Harold Halibut

About

In Harold Halibut, you play as a lab assistant on a spaceship that has been submerged in an alien ocean for 250 years. While most of the ship's inhabitants have accepted their life aboard the ship, you help the lead scientist, Jeanne Mareaux, in her quest to find a way to leave the planet and find a new home for humanity. The game features unique stop-motion aesthetics and allows you to explore a diverse and vibrant retro-future world. Join Harold as he navigates the challenges of life on the FEDORA I and uncovers the true meaning of "home."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 880 reviews

story282 positive mentions

optimization8 negative mentions

Stunning stop-motion art style that creates a visually captivating experience.
Engaging and heartfelt story that explores themes of connection, purpose, and self-discovery.
Unique characters with distinct personalities that add depth to the narrative.

Gameplay is mostly limited to walking and fetch quests, lacking meaningful interactivity.
Pacing can be slow and repetitive, leading to moments of boredom.
Some technical issues, including bugs and performance problems, detract from the overall experience.

story
744 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
5%
The story of *Harold Halibut* is a unique, slow-paced narrative experience that combines stunning handcrafted visuals with a heartfelt exploration of human connections and self-discovery. While many players appreciate its emotional depth and quirky characters, some criticize the pacing and repetitive gameplay, feeling it leans more towards an interactive movie than a traditional game. Overall, it is recommended for those who enjoy story-rich experiences and are willing to embrace its leisurely storytelling style.
- “Considering it is entirely handmade and animated from clay, the visuals, the evocative nature of each character, and the storytelling is so immersive, genuine, human, and whole.”
- “Harold Halibut is an extraordinary accomplishment in a lot of ways, presenting a gorgeously-realized handcrafted world and a story swimming with unique sci-fi ideas and affecting emotional beats.”
- “The story highlights the 'human experience' in a relevant, relatable, and non-pretentious way while still managing to add a few twists here and there.”
- “The story is very slow paced with a lot of cut scenes and that will kill the game for some people.”
- “Harold Halibut manages to make me frustrated with the writing at every single turn, and the worst part is that a lot of the story arcs were really close to being good but they either face plant the landing, or it's executed so poorly that it turns into a half hour of going back and forth for a quest and the reveal of the conclusion to be actually not a big deal.”
- “The dialogue is boring, the gameplay is boring, and the story is boring.”
graphics
315 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The graphics of "Harold Halibut" are widely praised for their stunning, handcrafted claymation art style, which creates an immersive and visually captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the meticulous attention to detail and the unique stop-motion aesthetic, likening it to an animated film that enhances the storytelling. However, some players feel that while the visuals are exceptional, they do not compensate for the game's slow pacing and lack of engaging gameplay elements.
- “The visuals and character designs are meticulously crafted, creating an immersive world.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning!”
- “The stop motion art style is exceptionally unique and well made.”
- “Completely unplayable unless you have a dedicated graphics card.”
- “Even the visuals leave a lot to be desired.”
- “The graphics and tech level was pretty clunky polygonal but really failed at the cartoony style everything was in.”
gameplay
237 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
72%
12%
The gameplay of "Harold Halibut" is primarily characterized as a slow-paced walking simulator with minimal interactivity, often involving repetitive fetch quests and excessive dialogue. While the game's artistic visuals and narrative depth are praised, many players find the lack of engaging gameplay mechanics and the drawn-out pacing to be significant drawbacks, leading to a mixed reception overall. Those seeking a more traditional gaming experience with challenging mechanics may be disappointed, as the focus leans heavily towards storytelling rather than gameplay.
- “Amazing quality and gameplay!”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's a nice mix of exploring, solving puzzles, and chatting with folks.”
- “I can see the team's effort and love throughout the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay feels slow and lacks the engaging elements I hoped for in a point-and-click adventure.”
- “There is no engaging gameplay at all, and after a while you just wonder why this was made into a video game in the first place.”
- “The gameplay loop mostly consists of fetch quests with a little bit of puzzle sprinkled on top of it.”
music
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
3%
The music in "Harold Halibut" has been widely praised for its captivating and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the game's stunning visuals and emotional storytelling. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack is well-composed, with unique tracks that complement the game's themes and settings, creating an immersive experience. While some found the music to be a standout feature, a few critiques mentioned a lack of variety in sound effects, but overall, the musical elements were considered a significant strength of the game.
- “Harold Halibut is a delightful game with its unique stop-motion art style and captivating soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visuals beautifully, enhancing the overall atmosphere and drawing you deeper into the story.”
- “The music is beautiful, the animation is jaw-dropping, and for the most part, it truly feels as though you are in the fedora alongside Harold.”
- “There's a severe lack of music and sound effects that makes this very, very slow-paced game even more grueling.”
- “I only recall one in-game music track, and it was a whistling tune that sounded like I was in a western about to go to a showdown; it was very confusing.”
- “The music is fine with a bit of a nod to Philip Glass, though it still feels like a half-effort in comparison to the visuals for me.”
emotional
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
"Harold Halibut" is widely praised for its emotional depth, combining heartfelt storytelling with charming claymation visuals and quirky characters that foster a sense of community. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, particularly during poignant moments and the impactful ending, which resonates deeply with themes of self-discovery and social connections. While some critiques mention pacing issues, the overall consensus highlights its ability to evoke strong feelings and provoke thoughtful reflection on life and relationships.
- “The writing is top-notch, and the dialogues with your in-game friend are so heartfelt and therapeutic; they genuinely resonated with me on a personal level.”
- “The art, music, and characters come together beautifully to tell a very emotional story.”
- “I just finished the game and it's such a beautiful story, I cried like a baby.”
- “My game crashed after 2 1/2 hours of boring story, boring dialogue, and boring gameplay.”
humor
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in "Harold Halibut" is characterized by its clever, situational comedy and expressive characters, often blending emotional depth with lighthearted moments. While some players appreciate the subtle and quirky humor, others find it repetitive or lacking in consistency, with a mix of intentional and unintentional funny moments. Overall, the game offers a charming narrative experience that balances humor with heartfelt storytelling, though some feel it could benefit from more comedic elements.
- “Harold Halibut rewards players who take it extra slow with humorous, clever, and sweet details in every moment.”
- “The storytelling is well done, and the characters have a specific sense of humor that makes every twist pretty funny to witness.”
- “The story and characters are beautifully written, it looks gorgeous and is very funny.”
- “The humor is not funny; the subjects and themes attempted are far over a kid's head, yet the atmosphere and dialogue are like a kids' cartoon.”
- “The humor is not funny; the subjects and themes attempted are far over a kid's head, yet the atmosphere and dialogue are like a kids' cartoon.”
atmosphere
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique claymation visuals, immersive soundtrack, and tranquil, slow-paced storytelling, creating a warm and heartfelt experience. Reviewers highlight the meticulous attention to detail in the art and sound design, which enhances the overall ambiance and draws players deeper into the narrative. While the gameplay may be minimal and not particularly engaging, the rich atmosphere and character interactions are noted as the game's standout features, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a relaxing adventure.
- “Its unique claymation visuals, delightful mini-games, and tranquil atmosphere make it the perfect choice for those seeking something warm, heartfelt, and unhurried.”
- “The soundtrack complements the visuals beautifully, enhancing the overall atmosphere and drawing you deeper into the story.”
- “You can tell there was love and care put into this game because the artwork, soundtrack, and overall atmosphere were phenomenal.”
- “Once I had my fill of atmosphere, which did not take long, I came back once more hoping against hope that the game would pick up.”
- “The humor is not funny, the subjects and themes attempted are far over a kid's head, yet the atmosphere and dialogue are kids' cartoon-like.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is fantastic, and because of your role as a handyman, the quests make total sense.”
optimization
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
60%
27%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, particularly for poor performance on various devices, especially Nvidia graphics cards, leading to stuttering and janky transitions. Many players noted that the game feels more like a movie with minimal gameplay, which exacerbates the perception of its performance issues. While some users mentioned potential fixes and tweaks for specific platforms like the Steam Deck, overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization improvements.
- “Needs some tweaking for Steam Deck performance, but overall it was a good game.”
- “The game is not without its issues though, primarily in the realms of design and performance.”
- “Performance is a more obvious issue: the things on screen may not move quickly, but they are detailed.”
- “Performance is terrible on a lot of devices (especially NVIDIA).”
- “The performance (especially if you don't have a controller or a very good PC) is not the best, and this game is pretty much a movie with some optional side storylines, meaning there is very little gameplay/reward for playing.”
- “It currently suffers from bad stuttering issues, even on high-end hardware.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely regarded as tedious, with many players noting the repetitive nature of tasks and the slow pace of gameplay. While some find satisfaction in completing to-do lists and appreciate the relaxing, quirky art style, others feel that the extensive back-and-forth running and fetch quests detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game may appeal to fans of walking sims, but its grinding elements can be a significant drawback for those seeking more dynamic gameplay.
- “The gameplay is dreadfully slow and tedious.”
- “$35 for this is actually kind of insane considering how little there is to do, and what is here is extremely tedious and repetitive.”
- “In many RPGs, 'fetch quests' feel demeaning and tedious.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
Character development in the game is praised for its meticulous design and immersive world-building, with many reviewers highlighting the high-quality visuals, animation, and voice acting. However, some noted a lack of connections to past plot points, suggesting that while the characters are well-crafted, their development may not significantly impact the overall narrative experience. Overall, the character design and development contribute to a rich and engaging atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The animation is as beautiful as the character development.”
- “The richness of the environment along with the beautiful soundscapes and character design that is reminiscent of 60's Eastern European animation art houses make this a delight to play.”
- “None of it made any connections to past plot points or character development.”
- “The visual style is, of course, its big standout, but it's remarkable in pretty much all other aspects as well - voice acting; writing; story; music; sound design; animation; character design; etc. it isn't an especially 'gamey' game, and (afaik) your experience won't be much different from the experience of others, so if any of this bothers you then you might want to avoid it, but that's the only warning I'd provide.”
- “The devs and artists at Slow Bros truly hit the nail on the head with the world building and character development that instantly made me a fan of the studio.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent clipping, animation glitches, and dialogue bugs that often require players to reload. Overall, it is described as quite buggy, detracting from the overall experience.
- “Plenty of clipping, weird leg positions, animation glitches, dialogue getting stuck, etc.”
- “It's still quite buggy, and there were many times when I had to reload the game.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the inclusion of small TV ads, suggesting that the monetization strategy is unobtrusive and well-integrated into the game experience.
- “I especially liked the little TV ads.”