I think I found a new favorite game.
I know that, since the story is meant to be short, I shouldn't ask for a longer game like that, but I enjoyed it so much that I just wish to play more games from this dev.
Everything is kinda on point with the discussed themes (grief, loss, death), even the colors and the character design is chef kiss.
It just confirms, to me, that a game doesn't need to be perfect or be hyper-realistic to be appreciated and stand out. Even if the controls aren't the best in the world, you eventually get used to them.
I'm expecting so much more for their next game, because I definitely need another one.
Keeping hopes up!

This game was very cute, almost sickeningly so. I'm very impressed by all that was able to be done in RPG Maker 2003. I'd like to have a project copy of this game to dig around in.

That being said, there were a few things about it, like any game, that were a bit off. It has a pretty good and in depth tutorial for the simple mechanics it presents, which I like. I also really like the skill tree. However, the battles themselves were a bit lacking. In all fairness, I did play casual mode, so it may just be that, but despite having a swathe of skills to learn and upgrade, including some semblance of a type or color chart, the game just wasn't long enough to fully expand or make use of any of them. I was able to mow through most of the enemies by dedicating all of my points to upgrading my attack stat, which honestly felt pretty satisfying to me. But this was lost during the final boss, where it culminated in me having to use my regular attack for every turn because sprinkling special moves in either didn't do as much damage or didn't seem to change the battle. For example, the skill that halves or 'destroys' the enemy's defense didn't make my attacks do more damage. Was this a self-dug grave? Maybe. I'm willing to take that. But I still think it made the final boss kind of just exhausting because it was essentially the same turn on repeat about 15 to 20 times.

The game also uses a QTE for it's regular attack and special evade commands. This is ultimately why I chose to use the regular attack as often as I could, both because it felt a bit more 'active' to combat the timer-turn system, but also because you start each battle with no MP and gain it as you deal damage, so you have to use it to charge your MP. So in my mind, why not just stick to the regular attack, especially if it's able to do as much damage as it does? Not to mention the fact that MP is zeroed out at the end of every battle (or at least, in my time it was, the MP bar is visible when you open the menu so maybe there's a way to preserve it) so it's not like you can stockpile it for future combat. There's also the issue of the QTE's not overriding the menu during combat, so it's possible for a QTE to be covered up by a menu you have open. They're also quite easily cheesed because you can spam the button you need to press (or at least, you can for the evade one). However, I'm sure those are faults of the engine and not something the developer has control of, I know how finicky RPG Maker can be.

Overall fun experience. The few flaws it does have are not enough to degrade or distract from the time I had with it.

Grimm's Hollow is a captivating indie game that takes players on a journey through the afterlife with a unique twist. The story follows Varskeletor, a character whose comedic antics and unexpected turns keep players on their toes. While the game starts with a hilarious misunderstanding, it quickly evolves into a deeper narrative that explores themes of loss, redemption, and self-discovery. The gameplay mechanics are simple yet engaging, with a blend of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving that keeps the experience fresh and exciting. The soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersing players in Varskeletor's world. Grimm's Hollow is a hidden gem with a storyline and soundtrack that surpass even the most renowned titles in the indie gaming scene.

Score: 8/10

Grimm's Hollow was one of the best indie games I've played lately.

The idea that you can become a ghost or a reaper is a creative and innovative idea.

The main character, Lavender, is the incredible story of her becoming a reaper in search of her brother, Timmy, who has become a ghost and needs to be reaped by the reapers. Grimm, the leader of the reapers, conveys a sense of distrust, but in fact he is a sensible and mature character.

The game's artwork is beautiful, especially the reaper baker (I can't remember his name) and the background gives off a good vibe as well as a feeling of weirdness.

The battles are normal, it's what you'd expect from a game that uses RPG Maker 2003, so for me a game project creator in RPG Makers is fine, in that it brings the problem that it's easy to farm xp by moving around and so it's easy to get the power ups.

The true and good ending is beautiful and made me emotional, while the bad endings are so depressing that I insisted on having the true ending.

All in all, Grimm's Hollow is one of the best experiences that deserved to be better recognized in indie RPG Maker games and it's an experience that's well worth having.