little piece of serenity amidst the chaos of gravity that seems to have a personal vendetta against B.U.D.

Conclusion

Ultimately, ‘Grow Home’ is as delightful as it is perplexing. It's the equivalent of gardening without the dirt under your fingernails, the stress of unsuccessful plant parenthood, or the guilt of letting it wither away. The game may be on the shorter side, wrapping up before you can commit to full-blown plant parenthood, but it leaves you with charming memories of a botanic adventure. So, if you're into robots, plants, and control schemes seemingly designed by the selective amnesia of a gridlocked snail, dive headfirst into the whimsical world of ‘Grow Home’. Just try to keep B.U.D. from falling off the edge—after all, it’s more fun when the robot stays alive.

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