A Happy Place

About

A Happy Place is a single player casual platformer game with a horror theme. It was developed by Ziggity and was released on January 30, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

"A Happy Place" is a 3D platformer game with 64-bit graphics, reminiscent of 90's classics. The game focuses on collectathon gameplay, with players exploring vibrant environments and gathering items. With modern touches, it brings the golden era of gaming to the present while preserving its timeless charm.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 19 reviews

story4 positive mentions

music2 negative mentions

The game is a charming and fun platformer that captures the spirit of classic 3D platformers like Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie.
It features unique level design and engaging gameplay mechanics, providing a fresh experience with plenty of content and secrets to discover.
The developer has clearly put a lot of passion into the project, making it a hidden gem that deserves more attention.

The game suffers from technical issues, including long loading times, framerate drops, and occasional bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
Some players have experienced frustrating moments, such as getting stuck on black screens or having to deal with cumbersome mechanics.
The audio levels are quite low, and there are limitations in the game's controls that could benefit from improvements.

story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The story and world-building in the game are praised for their uniqueness and coherence, contributing to an engaging sci-fi narrative. While the atmospheric set pieces enhance the experience, some players feel certain missions may stretch believability. Overall, the plot is well-received, though technical issues on specific platforms have impacted some players' enjoyment.
- “I found the story and world-building to be quite unique and an interesting take on these types of games. Everything makes sense in-universe and has a reason for existing.”
- “The horror is great, the controls/platforming are great, and I won't spoil much plot-wise as it's a pretty good sci-fi story.”
- “A wonderful platformer horror game with a fun and unique story.”
- “Currently, I can't recommend the game, but that's probably just because I played on my Steam Deck. I love the world-building and storyline, but I got stuck on the second world's purple crystal, which leaves you on a black screen.”
- “The second playable character comes with a cool life system, but they mainly exist in the game for story reasons, which is disappointing. I don't hate the idea, especially since I feel like a twist is attached to them, but I just want to be able to play the game as a cute animal girl.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The gameplay is praised for its smoothness and classic 3D platformer feel, featuring a checkpoint system that adds a strategic element to respawning. Players appreciate the level design and mechanics, noting the game offers substantial content for its price, with playthroughs averaging 8 to 10 hours. Suggestions for improvement include the addition of a speedrunning character to enhance the gameplay experience further.
- “The gameplay is very smooth, feels like a really good 3D platformer.”
- “Fans of classic 3D platformers will love the levels and game mechanics, and the game is very meaty for the price, as a first playthrough usually takes somewhere between 8 and 10 hours.”
- “I think adding a secret speedrunning type character would be cool, especially since there's already built-in cheese in the game with the wall jump trick. If you have enough points to perform it, I think having a faster type of gameplay would be exciting, especially if you have to put in a good amount of effort to unlock that mode for the rest of the game.”
- “Finally on the respawn mechanic... there is a checkpoint system in the game inside some levels, and if you die, your other character spawns there. However, if saved once, you cannot use that specific checkpoint a second time, rather having to save at the other one to then return again to the first checkpoint.”
- “The gameplay feels clunky and unresponsive at times, making it frustrating to navigate through levels that require precision.”
- “The combat system lacks depth and variety, leading to repetitive encounters that quickly become dull.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's music is a mixed bag, featuring standout moments in darker sections and some fun, memorable tracks, but it suffers from inconsistencies, particularly in the early game where it feels rough. Players have reported instances where the music fails to trigger or stops unexpectedly, leading to confusion over whether these moments are intentional or bugs. Overall, while there are highlights, the music's execution can detract from the experience due to these issues.
- “The music in the game is strange in that there are moments, usually in the darker sections, where the music is actually very good. In some levels, it's fun and memorable. However, in the first quarter of the game, it feels a bit rough. Later, there are events where the music stops for atmospheric reasons, and there are times when it just fails to trigger. You can tell because the fun sound effects that usually disappear in the atmospheric segments remain. This is obviously a bug, but at times I was unsure if it was intentional, as it can be taken for scares.”
- “The music in the game is strange in that there are moments, usually in the darker sections, where the music is actually very good, and in some levels it's fun and memorable. However, in the first quarter of the game, it feels a bit rough, and later there are events where the music stops for atmospheric reasons and instances where it just fails to trigger. You can tell because you still have the fun sound effects that usually disappear in the atmospheric segments. This is obviously a bug, but at times I was unsure if it was a bug, as sometimes it's taken for scares.”
- “I tried to enter the crystal twice, and both times it went to black with the health icon still on the screen and music playing, so I knew I didn't get a black screen of death. On that note, that was the first time that ever happened to me on the Steam Deck with this game. After the monster eats you at the end of World 1, I missed the rest of the cutscene after rebooting the system.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The graphics feature a deceptively simple art style that belies the game's depth and complexity, suggesting that it offers more than just a beginner-level experience.
- “Don't let the art style fool you into thinking this is a 'my first game' because there is certainly more to it than meets the eye.”
- “The graphics are outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “Character models look bland and lifeless, making it hard to connect with the story.”
- “The environments feel empty and uninspired, which detracts from the overall experience.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag, with some levels effectively utilizing atmospheric set pieces while others feel excessive for the missions. The music varies significantly, featuring strong compositions in darker sections but experiencing inconsistencies, such as moments where it fails to trigger, leading to confusion about whether these were intentional design choices or bugs. Overall, while there are memorable moments, the atmospheric execution can be hit or miss.
- “The music in the game is strange in that there are moments, usually in the darker sections, where the music is actually very good. In some levels, it's fun and memorable, but in the first quarter of the game, it feels a bit rough. Later, there are events where the music stops for atmospheric reasons, and at times, I was unsure if it was a bug or intentional, as sometimes it adds to the scares.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the amusing mechanics of crouch jumps and tech kicks, which, while not necessarily practical, add a layer of enjoyment and creativity to gameplay. Players find joy in experimenting with these mechanics, leading to moments of unexpected fun.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably compromised by numerous bugs, primarily attributed to its reliance on the Blender game engine.
- “The game's only real issue is that it is very buggy due to using the Blender game engine.”