Grind Survivors Review – Fun Buried Beneath the Grind

If there is a single genre in the vast world of video games I would be totally okay with completely disappearing like it had never been invented, it is most definitely the roguelike. I know a strong word like 'hate' isn't appropriate, but I'm really failing to find the more suitable one. There, I'll say it, damn it: I really hate roguelikes; think whatever you want about me.

So once I got Grind Survivors and saw that it is one more roguelike title, my stomach turned immediately. However, as soon as I started playing it, something strange happened that kept me returning to the game; not because I was obliged to do it, but because it somehow grew on me.

Even though Grind Survivors represents everything I don't like in video games, it managed to make me reconsider my primary opinion about destroying the roguelike genre and all that. All jokes aside, of course, Grind Survivors isn't the best game you'll ever play; it is very far from that, but one thing it does perfectly is make you want more of it. Why? I don't really know. Perhaps because it is simply fun.

Pushka Studios

Survival means movement, precision, and a whole lot of enemies

Just Enough Context to Shoot Demons

Let's get this out of the way quickly, because there is not much to say. Grind Survivors has no story to speak of. The world has been overrun by demons; you are a demon hunter, and that's everything there is about the story here. There is no narrative arc, no characters to follow, and no plot twists waiting around the corner.

You drop into a map, survive, and do it all again. For some, the absence of any storytelling will be a dealbreaker. For others, it will be a feature. Given the genre and the pace of the game, the lack of narrative never really hurts the experience, but it does mean Grind Survivors has nothing to fall back on when its other systems start showing their limitations.

Pushka Studios

The Rune system lets you shape your build between runs

Addictive Loop, Brutal Grind

This is where the game earns its keep and where it both impresses and frustrates in equal measure. At its core, Grind Survivors follows the survivor-like formula established by Vampire Survivors: survive escalating waves of enemies, collect experience, grow stronger, rinse and repeat. What sets it apart is the Forge system and the weapon economy built around it.

Once you're dropped inside the battlefield, the enemies will start swarming you, and you'll deal with them only by moving around and positioning yourself well. Your character will auto-shoot them. Your goal will be to gather the orbs from the fallen enemies that serve as XP points. Once you have enough XP, you'll level up and choose one of the several available buffs.

While mentioning characters, it is worth noting that you'll have four of them at your disposal, one unlocked by default, and the other three through the progression. Each character will have different features and some special abilities tied specifically to them.

The enemies will drop weapons as well, and you'll be able to change them mid-run. The neat thing regarding dropped weapons is their randomised stats and how they synergise with the build you're running during that particular run. For example, if you choose the fire-based build at the start of the run and then pick up the weapon that uses fire buffs, a simple SMG or assault rifle can easily turn into a weapon of mass destruction.

Pushka Studios

Elemental builds turn the battlefield into a deadly spectacle

Once you accumulate enough resources, you'll be able to use Forge in between runs where you'll have a chance to meddle with different builds, upgrade and even merge different sorts of weapons, and reroll stats or push your luck chasing a better combination of weapons. The catch is that a bad roll can destroy the weapon entirely. Watching a carefully built gun disappear into the Forge's fire because you got greedy is the kind of thing that should feel cheap and somehow does not. That tension is the best thing about the game.

The combat, or shootout in general, becomes progressively harder as you spend more time inside a level, and perhaps here is where the game stutters the most. Truth be told, this is a well-known feature of all such games; however, the problem of Grind Survivors actually lies in its own name, and it is a mindless grind to see a change of scenery.

The game features three different biomes, but it is a real pain in the neck to reach the next one. Let me explain. You'll have to play through five different difficulty tiers of a single biome until the next biome becomes available, and this grind definitely won't sit well with even die-hard roguelike fans, let alone casual players like myself.

Pushka Studios

Lightning, bullets, and pure destruction

Strong Visuals, Forgettable Soundtrack

Grind Survivors has a strong visual identity and an art style strongly reminiscent of one of the best games in the genre, Hades. Visual clarity in bullet-hell games is harder to achieve than it looks, and Pushka Studios largely nails it. The demonic enemy designs are sharp, the explosions feel chunky and satisfying, and the apocalyptic environments are nothing short of spectacular.

The performance on PlayStation 5, where I played the game, is equally impressive. Truth be told, Grind Survivors isn't that visually demanding a game, which is backed by the lack of performance/fidelity graphic options. Everything, even during very flashy and very crowded and busy sections of the game, plays flawlessly, without a single hiccup, which is very commendable.

The audio does its job without doing much more. Weapon sound effects are punchy and satisfying and serve their purpose quite well. The soundtrack leans heavily on heavy metal, which suits the tone well enough, though it lacks the personality to be genuinely memorable. After several hours it fades into background noise rather than driving the energy of each run. It is adequate, but in a game this visually loud, a stronger soundtrack would have elevated the whole experience considerably.

Pushka Studios

Build crafted. Time to survive

Conclusion

Grind Survivors is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers most of it with real confidence. The Forge system is pretty inventive, the combat is demanding in the right ways, and the visual presentation is beautiful in its own twisted way.

However, the problems, like a genuine stretch to reach something different in the game repeating the same biome so many times and a serious grind that affects almost all segments of the gameplay, are real problems that will make many players with less patience drop the game before it grows on them. If your patience is above average and you are willing to look past those obvious problems, Grind Survivors might just be your kind of grind that you might like.