A Walk With Yiayia is a Heartfelt Story About Family

Written byWendy Hours Last Updated on

A Walk with Yiayia shares an intimate look into the lesser talked about topic of caring for our elderly relatives in this heartfelt visual novel.

A solo project by Trent Garlipp, A Walk with Yiayia is loosely based on his own relationship with his grandparents.

With qualities we can probably all see in our own grandparents too, this is one game you’ll want to take slowly.

Especially as it’s only about an hour long.

The Story Of A Walk With Yiayia

A Walk with Yiayia is a mini visual novel told through mostly dialogue text bubbles with a couple of simple side games that add depth and emotion to the story.

You play as the grandson of a Greek grandmother, and you find yourself caring for her while your mother is away. It seems she’s having a much-needed night out with her friends.

You discover early on that your yiayia hasn’t left the house in over two weeks due to a scary fall that has left her shaken and anxious. Deciding that she needs to get up and about, you encourage her to take a walk with you.

A Walk With Yiayia Game Review, PC, Steam, Cozy Game, emotional game

Spending Quality Time With Grandma

As I took yiayia by the hand my eyes welled up.

I’ve played countless games that let you pet the dog and hug a companion but never one that lets you hold your grandma’s hand!

How special it is to be able to do something so small, yet incredibly meaningful, inside a game.

I lost both my grandparents nearly a decade ago and it doesn’t get easier, especially as I was so close to them growing up. One thing I regret is not spending time listening to their stories. They rarely talked about themselves, instead, they listened intently to what I was doing and asked many questions about the family.

I’d give anything to go back and ask them about their past, to get to know them as people.

Yiayia wants to know more about her Grandson too. The conversation isn’t one-sided. We get to learn about his hopes and dreams for the future as he shares more about how he feels.

It’s the perfect example of how connecting with our loved ones helps us empathize and accept our faults.

A Greyscale Vignette

A Walk with Yiayia is a predominantly greyscale aesthetic that feels like watching a classic movie.

The art style uses minimalistic pixel graphics for the most part with a wonderful vignette towards the end as you take the form of a little grasshopper as yiayia recalls her dream about her late husband.

I felt ever so relaxed playing it. I almost felt like there should be a watch button.

Games that let me get absorbed in their beauty are ones that I enjoy playing again and again. I often feel in awe of how game developers can create worlds that feel like interactive artworks.

Overall

A pleasant little game that is accessible to everyone, even non-gamers.

With simple controls and a story that most people will be able to relate to I feel like it’s a game that will invite folks of all ages to experience it.

I cried more than was probably necessary while playing, but I do have a soft spot for grandparents. It’s one I’m already recommending to anyone who will listen.

All that was missing from this game was the tin of sweets and an old tv game show on repeat.

A Walk with Yiayia will be available on Nintendo Switch in the coming months but right now you can play it on Steam currently on a discount for a short time.

Wendy
Follow
Latest posts by Wendy (see all)

Discover more from Her Cozy Gaming

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.