[b]Considerable Grandfather[/b] is a hidden gem that fills a very specific niche—a “niche niche” if you will—being the first [i]Granny[/i]-type game (that I'm aware of) since the [i]Super Granny[/i] games. If you're wondering what a [i]Granny[/i]-type game is, that's because I just made that up. But I digress. In both the [i]Super Granny[/i] series and this game, we play as a grandparent on an adventure to rescue cats or dogs. And, for some unfathomable reason, there's also an abundance of enemies trying to kill us (who'd want to harm an innocent animal-rescuing grandparent???), but luckily we’re armed. With a shovel.
While I wouldn’t exactly call it a technological marvel, it’s a special and nostalgic game that’s also deceptively difficult. Yes, it looks like it’s from the early ‘90s—somehow looking even older than the original [i]Super Granny[/i] from 2004. And maybe the backdrops are a bit too simplistic; in fact, I couldn't even tell what some were supposed to be until the world name popped up in an achievement (oh, those levels were set in a junkyard?). But if you can look past the surface, you’ll find a game that’s surprisingly enjoyable and a thoroughly challenging test of skill and wit, with unexpected replayability and bonus content to keep you engaged long after you win the game.
One of the main unique aspects is the fact that this is a platformer in which you can’t jump. Instead, you’re equipped with a shovel you can use to dig holes—these can help you drop down to otherwise inaccessible areas or temporarily dispatch enemies. Any enemy that falls into a dug hole is killed, only to respawn about 10 seconds later. There's a few enemy types, each more gnarly than the last. You’ll start out dealing with dumb molemen and patrolling dogs, and eventually encounter more intelligent or unpredictable enemies. The goal in each level is to rescue all the Boggies (the game’s nomenclature for dogs), all while avoiding enemies. Once all Boggies have been saved, a portal opens to let you exit the level—but it's not always as straightforward as it sounds. Sometimes there's a Spooky surprise waiting.
The levels offer a fair bit of variety: some focus more on avoiding or dealing with various enemies, while some are more puzzly in nature. Most of the mechanics are lifted straight from [i]Super Granny[/i], but with a reskin (hammer to build ladders and cages instead of watering can to grow vines and tomato plants, trampolines instead of teleporters, Borf goal instead of Meow goal, treats and mega treats instead of flowers and super flowers, etc.) but there's a few new creative ideas here that allow for some new and unfamiliar gameplay, elevating this game above mediocre clone territory and into something genuinely worthwhile. One example is the Inverter which inverts gravity, literally flipping the game on its head and adding a new layer of complexity.
That said, there are elements of the game I’m less enthused about. Each world contains a shop where you can buy one time use consumables for use in any level. These are never required to actually win a level, which is good, but some challenges (mandatory for 100% game completion and achievement hunters like myself) are only possible with the use of certain shop-bought items. This can lead to a bit of tedious back and forth: replaying a level to attempt the optional challenge, realising an item is required, grinding different levels to acquire enough currency, travelling to the specific shop that stocks the item you’re after (perhaps going to the wrong one first, adding even more running around), buying the item, returning to the level you needed it for in the first place, and hoping you don't mess up your one attempt or the whole cycle will repeat.
There's also a gacha mechanic, which essentially only exists to serve as a time/money sink. Shops sell figurines which serve no purpose other than for collections sake and achievements. Each shop has a pool of 8 you can buy, but the one you get is random and can even be a duplicate. This adds unnecessary grinding, particularly if RNG decides to be cruel and you end up needing 30 pulls just to get the final figurine of that pool (there are 4 separate pools in total, plenty of opportunity for RNG to give you a hard time). Note: A new patch has ensured that you will be guaranteed a new figurine after a maximum of 4 consecutive duplicates.
And did I mention you lose [b]all[/b] of your hard earned currency when your very limited amount of lives run out? And you [i]will[/i] be dying, a lot. Even as someone who’s completed nearly all the [i]Super Granny[/i] games and is the prime target audience for this game, some levels here are so difficult that I ran out of lives [b]multiple times[/b] on that same level. Losing [b]all[/b] of your currency feels unreasonably punishing for a game that wants you to keep spending said currency at shops. Even [i]Dark Souls[/i] of all games is more forgiving in that regard—it lets you completely recover all your lost currency provided you reach it again. Note: You no longer lose all currency when running out of lives as of update 4.
That being said, the majority of challenges don’t require items so you’re allowed to beat them with nothing but your skill, so I never got too frustrated at my loss of money. So, aside from some challenges being a test of grind rather than your mechanical skill, I did overall enjoy working my way through all the challenges. Some were truly brutal, and a few were real head scratchers—but the “aha!” moment when you finally crack them provides a sufficient dopamine hit that makes the struggle worthwhile.
Striving for 100% completion will occupy you for a decent while—around 20 hours—which is more than reasonable for a game in this price range. In fact, I’d be thrilled if even more were to be added. Imagine a level editor with Steam workshop support: there’d be limitless potential.
But as it is, despite its flaws and simple presentation, I did enjoy my time playing the game and writing up an all-inclusive guide to everything from achievements to secrets (check it out if you ever get stuck). I’d rank the game somewhere between the first and second [i]Super Grannys[/i]. I can only hope there'll be a sequel (or multiple) that expands and improves as much as each [i]Super Granny[/i] did, because this could go from simply being a good game, to a great series. Kudos to the dev for fixing most of my grievances with the game, and quickly too!
