- Drew Beausoleil

Ubisoft has been taking a new approach in gaming with titles like Child of Light, Valiant Hearts and now Grow Home, each being a great change for one of the biggest studios in the industry.

Taking a chance can sometimes pay off and with this new approach, Grow Home was created and what a delight, charming and peaceful change for an industry that is mostly filled with guns and zombies. There is no hiding that Grow Home is an excellent game as we help BUD a Botanical Utility Droid with hopes of saving his planet by climbing his way to the top of a jack-in-the-bean stock to find the Star Plant.

BUD is like a teenager coming into his own, with a stumbling awkward walk that sometimes will have you falling off your perch as he ran one step to far. BUD has a great presence that brings a feel of young adolescence and compassion as you strive on climbing one step closer to your overall goal of finding the Star Plant. There can not be enough said about the beautiful art style. The peaceful soft lit polygonal art direction brings a sense of relaxation with the journey of climbing to new heights.

As BUD climbs the bean stock it will allow him to branch off to floating islands in search for power crystals that will grant BUD new abilities as he ascends higher up the bean stock. BUD rides vines that grow out from the bean stock that will plunge into the floating islands feeding the bean stock energy allowing it to grow and extend the bean stock higher into the sky. The sense of height is outstanding as you look out over the islands below and see a landscape of your adventurous climb thus far.

Grow Home is a pure delight of peaceful exploration that is relaxing and a game for all ages to enjoy. Ubisoft recommends to playing the game with a controller and I couldn't agree more. The left and right triggers act as BUD's arms and will help in his climbing that I found much easier than relying on the regular keyboard controls of WASD.  Once you become similar with BUD's movement, the world feels excellent to explore. Jumping off of leaves, falling with the help of a flower as your float to your destination and even find the use of a jet pack useful at times, BUD is a joy to control.

There is a story to BUD's adventure, though simplistic and not the focal point of the game it does help to explain the purpose to why BUD is there. Again, it’s the gameplay that shines through, the new approach Ubisoft is taking on smaller games is a wonderful exploration experience and everyone should give Grow Home a play through.