Giving Up (Not Giving Up)

[3lives]

Well, this is probably the first Souls-like / Metroidvania I kinda enjoy playing that I just have to give up on finishing.

I am at the Giant of Eyes boss, somewhat consistently getting to the second phase, but it's just too much for me. I found that with other enemies too, some attacks are getting hit detected wider than they appear to me visually.

I have finished a variety of similar games both big and low budget and felt often underpowered there, too, but I also knew it was something I'm able to overcome.
Not with Grime, though.

I'll take a break, maybe try allocating some traits that help with boss fights.
Those traits are one of the problems for me. Not being the best at perfecting parry window openings I used up points for 2 lvls of bigger window.
To lvl up I used some to get more ardor and subsequently put points into hitting harder with ardor. Of course losing all ardor with the bosses means those points are wasted.

Low ardor means less mass, allocating points for mass gain means less points for helping, re-allocating points is an expensive affair.
This makes it a game that punishes the weaker players more than anything else I've played.

I just had to get this out of my system. I'm glad I got to experience it's world and humour, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but the most hardcore.

[Yarden]

Giant of Eyes is an optional boss that can be fought wayyy earlier than intended for those who want the challenge and its reward faster. What is the last boss you beat?

The majority of attacks in the 2nd phase are parriable, doing that followed by a pull should make quick work of them, I would also only recommend Ardor builds for those that specifically like to grind.

[Helix]

Sorry to hear you're frustrated. Giant of Eyes is an optional boss, and by your own admission, your character is currently not built to handle it. Try taking a break, exploring somewhere else, and then coming back once you've got a bit more gameplay (and levels and weapon upgrades) under your belt. That's what I did with more than half the bosses in this game when I found myself outmatched; when I hit the difficulty wall of Final Performance I took a break, looked at my map, and realized that there were at least 5 boss markers I hadn't wiped out! The levels and Breath bars I got after going back for them made Final Performance go down on my first try after coming back.
I've also found that relying on the damage boost from Ardor is a strategy best saved for the end of the game when you're going for map completion; it takes too long to build up after death to rely on it as a strategy 100% of the time.

[3lives]

Thanks, guys! After your answers I went back, re-allocated some points and scoured the map for a dozen hours at least. I think I was seriously underpowered and bolstered force to 30 while using the force glaive. Beat several hunts, bosses and the the Giant.

Now I'm stuck, because I see the quest marker right from nerveroot, down from garden, but absolutely no way to get there.
I suppose I still need something to double dash or double jump and something to work with the purple points.

Also, I just have to ask the dev:
Why do you hate me so much?
Why do you like to waste the player's time so much?

I ran out of markers, because the large map is littered with places unreachable without all the upgrades as far away from the travel points and bonfires as possible. Running through several times to get find another upgrade boss - which can be anywhere - is just annoying.
Especially when all you find most of the time is something else you don't care about.
Darksiders 3 did the same thing with items all over that are just scraps. And was rightfully scolded for that.

On a positive note I love the enemy variety and the hunt enemies, and most of all the humourous comments by the stone ppl. I just wish the flow and progression would be tighter. And to know how I should be able to get to that quest marker... :)

[3lives]

I was too impatient when I played it two weeks ago.
So, after a serious break, I went back and cleared some more of the markers I left, put some points in health and finished the game without anymore frustration.
On the contrary, I had a great time and was able to appreciate the design, especially the fantastic bosses, much more.

I also take back my statement to only recommend it the hardcore and adapt it to a recommendation for ppl with enough time and patience.
Because I still feel like the part of the game doesn't appreciate my investment.
The myriad of points you come across and cannot get to before beating some bosses, often still trying to get them, since you don't know it's not yet reachable, annoy me.
Often running through the same places only to discover you actually need another upgrade from somewhere else.
It's a problematic design decision many metroidvanias have, but some are clearer about informing the player and have less stuff in every dman corner of the map afar from any travel points.

While I feel that is big gripe for me, I'm glad I stuck with it - and thankful for the answers to my rant - as the game is a great joy to see those wonderfully crafted bosses with their vast movesets and overcome some of the odds to see all the art.

[PKblaze]

Bit late to the post but I had a similar issue fighting the boss as I came across it and figured I may as well fight it however it is completely optional as stated by others. I left it, came back and beat it nearly hitless

Also there is a trait for retaining all ardor on death :D

As for progress, you need to go right from the big rock guy (Shidra) and explore the castle which opened after you beat the boss quest (It does say that this location is now open and that you should go that way)