Honestly, most side-scrolling adventures feel like they’re trying too hard to be the next Hollow Knight. It’s a saturated market. But Greak: Memories of Azur does something different, something that actually makes your brain hurt in a good way. It isn't just another pretty hand-drawn platformer. It’s a stressful, beautiful, and occasionally infuriating exercise in multitasking that most players drop halfway through because they can't handle the heat.
That’s a shame.
Developed by Navegante Entertainment, a small studio out of Mexico, this game is a love letter to traditional animation and the kind of "character swapping" mechanics we haven't seen done well since The Lost Vikings. You aren't just playing as Greak. You’re playing as three siblings—Greak, Adara, and Raydel—all at the same time. If one of them dies? Game over. Back to the save point. It’s brutal. It’s gorgeous. It’s a lot.
What is Greak: Memories of Azur Actually About?
The story is simple on paper. The lands of Azur are being overrun by a nasty race called the Urlags. Your people, the Courines, are basically being ethnically cleansed and forced to build an airship to escape. You start as Greak, the youngest brother, trying to find his siblings so they can get off the planet.
But the plot isn't why people stay.
They stay for the art. Every single frame of Greak: Memories of Azur was hand-drawn. If you look closely at the idle animations or the way the grass flows, you can see the individual lines. It feels like playing a Studio Ghibli film if that film was about a desperate refugee crisis. The world is vibrant but decaying, a contrast that Navegante nails perfectly.
The Mechanics That Break People
Here is where the game gets controversial. You control the siblings simultaneously. By holding down a trigger (L2 or LT usually), the characters will mimic your movements. If you’re jumping over a pit with Greak and Adara, and Adara’s jump arc is slightly different? She falls. You die.
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It's a polarizing system.
Some critics, like those at IGN or GameSpot during the 2021 launch, pointed out that the AI pathfinding can be a bit... well, let’s call it "character building." You have to constantly manage their positions. Greak is your agile double-jumper. Adara is a mage who can levitate and breathe underwater longer. Raydel is the tank with a shield and a hookshot. Using them together to solve puzzles is a high-wire act. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re the type of person who likes micro-managing a chaotic situation, it’s pure dopamine.
Why the Combat Hits Different
Most Metroidvanias allow you to tank hits or dodge-roll through everything. In Greak: Memories of Azur, you’re fragile.
Since you have to manage the health bars of three different people, combat becomes a tactical puzzle. You can’t just mash buttons. You have to position Adara in the back to lob magic projectiles while Raydel stays up front with his shield. If you leave Greak off in a corner, an Urlag will spawn and gank him while you aren't looking.
It creates a genuine sense of "family" that most games only talk about in cutscenes. You actually feel protective of these digital siblings because their survival is literally tied to yours. The inventory management is equally tight. You have very limited slots. Do you give the healing cooked vegetable to Greak or save it for Raydel? These small choices make the world of Azur feel heavy.
The Reality of the "Endgame" Grind
Let’s be real for a second. The game isn't perfect.
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Toward the final third of the experience, the backtracking starts to feel a bit heavy. Since you are moving three characters at once, traveling through old zones takes three times as long as it would in Ori and the Will of the Wisps. You can't just speedrun back to the camp.
However, the payoff is the boss fights. The bosses in Greak: Memories of Azur are massive. They require you to use all three siblings' unique abilities in tandem. One person triggers a switch, another distracts the boss, and the third delivers the blow. When it works, you feel like a genius. When it fails, you’ll probably want to throw your controller out the window.
A Quick Tip on Cooking
Don't ignore the cooking pots. Seriously.
The game doesn't hold your hand much here, but mixing ingredients like mushrooms and seeds is the only way to survive the later areas. Raw food barely does anything. If you’re struggling with the difficulty spike around the middle of the game, stop trying to get better at dodging and start getting better at being a chef. It’s the "hidden" difficulty slider of the game.
Is It Worth It in 2026?
With the game now available on basically every platform—Switch, PS5, Xbox, and PC—and often going on sale for under ten bucks, it’s a steal. We live in an era of "live service" bloat. Greak: Memories of Azur is a contained, 10-hour experience that knows exactly what it wants to be.
It's a game about loss.
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It’s a game about the friction of family.
It’s a game that asks you to hold hands and jump together, even when the world is ending.
If you want to experience what Navegante built, don't go in expecting a standard action game. Go in expecting a test of coordination. Most people get frustrated because they try to play it like Castlevania. Don't do that. Treat it like a puzzle where the pieces are alive and they’re scared.
Actionable Steps for New Players
To get the most out of your time in Azur, follow these specific strategies:
- Remap Your Controls Immediately: The default "call siblings" button can feel clunky on some controllers. Move it to a bumper if you find yourself fumbling during combat.
- The "Group Hug" Strategy: When exploring new areas, keep your siblings physically touching. It reduces the chance of one getting stuck on a ledge or behind a door.
- Prioritize Raydel’s Health: Once you unlock the older brother, Raydel, give him the best armor and health items. He is your wall. If he goes down, the squishy mages don't stand a chance.
- Don't Fear the Map: The map doesn't show everything. Look for cracks in the walls that look hand-sketched; these are almost always secret rooms containing the currency needed for airship upgrades.
- Manual Saves are King: Don't rely on the game's generosity. If you just finished a tough puzzle or a long trek, find a save stone. The game doesn't auto-save as often as modern gamers are used to.
Exploring Azur is a test of patience as much as skill. Take it slow, keep the siblings close, and actually look at the background art. You’ll find a game that is much deeper than its "indie platformer" label suggests.