Groda

About Groda

Groda is an indie action-platformer with rogue elements from developer Fingernail Tea, set for release on December 31, 2026. It tasks a frog-like protagonist and a quirky companion with escaping an endless abyss filled with hostile creatures and shifting hazards. The game emphasizes fast-paced combat, precise platforming jumps, and procedurally generated levels that force you to adapt constantly. It’s built for PC and offers single-player only, focusing on short, intense sessions. The premise is straightforward: survive, fight, and loot your way upward through an alien chasm. Think of it as a chaotic blend of platforming skill and rogue-lite risk, where one misstep sends you back to square one.

Gameplay

Groda’s gameplay revolves around twitchy reflexes and split-second decisions. You’ll dash, climb, and attack to navigate vertical levels littered with floating platforms, spiky traps, and swarms of enemies. Combat feels punchy but unforgiving, requiring you to balance offensive strikes with evasive maneuvers. Between levels, you collect loot that tweaks your abilities, but permadeath means every upgrade feels earned through trial and error. The rogue elements introduce randomness in enemy placement and item drops, keeping each run fresh but punishing. Sessions typically last 10, 15 minutes, with the challenge ramping up sharply as you ascend. Controls are tight but demand precision, and the camera occasionally struggles with tight spaces. It’s a game that rewards boldness but punishes hesitation.

What Players Think

As Groda hasn’t released yet, there are no community stats or reviews to analyze. However, based on its genre and design, early expectations suggest it could attract players who enjoy high-difficulty platformers and rogue-likes. If it follows typical patterns, completion rates might hover around 40, 50% due to its punishing nature. Playtime averages for similar games range from 10, 20 hours, with most players either finishing quickly or quitting frustrated. No achievements or price details have been confirmed, but indie titles in this space often cost $15, 20. Community moods for pre-release games like this are usually a mix of curiosity and skepticism, with some hype for its quirky art style and others wary of its difficulty curve.

PlayPile's Take

Groda looks like a niche pick for fans of punishing platformers who don’t mind repeated deaths. Its blend of speed, risk, and randomness could be addictive in short bursts, but the lack of save points or leniency may alienate casual players. If you enjoy games like Celeste or Dead Cells and don’t mind grinding through early levels, it’s worth a shot. With a likely price under $20, it’s a low-risk bet for hardcore gamers. However, if you prefer more forgiving or story-driven adventures, this might not hit the right notes. The final verdict will depend on how well it balances its intensity with meaningful progression.

Storyline

Deep down in an otherworldly chasm beyond space and time, a frog-like creature and its weird little sidekick struggle to outrun an ominous pursuing force. Outnumbered and outmatched by relentless foes and treacherous terrain, their only choice is to fight their way upwards through a weird, chaotic abyss.