Hare Apparent
- April 4, 2022
- Devin P. Quinn
Get on SteamHare Apparent is a dialogue-based roleplaying game in a high-stakes social elimination scenario. As one of five pretenders competing to rule the disparate kingdoms of Under-Sky, you’ll need all your social chops and strategic skills to be the last candidate standing and win the crown. During the day, talk with your fellow pretenders: build rapport, discuss issues, hatch plans and make false promis…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features well-developed and likeable characters, each with unique opinions and motivations, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
- Hare Apparent offers a surprising amount of worldbuilding for a short game, making it engaging and thought-provoking with considerable replay value due to varied dialogue and choices.
- The writing is highly praised, with colorful dialogue and interesting political dynamics that keep players invested in the gameplay.
- The game relies heavily on trial and error rather than strategy, leading to a feeling of memorization rather than genuine skill in gameplay.
- There is a notable lack of music, which contributes to a hollow atmosphere and detracts from the overall immersion of the game.
- Some players found the difficulty scaling inconsistent, with higher levels feeling unfair and lacking clarity on how to succeed.
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The absence of music in the game has been noted as creating a hollow atmosphere, with players expressing disappointment over the missed opportunity to enhance the experience with available quality stock music. While some understand the challenge of integrating music into a reading-heavy game, many resorted to playing their own music to fill the void.
“There is plenty of good-quality free stock music available online to use in video games and other projects, so there’s no excuse for not having any.”
“The lack of music gives the game a hollow feeling.”
“In some cases, I understand the collision between a reading-heavy game and music, as striking that balance is difficult.”
“Eventually, I put on my own music in the background.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Despite its short playtime of 15-30 minutes, the game offers significant replayability through varied dialogue, choices, and multiple difficulty settings. The inclusion of randomized elements and different endings enhances its thought-provoking nature, making it a fun and engaging experience worth revisiting.
“As quick as a playthrough may be, the game manages to be thought-provoking, and the various randomized elements, different difficulty settings, and endings make it a great and replayable hidden gem.”
“Even though the game is short (a full playthrough will take 15-30 minutes), it has a considerable amount of replay value due to the variations in dialogue and choices.”
“The difficulty is fair (I played on the default difficulty level) and the four difficulty options add additional replay value to the game.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by its unpredictability and depth, requiring players to strategically navigate relationships and alliances to succeed. While the narrative is expansive and enhances the experience, some users noted that the use of default buttons and fonts detracts from the overall immersion. Success is not achieved by chance, emphasizing the importance of careful planning and manipulation.
“No two tries are the same, and that is what makes gameplay most intriguing.”
“Its narrative is expansive and unfolding, allowing you to understand the lives everyone leads and utilize this in your gameplay.”
“In many cases throughout gameplay, I found the use of default buttons and fonts to feel uncharacteristic of the overall experience.”
“You cannot find your way to victory by accident (on default or higher difficulties), which makes the planning of relationships, alliances, and manipulation all the more important to the gameplay experience.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics are criticized for their limited artwork and color palette, with environments feeling neglected compared to the more detailed character designs. Reviewers express a desire for greater diversity and creativity in both the environmental construction and overall artistic expression.
“Aside from the snow outside and the basic geometry, the rooms themselves feel almost forgotten compared to the high-profile artwork of the characters.”
“To sum up, the lack of diversification in both the construction of the environments and the artwork of the characters left me wanting more.”
“Similar to my critique on the artwork itself, there is room here to explore more diverse forms of expression.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game features a charming political simulation with beautiful art and a decent storyline that enhances the experience, making it worth the time invested. While the worldbuilding is engaging, some players feel that the lack of immersive sound design detracts from the overall narrative experience. Overall, it presents an interesting story centered around diplomacy.
“A nice little politics sim with beautiful art and a decent story, well worth the hour or so of your time.”
“An interesting little story wrapped up in a game of diplomacy.”
“While the majority of the game's flavor adds a savory level of worldbuilding and a real feeling of being a part of the story-world, the din quiet of each playthrough pulls me out of what is otherwise a cohesive ecosystem.”
“While the majority of the apparent flavor adds a savory level of worldbuilding and a real feeling of being a part of the story world, the din quiet of each playthrough pulls me out of what is otherwise a cohesive ecosystem.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive environmental sounds and engaging writing, which together create a vibrant and lifelike world that enhances the overall experience.
“But still recommended for the writing and atmosphere.”
“Every button click is satisfying; the atmospheric and environmental sounds are immersive, breathing life into the world around the player.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite some interesting elements, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to engage.”
“The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, often breaking immersion with jarring transitions.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game features impressive character design and a rich world history, contributing to memorable characters that enhance the overall experience. The streamlined user interface and game flow further support the development of these characters, making them engaging and impactful.
“A little game with huge character design and a rich world history.”
“Memorable character designs, along with a smooth, streamlined UI and game flow.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth throughout the game.”
“The characters seem one-dimensional, and their arcs are predictable and uninspired.”
