"Hauntii" is a single-player kids' quiz game following the brave ghost Hauntii on a quest to uncover the mysteries of the Eternians, glowing creatures guiding lost souls to a central tower. Gameplay includes possessing inhabitants and environment to solve combat and puzzle challenges, with unique hand-crafted art and a dynamic soundtrack providing a captivating audiovisual experience. Use your haunting powers to unravel the secrets of Eternity and determine your fate.
Reviews
- Hauntii features stunning visuals and a beautiful soundtrack that create an immersive and emotional experience.
- The gameplay combines exploration, puzzle-solving, and twin-stick shooting mechanics, offering a charming and engaging adventure.
- The game tells a heartfelt story about memory and letting go, with well-designed characters and environments that enhance the overall atmosphere.
- Some gameplay mechanics can feel clunky or counter-intuitive, particularly with camera angles and depth perception issues.
- The abundance of collectibles can lead to a sense of emptiness, as many are not necessary for story progression, which may frustrate completionists.
- The pacing can become tedious in the later stages of the game, with certain areas feeling less engaging and more like a slog.
- music93 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is universally praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting its seamless integration with the gameplay and visuals. The soundtrack is described as mesmerizing, dynamic, and capable of evoking strong emotions, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the combination of stunning art and an exceptional score creates a captivating atmosphere that players find enchanting and memorable.
“The music is immaculate!”
“The soundtrack is one of the most beautiful I've heard in years, to boot.”
“The art style accompanied with a beautiful soundtrack is a must-have experience.”
“Would like to recommend as the game has strong music and visuals, but too many other issues that led to a poor quality of my playthrough of the game.”
“The art and music deserve the highest praises, but I wish there was more to gameplay.”
“The music alone has destroyed me.”
- graphics82 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, often described as beautiful, charming, and hauntingly atmospheric. Players appreciate the hand-drawn visuals, which create a cozy yet striking experience, complemented by an enchanting soundtrack that enhances the overall aesthetic. However, some users note that the high-contrast visuals can occasionally make navigation challenging.
“The visuals in this game are like no other and it has perfected every aspect of what makes a game great.”
“The art style is so visually striking!”
“The graphics are beautiful but ultimately become a bit of a stumbling block by making navigation tricky as everything ultimately blends together.”
“The high contrast black and white visuals and automatically changing perspectives make the game disorienting at times as you cannot make out where you are or where enemies are.”
“Sometimes the high contrast aesthetic made it very difficult to determine the edge of a platform.”
“But both graphics and gameplay are serviceable to carry you through a surprisingly emotional but very minimalist story with an absolutely beautiful soundtrack in the background.”
- gameplay81 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally simple and accessible, featuring a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and light combat, with a standout possession mechanic that allows for creative interactions with the environment. While the art style and music are praised, some players find the mechanics clunky and the difficulty uneven, particularly in later stages, leading to moments of frustration. Overall, the game offers a charming experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking deep or challenging gameplay.
“The gameplay is really fun and light-hearted.”
“The haunting mechanic is very fun to interact with, and the methods of obtaining stars are somewhat repetitive in concept but each usually has some fun twist that makes it enjoyable to collect nonetheless.”
“The actual gameplay is pretty relaxed, a nice gentle mix of puzzle-solving, exploration, and twin-stick shooting that works well together and lets you enjoy the atmosphere.”
“But if you're looking for slick combat and a gameplay-heavy playthrough, this game might not be the best for you.”
“Some of the core mechanics were indeed clunky and somewhat counter-intuitive.”
“For the most part, the gameplay is very simple, and some of the parts that are supposed to be more difficult end up feeling frustrating rather than difficult because of gameplay jankiness and camera angles making it hard to see depth.”
- story76 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as simple yet heartfelt, often evoking strong emotions through its visual storytelling and music. While some players appreciate the charming art style and the emotional core of the narrative, others feel that the story lacks depth and clarity, particularly regarding certain plot points and character motivations. Overall, the presentation and atmosphere are praised, making it a compelling experience despite its narrative shortcomings.
“The art, music, and story of this game come together in an unforgettable way, so I definitely recommend this game to people.”
“The storyline is also pretty well written; I really love the way the main character's past is narrated and its journey throughout everything till the very end. Though it's simple, it's super heartfelt.”
“The gorgeous art style and heart-tugging story are definitely the most striking aspects here.”
“Besides the story itself, being one of the most important elements of this game, it doesn't have much impact and leaves much to be desired.”
“My main problem is still just the story; it starts strong and hooks you with several overarching mysteries, and then does not provide answers (or even theory material) to any of them.”
“In the end, it felt like the story ended before it was even halfway realized, but the game is still enjoyable from start to finish.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its poetic storytelling and heartfelt character journeys, evoking strong feelings that can lead players to tears. The minimalist design complements a touching narrative, enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack that deepens the emotional experience. Overall, players find it to be a magical and satisfying journey that resonates on a profound level, despite some gameplay and graphical limitations.
“It's a great way to use game design to juxtapose what all of the characters must feel emotionally in their new/current state of being after they're told what the afterlife supposedly is.”
“The storyline is also pretty well written; I really love the way the main character's past is narrated and its journey throughout everything till the very end. Though it's simple, it's super heartfelt.”
“Prepare to chuckle, gasp out loud, and shed a tear as you wander through eternity with your little ghost.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating visuals and stunning soundtrack, which together create a delightful and immersive experience. Players appreciate the blend of beauty and melancholy, allowing for moments of exploration and reflection, while the charming dialogue and engaging storytelling further enhance the overall ambiance. The combination of these elements makes the atmosphere a standout feature, inviting players to lose themselves in the game's world.
“Sometimes I even caught myself just wandering around to let my mind drift and enjoy the soundtrack and atmosphere.”
“The visuals are captivating, the music is stunning, the controls are tight, the storytelling is rapt, the atmosphere is marvelous, and the dialogue is charming.”
“It's got lots of fun little surprises and a sense of humor, but also an atmosphere of melancholy.”
“The visuals are not just beautiful, but they also contribute to the overall atmosphere of the game, enhancing the haunting theme that runs throughout.”
“I personally wouldn't listen to it on its own or anything, but it absolutely works with the game's atmosphere.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's stability has improved since its initial release, with developers addressing many bugs through recent patches. However, some players still report occasional glitches and flashing lights, particularly in late-game scenes, which may affect those sensitive to such issues. Overall, performance is solid, especially on the Steam Deck.
“No performance issues; it runs great on the Steam Deck.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
“I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
“Some scenes do include flashing lights and difficult-to-see glitches, so definitely beware of this if you are sensitive to that; late game is where it's most prominent.”
“It was really buggy on release, but the devs have taken feedback and patched out most of the serious issues just recently, so I flipped my review.”
“Can be a bit buggy, but they have been ironing that out and hopefully it will continue to get better.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly during late-game stages where collecting items to progress can feel overly strict and repetitive. While the game has enjoyable elements, the overall experience suffers from a lack of balance in progress requirements, leading to a less engaging gameplay flow.
“Now that I'm done, I can easily say that I'm fond of the game, even though I have to admit that at times it was a touch tedious; less strict progress requirements would likely help a fair amount with this.”
“While the game has its charm and some very entertaining mini-games, the overall gameplay and story do not come together well, making the late game feel tedious while collecting all the stars to progress.”
“The downsides - the ending gets quite tedious.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, with no reported performance issues, and it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, enhancing the overall experience.
“No performance issues; it runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game lacks significant replayability, which is often typical for story-driven titles.
“I don’t think it has much replay value, but that’s common with this sort of story-based game.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the character designs and storyboard are praised, there are concerns regarding specific gameplay elements, such as the bell-ringing mechanic, which may detract from the overall character development experience.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
“While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of meaningful growth throughout the story left me feeling unsatisfied.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its charming art direction and music, complemented by mysterious and amusing characters and world design.
“The music and the art direction are charming and lovely; the characters and the world are mysterious and funny.”