Grim Fandango Remastered Introduction:

Grim Fandango, released in 1998, is an adventure game directed by Tim Schafer and developed and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows. This game marked a departure for LucasArts, as it was their first adventure game to employ 3D computer graphics alongside pre-rendered static backgrounds. In the tradition of other LucasArts adventure games, players engage in conversations with various characters and must inspect, collect, and utilize objects to solve puzzles.


The game's setting is the Land of the Dead, featuring a retro-futuristic take on the 1950s. Here, recently departed souls, resembling calaca-like figures, embark on a journey before reaching their final destination. The narrative centers on Manuel "Manny" Calavera, a travel agent, who endeavors to save Mercedes "Meche" Colomar, a virtuous soul, during her journey. Grim Fandango combines elements of the Aztec afterlife with a film noir style, drawing inspiration from classic films like The Maltese Falcon, On the Waterfront, and Casablanca.

Gameplay:


Grim Fandango received acclaim for its art design and direction, garnering numerous awards and frequently earning a place on lists of the greatest video games of all time. Regrettably, it was a commercial failure and played a role in LucasArts' decision to discontinue adventure game development, contributing to the decline of the genre. The critical success of Telltale's The Walking Dead in 2012 was seen as a resurgence for the adventure game genre.

In 2014, with assistance from Sony, Tim Schafer's studio, Double Fine Productions, acquired the Grim Fandango license following Disney's acquisition and closure of LucasArts as a video game developer in the previous year. Double Fine then released a remastered version of the game, featuring enhanced character graphics, control options (including point-and-click), a newly orchestrated score, and directors' commentary. This remastered edition became available on various platforms, including Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.

Grim Fandango is an adventure game where players assume the role of Manuel "Manny" Calavera as he follows Mercedes "Meche" Colomar in the Underworld. The game employs the GrimE engine, pre-rendering static backgrounds from 3D models, while main objects and characters are animated in 3D. Cutscenes in the game are also pre-rendered in 3D. Players can control Manny's movements and actions using a keyboard, joystick, gamepad, or, in the remastered edition, a mouse. Manny must collect items that can be used with other objects, parts of the environment, or other characters in the Land of the Dead to solve puzzles and advance in the game. Unlike earlier 2D LucasArts games, the player is alerted to items or characters of interest not through floating text but by Manny turning his head in their direction as he walks by. The player can review Manny's inventory by watching him retrieve and stow items in his coat jacket. Manny can engage in dialogue with other characters through conversation trees, gaining hints about puzzle solutions and plot progression. Importantly, like most LucasArts adventure games, players cannot die or become stuck in an unwinnable situation that prevents game completion.

Final Words:

Grim Fandango unfolds in the Land of the Dead, specifically the Eighth Underworld, where recently deceased souls aspire to reach the Land of Eternal Rest, known as the Ninth Underworld, during the Four Year Journey of the Soul. Souls who led virtuous lives are rewarded with better travel packages provided by the Department of Death, such as sports cars and luxury ocean cruises. The most coveted option is the Number Nine, an express train reaching the Ninth Underworld in just four minutes. On the other hand, souls who lived less virtuously must traverse the Land of the Dead on foot, a journey lasting about four years. Many of these souls lose faith in the existence of the Ninth Underworld and settle for jobs in the Land of the Dead. Agents from the Department of Death serve as Grim Reapers, guiding souls from the Land of the Living to the Land of the Dead and determining their mode of transport. Once a year, on the Day of the Dead, these souls are allowed to visit their living families.