This week we're showcasing the best demos you'll be able to play at Steam Next Fest, which starts on June 10. In partnership with Eurogamer and VG247, we're calling it Wishlisted.
I usually try not to write easily quoted sentences on my Steam page, but the exquisitely soothing sounds of Grun's gardening shears are an exception. Give them a try. The sound of Grun's shears is the Wilhelm Scream of gardening tools, and I'm sure it will be mentioned for decades to come. The sound of Grun's shears has passed my eyes and penetrated parts of my brain that I previously thought were only accessible through glorious ASMR or an irresponsibly long cotton swab. I used to feel anxious, but now my only fear in life is running out of Grun's grass, so I have no reason to click with the shears. Play Grun. By the way, there's a lot more to like about this game, even if you can't hear it over the wonderful sound of the shears.
Grunn is a first-person simulation that may hide some sinister secrets under the casual facade of a non-violent game. Alice O named it one of RPS's 75 Most Anticipated PC Games of 2024, and RPS community valued member number 6114 shared the demo in the comments, available now on Steam. It's from the indie collective Sokpop. Maybe Grunn means “shallow,” but we're not sure. Forget about that. There's no meaning here. Just scissors.
Ok, so here you go. I really hate when people use the term “on acid” to describe something colorful and imaginative, but Grunn is so unsettling and saturated that the comparison really appeals to me. Let's try something different. Grunn is crisp yet blurry, like the morning after a house party. I play some bird sounds, and about five seconds into the song, I have a powerful revelation that these bird sounds have become a part of me, and I feel I need them to stop me drifting somewhere dark and introverted. Thanks, chirpos!
After a bit of exploring, I found a Polaroid photo, which clued me in to where the bridge key I'd already found was. After some trademarked weirdness, I found my gardening tools and a to-do list and got to work. I don't know what motivates me to do these tasks, but they are tasks and it's a video game, so why not?! As it turns out, I was right to continue. The best part of Grunn was right around the corner…
(Scissors. I was trying to be mysterious, but here they are again. Amazing.)
