Dale Hardshovel HD

About

Do you love puzzles with dropping, pushing and connecting artifacts ? Then welcome to our matching artifacts game with brains ( brain not included, you’ll have to use yours )

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

48%

Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers challenging puzzles that require critical thinking, making it engaging for puzzle enthusiasts.
Controls are simple and intuitive, allowing players to easily navigate and enjoy the gameplay.
The game provides moments of satisfaction and 'AHA' moments when solving difficult puzzles.

The game suffers from technical issues, including glitches and unresponsive controls, particularly on Linux.
It feels like a lazy port from mobile, lacking polish and customization options for PC users.
The time limits on levels can be frustrating, making some puzzles feel unsolvable without pausing the game.

story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The story follows Dale Hardshovel, an Australian archaeologist, emphasizing themes of perseverance and the unpredictability of life. However, the narrative is criticized for being simplistic and poorly presented, with low-quality graphics and a lack of engaging options, leading to a disappointing overall experience.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “Main story, 2 additional worlds (Halloween and Christmas).”
- “Tldr: no options whatsoever, ugly grainy blown up mobile tablet graphics when fullscreened, cringe slideshow dollar store story about some college chick wanting stuff translated and then you're off to the game.”
- “The story is about Dale Hardshovel, an Australian archaeologist.”
- “[h1][b]story[/b][/h1] a small one.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The music in the game has a mixed reception; while some players find it relaxing and soothing, others criticize it for being repetitive and grating, particularly during extended play sessions. The use of looped, faux-exotic tracks has also been noted as a downside.
- “The audio work is grating with fake exotic-style music playing on loop.”
- “As a side note, for long play sessions the soundtrack may become a bit annoying because it gets repetitive.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics that challenge players with thought-provoking puzzles, though the time constraints can be quite strict, making some levels difficult to complete within the allotted time. Overall, it runs smoothly in 4K on Windows 10, providing a solid gaming experience.
- “Interesting puzzle game, with simple mechanics and levels that really make you think.”
- “It is simple in mechanics, but some levels really make you think.”
- “However, it works without a hitch in 4K on Windows 10, and the gameplay is sound.”
- “Contrary to the gameplay video, your timer counts down from a set number, and when it reaches 0, you lose. Good luck finishing a level where you have 2 minutes, and the (old) YouTube walkthrough takes 3:55.”
- “The gameplay is simple in mechanics, but some levels really make you think.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The graphics in "Dale Hardshovel HD" have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing them as grainy and reminiscent of low-quality mobile games when played in fullscreen. While the remastered edition offers some improvements, many feel it still lacks polish, although the challenging puzzles may compensate for the visual shortcomings.
- “Dale Hardshovel HD is a pretty good puzzle game; it needs a bit more polish with graphics, but the puzzles are very challenging, which will keep you thinking.”
- “TL;DR: No options whatsoever, ugly grainy blown-up mobile tablet graphics when fullscreened, cringe slideshow dollar store story about some college chick wanting stuff translated and then you're off to the game.”
- “Dale Hardshovel HD is the remastered edition of Dale Hardshovel, mostly the graphics and the additional worlds are different.”
- “Dale Hardshovel HD is a pretty good puzzle game, but it needs a bit more polish with graphics.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and stressful due to the timed levels, which adds pressure to the experience.
- “Levels are timed, which is both tedious and stressful.”
- “The grinding feels endless and becomes a chore rather than fun.”
- “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which makes the game feel monotonous.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that the game experiences notable glitches and bugs, indicating a need for improvements in stability.
- “The game is plagued with glitches and bugs that disrupt the overall experience.”
- “I encountered numerous stability issues that made it difficult to enjoy the gameplay.”
- “Frequent crashes and performance problems have rendered the game nearly unplayable.”