Harlow

About

Harlow is a single player casual platformer game. It was developed by Good Trouble and was released on March 14, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

"Harlow" is a single-player platformer game that won the Gold Award at the 2022 NYX Game Awards. As a compact robot aboard the R1-Humanity, you must evade dangers of an ancient planet, gather materials, and plan a surprise party for the colonists. Utilizing physics-based controls, players can jump, roll, and evade various obstacles like oceans of acid, ancient machinery, and lavafalls. The game offers stunning visuals, a stellar soundtrack, and the ability to unlock different endings based on how you transform the ship into a stellar celebration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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81%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

music13 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and a charming art style that create an immersive atmosphere.
The gameplay is original and fun, with physics-based mechanics that allow for fluid movement and enjoyable platforming challenges.
The soundtrack is relaxing and well-composed, enhancing the overall experience of the game.

The controls can be buggy and uncomfortable, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The lack of checkpoints and long respawn times can make the game feel tedious and disheartening.
Some mechanics, such as the double-jump recharge, are inconsistent and can lead to moments of being stuck or unable to progress.

music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it relaxing and beautifully complements the visuals, others feel it can become repetitive and exhausting over time. Many highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience, contributing to a cozy and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the music is praised for its charm and ability to elevate gameplay, despite some frustrations regarding volume control.
- “Harlow’s beautiful art style, fun gameplay, and excellent soundtrack all come together to form a super polished, memorable experience.”
- “The music is so relaxing.”
- “The visuals: 10/10 (this hazy, dreamy, almost glowy atmosphere evokes such a feeling of anemoia), the music 10/10 (it's got this lo-fi, pop-ambient feel that takes you to another world), the gameplay: 10/10 (it's chill, it's mellow, there are challenging moments, but overall, the controls are easy and the physics-based movements are just unpredictable enough to keep you glued to the screen).”
- “There's no volume slider for music in the pause menu, and the music gets exhausting real fast.”
- “Occasionally I'll barely escape death or die in a ridiculous way and that'll be mildly amusing, but I didn't spend 4 hours listening to that god damn music for 'mildly amusing'.”
- “While the art is charming, and music very relaxing, those are unfortunately the only two positives I could give in the time it took for me to give up on this one.”
gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The gameplay is praised for its originality and physics-based mechanics, particularly the unique double-jump feature, though some players note a lack of variety in mechanics and occasional repetitiveness. The level design is well-executed, allowing for a smooth flow state, and the overall experience is enhanced by a charming soundtrack and beautiful visuals. While controls are generally tight, some users experienced minor issues with keyboard and mouse setups, but the game remains accessible and enjoyable, especially for those who prefer a more relaxed platforming experience.
- “Harlow’s beautiful art style, fun gameplay, and excellent soundtrack all come together to form a super polished, memorable experience.”
- “It's always great to find a game that has both tight gameplay mechanics and a well laid out level design that allows you to reach flow state.”
- “The visuals: 10/10 (this hazy, dreamy, almost glowy atmosphere evokes such a feeling of anemoia), the music 10/10 (it's got this lo-fi, pop-ambient feel that takes you to another world), the gameplay: 10/10 (it's chill, it's mellow, there are challenging moments, but overall, the controls are easy and the physics-based movements are just unpredictable enough to keep you glued to the screen).”
- “The gameplay is original and works well, based on physics engines and the ability to recharge the double-jump each time we touch a surface - well, almost all surfaces, and that's one of the many small issues the game has.”
- “There are 40 levels, and the difficulty only mildly increases from start to finish with very few meaningful mechanics introduced.”
- “Mechanics were just a slight bit wonky when starting with keyboard and mouse, as the game could autonomously reset my angry-birds-slingshot-style (rear aiming and firing) back to the forward-facing-trajectory-style (front aiming and firing).”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
The graphics of Harlow are widely praised for their beautiful art style, vibrant colors, and dreamy atmosphere, creating an aesthetically pleasing world that enhances the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the polished visuals and excellent soundtrack, which together contribute to a charming and memorable gaming experience. Overall, the graphics receive high marks, with many players appreciating the cozy and immersive feel they bring to the game.
- “Harlow’s beautiful art style, fun gameplay, and excellent soundtrack all come together to form a super polished, memorable experience.”
- “The visuals: 10/10 (this hazy, dreamy, almost glowy atmosphere evokes such a feeling of anemoia), the music 10/10 (it's got this lo-fi, pop-ambient feel that takes you to another world), the gameplay: 10/10 (it's chill, it's mellow, there are challenging moments, but overall, the controls are easy and the physics-based movements are just unpredictable enough to keep you glued to the screen).”
- “The aesthetic pretty much stays exactly the same and the levels start to all feel pretty much the same.”
- “Although Harlow explores the old planet by collecting 'party data' in order to throw a party for colonists, you, the player, get to explore this aesthetically pleasing world of color, layers, and depth that Harlow glides through each level.”
- “I love the art style and music; it's slick as hell.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's story is a mix of sci-fi elements and emotional themes, featuring a dense narrative that explores a mysterious, machine-filled planet devoid of humans. While some players found it engaging and heartwarming, others felt it lacked depth or failed to capture their attention. Overall, the storyline is described as cute and intriguing, with a strong emotional undertone.
- “It's got a cute storyline and amazing music.”
- “I love the storyline and the 'it's going to be okay' theme of the game.”
- “There's also a sci-fi story which is surprisingly dense for this type of game, although it didn't really catch my attention.”
- “The story itself has got me curious so far since finding a secret or two that might explain why this planet is full of machines and could be habitable for humans, but there's no humans around.”
- “The developer has such a tear-jerker story too!”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game "Harlow" is highlighted by its charming and heartwarming qualities, featuring beautiful visuals and music that enhance the overall experience. Players find the game wholesome and enjoyable, with adorable characters and witty writing that create a delightful atmosphere, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a feel-good platformer.
- “If you're in the mood for a wholesome platformer, Harlow is the one to pick up.”
- “Harlow is such a charming and heartwarming game, with beautiful visuals and music that you'll want to keep playing even when you're done gaming.”
- “All the robots are wholesome and adorable, and the writing is charming and funny.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling that the lengthy respawn times contribute to the overall frustration, despite not losing progress. This leads to a sense of monotony that detracts from the overall experience.
- “I don't know why, but something just feels tedious about this.”
- “Not that it makes the game particularly difficult, since we never lose any progress, but it's still tedious to restart from way too far, especially considering the time it takes to respawn, which is way too long for no apparent reason.”
- “The game is a bit tedious and repetitive, though.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has received mixed feedback regarding stability, with some users expressing frustration over buggy controls that detract from the overall experience.
- “I love everything about this game... except for the buggy controls.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the gameplay.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its dreamy, hazy visuals and soothing lo-fi music, creating an immersive and relaxing experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of soft tones and ambient sounds that transport players to another world, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Simple to control, tricky to execute, the flow of motion and the super chill music, with the soft-toned atmosphere makes this a great game to settle in for and enjoy.”
- “The visuals: 10/10 (this hazy, dreamy, almost glowy atmosphere evokes such a feeling of anemoia), the music: 10/10 (it's got this lo-fi, pop-ambient feel that takes you to another world), the gameplay: 10/10 (it's chill, it's mellow, there are challenging moments, but overall, the controls are easy and the physics-based movements are just unpredictable enough to keep you glued to the screen).”
- “Excellent gameplay, narrative & atmosphere.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by charming and funny dialogue, particularly from the cute and wholesome robots, which adds a delightful touch to the experience. Players appreciate the unique unlockables that enhance the excitement of exploration and research.
- “The robots are so cute with hilarious dialogue, and the unlockables are so unique that I am always excited to research the next thing for the ship.”
- “All the robots are wholesome and adorable, and the writing is charming and funny.”