today at 6:25 AM
I found Grim Fandango in a pile of discounted games as a tween in the 2000s. There was a cool skeleton in a suit on the front cover, so I bought it based on that.
Even though I didn't understand most references and sarcasm, few games have grabbed my attention as Grim Fandango did. The art work, the music, the writing. The whole game oozes of style that I've never seen replicated.
Even some 20+ years later I can almost recite most of Act I from heart. If you haven't played this game and like adventure games, this is one of the best.
Thank you for linking OP, this made my morning.
today at 7:00 AM
I have never played through Grim Fandangoo in full, but in my peer group memes from this game permeated so thoroughly that when I see a pigeon I will too often end up shouting at it, "Run you pigeons! It's Robert Frost".
today at 8:51 AM
I first played it in my 40s when the remaster came out, and it's one of the best games I've played. It holds up incredibly well, particularly with the modernized controls.
So if anyone is wondering if this is just nostalgia, or if the game actually holds up, it's the latter. Just play it.
today at 6:58 AM
I played the demo and it's been at the top of my "to play" list for decades. For one reason or another, I just never have yet. Majora's Mask is also at the top.
today at 7:35 AM
There are a few bad puzzles (especially one regarding infernal critters) that one can use a guide for, but mostly it was a blast to finish it back in the day. Such a unique story by itself and then in a rare comedy / noir style on top! It's kind of crazy how they even came up with it.
I still remember the feeling of the ending, and the end credits music when the violin kicked in as it played the Manny & Meche theme! The music is at least as good as this game.
today at 9:39 AM
Soundtrack is dope as well
today at 7:27 AM
Well worth playing the remastered version. It makes the control a bit more bearable but otherwise feels like the original.
today at 9:12 AM
Majora’s Mask is fantastic
today at 7:20 AM
Not to be a downer about a masterpiece game but…the demo ends right before the game starts proffering anti-logic puzzles.
today at 9:27 AM
I remember playing it back in the day and I was severely unimpressed. Compared to Full Throttle it just felt clunky and the 3d art wasn't nearly as good as the amazing pixel art. I ended up never finishing it.
today at 9:48 AM
It released with unbearable keyboard controls instead of the familiar point-and-click. If I remember right a remaster eventually came out that allowed mouse control.
I agree that I hated the 3d though. This was a bad patch for games when everyone wanted to go 3d for the sake of it, even though it looked and played worse.
today at 9:41 AM
You're missing out; give the Remastered/Extended/whatever edition a try
today at 8:17 AM
Same for most LucasArt games, Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Islands, and the others
today at 7:36 AM
Unique game. Also to think that they pulled out that beautiful 3D toon feel before toon shaders were made.
today at 9:40 AM
Same, it's one of those things that stays with you for life.
For similar feels, check out Disco Elysium
Planescape Torment
and almost anything by Amanita Design
today at 7:58 AM
Nice, Tim Schafer is someone whose writing I really admire, if you haven't checked it out yet Double Fine (the studio he leads) documented the entire (7 year!) development cycle of Psychonauts 2 in a 32 episode documentary series, and it in my opinion one of the best documentaries ever made. It covers a lot of cool stuff, like Covid, them getting acquired by Microsoft, big project leadership struggles. It's long as hell but it is really worth your time if you have an interest in creative work in large teams.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIhLvue17Sd70y34zh2erWWpM...
They are currently doing a company wide gamejam/game idea incubation thing, after surviving Microsoft undoing the acquisition and the same Documentary crew is doing a doc about that (they did a kickstarter campaign to fund it)
today at 9:20 AM
I have started playing Grim Fandango with my kids (7 and 9) after we played through Day of the Tentacle together. Playing old adventure games on the TV and letting people take turns playing is a great family activity!
They aren't native English speakers and the story in Grim Fandango is considerably harder to follow compared to DoTT, so they lost interest a bit after we completed year 1. But as soon as their English skills improve, we'll get back to it, it's one of my favorite adventure games!
today at 10:01 AM
I wonder how easy it would be to translate it today with LLMs and have a translated version running on ScummVM
today at 10:05 AM
Isn't ScummVM 2D only?
today at 7:13 AM
The small square box at the very end of the document, with accompanying text, is just delightful:
> To protect this document, please restrict your fallen tears of joy to this box. Thank you! → [__]
All over the document, you can see Tim Schafer "wasted his time" by adding personality (jokes, graphics, asides) to what is basically an internal document.
I think in 2026 a document lovingly crafted like this would be deemed a great waste of time, lack of efficiency and an affront to shareholder value.
today at 7:32 AM
[dead]
today at 6:22 AM
Maybe a better URL could be: http://gameshelf.jmac.org/2008/11/grim-fandango-puzzle-desig...
today at 9:16 AM
I would sometimes just let the game idle at the casino level and just listen to the mellow jazz. That game was a piece of art.
today at 7:15 AM
Always fascinating to peek behind the curtain at how these classics were built. Grim Fandango had some truly brilliant, and occasionally maddening, puzzles.
today at 7:28 AM
I've been playing most of Lucas Arts games with my 10 y/o daughter. Grim Fandango is the one she has liked the best. It is not perfect, has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool.
Monkey Island comes second of course.
today at 10:09 AM
Grim Fandango is interesting because they are responsible for Lua’s popularity as a gaming scripting language:
https://www.lua.org/doc/hopl.pdf
today at 7:17 AM
Ahha, this document came to my attention last night from this video [0] that bubbled in my YouTube recs - I don't know if it's the same for OP or just a coincidence, but I highly recommend it too:
GDC Talk: "One Page Designs", by Stone Librande
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9_wLks1kAg
today at 9:38 AM
My favorite game of all time. This is awesome
today at 8:53 AM
Grim Fandango was one of the first games I bought out of my own pocket. And as was the norm back then, this used up all my games budget for months, so I had to stick to this game, for better or worse, for a long time. I remember it took me a very long time to even find the Tube Room, it's easy to miss unless you do the 3D equivalent of pixelhunting to find the place where you need to take a turn. And boy, was I stuck in Rubacava!
I also remember that it was slightly difficult to buy the game - I was at least 13 at the time, the game had an age rating of 12, but (gasp!) there were skeletons on the cover, and the tag line mentioned corruption and crime. So the lady in the shop actually called her boss before eventually selling the game to me.
today at 9:56 AM
Interesting so much
today at 8:50 AM
Obligatory link to The Digital Antiquarian's treatment of the game:
https://www.filfre.net/2024/11/grim-fandango/
today at 6:44 AM
Is this a walkthrough or a game design document?
As a walkthrough, it is nice. But as the foundation for the game designers, it would be a fun because it is so lighthearted.
today at 7:00 AM
Design document, from the page that links this pdf (http://gameshelf.jmac.org/2008/11/grim-fandango-puzzle-desig...):
"Tim Schafer at Double Fine has posted the puzzle design spec for his classic adventure game, Grim Fandango. It is that game's tenth anniversary; it was released on the Day of the Dead, 1998."
today at 6:54 AM
Looks like Tom Schafer style; I find him whimsical and funny in all of his communication. I don't think it's a stretch that this aspect extends to nom-public communications.
today at 7:02 AM
It's a game design document.
My guess is it is kinda like a first draft that some higher ups approve and budgets and then dialogue and game development and puzzle testing can begin.
today at 7:36 AM
Looks like a GDD but just for the puzzles, a PDD
today at 6:49 AM
This game is iconic!
today at 6:54 AM
Yes. Literally one of the best.
today at 8:42 AM
I have a love/hate relationship with Grim Fandango.
I love the world, the characters, the music, and the art style. It was so inspiring for me as a child.
I literally hate the puzzles and the gameplay.
today at 8:52 AM
Absoltely crazy amount of detailed work
today at 7:34 AM
>"This report by its very length defends itself against the risk of being read" Winston H. Churchill
And this comment will prove it, by referencing only the very first part of the document, being the comment most likely to garner upvotes and replies, as opposed to deeper nuanced comments.
today at 9:40 AM
[dead]
today at 9:24 AM
[dead]
today at 9:18 AM
[dead]
today at 9:07 AM
[dead]
today at 9:25 AM
[dead]
today at 6:56 AM
[dead]