Hoa

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,943 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • story
Hoa Game Cover
Hoa is an enchanting puzzle-platforming journey with a gorgeous art style.
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"Hoa is a single-player Fantasy Platformer game with an interesting plot, wonderful mechanics, and a very atmospheric environment. Experience a beautifully hand-painted world with magical creatures and explore to solve exploration-based puzzles, accompanied by an emotionally-charged original soundtrack. This gentle, yet compelling game tells a wholesome story of Hoa's journey through stunning environments."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,943 reviews
music649 positive mentions
grinding13 negative mentions
  • Stunning hand-painted art and beautiful soundtrack reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films.
  • Relaxing gameplay that is simple and accessible, making it suitable for casual gamers and children.
  • Charming atmosphere that evokes a sense of nostalgia and tranquility.
  • Very short gameplay, typically completed in under 3 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Lack of challenging puzzles and gameplay depth, leading to a repetitive experience.
  • Technical issues such as input lag and bugs, particularly in the final levels, detracting from the overall experience.
  • music1,041 mentions

    The music in "Hoa" is widely praised for its beauty and calming qualities, often compared to the enchanting soundtracks of Studio Ghibli films. Players appreciate the soothing piano melodies and orchestral arrangements that enhance the game's serene atmosphere, although some note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact and relaxing experience.

    • “Its beautiful art and soothing music make it a delightful experience.”
    • “The music is beautiful and emotional and the visuals are stunning.”
    • “Overall hoa is a very peaceful and serene game with absolutely stunning visuals and wonderful music.”
    • “The music is kinda repetitive, I got tired of it closer to the end of the game.”
    • “Short songs will replay in the same area several times, which causes you to hear the same songs often.”
    • “The only problem with this game is the transition of music, where it moves from one to another, was a bit abrupt and short.”
  • graphics536 mentions

    The graphics of "Hoa" are widely praised for their stunning beauty and strong resemblance to Studio Ghibli's art style, creating a dreamy and atmospheric experience. Players appreciate the hand-painted visuals and soothing soundtrack, which together enhance the game's relaxing vibe, although some note that the graphics can be demanding on lower-end systems. Overall, the game's aesthetic appeal is a significant highlight, making it a delightful choice for those who prioritize visual and auditory enjoyment over complex gameplay.

    • “Hoa is a beautiful game with nice music and stunning visuals where it felt as if I was playing a Studio Ghibli game.”
    • “The art style is amazing; it definitely gives off a Studio Ghibli atmosphere, and I loved seeing the story unfold.”
    • “Overall, Hoa is a very peaceful and serene game with absolutely stunning visuals and wonderful music.”
    • “As happy as I am that the game was made by Vietnamese indie developers, besides the pretty art style, the game has very little to offer.”
    • “The final mission requires you to replay a large portion of the game again, but with reversed controls and no environment artwork.”
    • “The sad part is, however, I won't deny that things might have seemed a little rushed near the ending chapters where you will start to see a tad bit of inconsistency in graphics.”
  • story494 mentions

    The story of the game is generally described as simple and heartwarming, often evoking emotional responses, particularly in its final moments. While the visuals and music receive high praise, many reviewers note that the narrative lacks depth and can feel repetitive or poorly executed, with some elements left unexplained or rushed. Overall, it offers a cozy experience that may appeal to those who appreciate aesthetic storytelling, despite its shortcomings in plot development.

    • “The story behind Hoa is so adorable and lowkey a tear jerker - not to mention the art is just pure joy.”
    • “The developers do a great job helping you understand the story and then throwing in that ending really ties it together in a way that I did not expect to get so emotional over.”
    • “Overall it's a beautiful, incredibly cozy little game, with a gorgeous soundtrack and backgrounds, and a touching story that had me tearing up a little.”
    • “The story is very basic, so do not expect much detail, although it was enjoyable.”
    • “The actual jumping is rough around the sides, the story is generic, and like two parts of the game were more frustrating than I thought they needed to be, but I don't feel like any of these compromise the game's quality.”
    • “My other big criticism of this game is the dialogue, which is incredibly poorly written, and that detracts from the story pretty much anywhere it pops up.”
  • gameplay461 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized as simple and relaxing, focusing on exploration and light puzzles, making it suitable for casual players and younger audiences. However, many reviewers noted that it lacks depth and challenge, with repetitive mechanics and a short playtime of around 2-4 hours, which may leave experienced gamers wanting more. While the art and music are praised, the gameplay is often described as unremarkable and not innovative, serving primarily to support the game's atmospheric experience rather than provide engaging challenges.

    • “The gameplay is simple and relaxing, focusing on exploration and light puzzles.”
    • “A delightful platformer with a wonderful story, fun and intuitive gameplay, stunning visuals, and beautifully moving music.”
    • “The gameplay is quite easy with nothing posing much of a challenge, which all the more allows you to enjoy the wonderful environments and lovely music.”
    • “I tried my best to enjoy it but there are just too many problems: boring gameplay, uncreative puzzles, weird platform positioning, character jittering while moving, no resolution options...”
    • “The gameplay leaves much to be desired, and so does the story.”
    • “Great artwork but boring gameplay, no matter what choices you make you will always progress, lots of uninteresting backtracking themes, and not challenging in the slightest.”
  • emotional98 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartwarming story, beautiful art, and soothing music, which together create a nostalgic and touching experience. Many players reported feeling deeply moved, with some even crying during the game's conclusion, highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions despite its short playtime. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in the story, the overall sentiment is that the game successfully delivers a cozy and comforting emotional journey.

    • “The developers do a great job helping you understand the story and then throwing in that ending really ties it together in a way that I did not expect to get so emotional over.”
    • “Overall it's a beautiful, incredibly cozy little game, with a gorgeous soundtrack and backgrounds, and a touching story that had me tearing up a little.”
    • “I got very emotional at the end, the music is amazing and so is the art!”
  • atmosphere87 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning Ghibli-inspired art style, calming music, and overall peacefulness, making it a delightful experience for players who enjoy low-stress exploration and simple puzzles. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a captivating and relaxing environment, despite its straightforward gameplay, with many describing it as a beautiful, atmospheric journey that feels like a work of art. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest aspect, providing a soothing backdrop that enhances the enjoyment of the experience.

    • “The atmosphere is undoubtedly the best part about this game, as it does a great job at making the otherwise relatively simple gameplay enjoyable.”
    • “Overall, even though the narrative falls a bit short, Hoa's stunning visuals, soundtrack, and atmosphere were enough for me to enjoy this from the very beginning to the very end.”
    • “If you want an atmospheric experience that is delightful on the senses but not overly challenging, this is the game for you.”
    • “This no-danger atmosphere might have worked if the levels were engaging enough to hold the player's attention, but although there are some minor gameplay changes between them, the format is generally the same (light up runes to wake the chief, bring the chief five butterflies, gain a new skill and move on to the next level).”
    • “Though the game tends to get boring in the latter stages, the relaxing atmosphere outweighs the slow pace.”
    • “The end took me by surprise as the atmosphere changed, but I wouldn't really put it against the game.”
  • replayability30 mentions

    The game's replayability is largely criticized, with many players noting its short length and linear story, resulting in minimal incentive to replay. While some find personal value in revisiting the game for skill improvement, the lack of hidden content or achievements to pursue diminishes overall replay value for most. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some claiming it is infinitely replayable while others assert it has none.

    • “Hoa has replayability for myself, because of being closer to my own skill level and being a gentle, learning environment.”
    • “🔲 infinitely replayable”
    • “It is pretty short but I would say there's replayability 10/10”
    • “Not really, as the game provides approximately 2 hours worth of gameplay with zero replay value.”
    • “[b]Replayability value:[/b] none, it is a linear story.”
    • “There isn't much replay value since there aren't any hidden secrets, extra whimsical characters, or dialogue to discover.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    The reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be excessively tedious, with players expressing frustration over repetitive mechanics and limitations in gameplay, such as the inability to run or skip dialogue. While the visuals and soundtrack are praised, the overall experience is marred by the mindless nature of the platforming and the need for precise actions, leading to a sense of chore rather than enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Cannot recommend: it's beautiful with a gorgeous music score - but the mechanics - needing to double-bounce in exactly the right spot - can get really *really* tedious.”
    • “Also some frustrating game design choices like: you can't run, you can't open the map while the character is moving/falling, you can't skip/speed up tedious text dialogue?”
  • optimization13 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users reporting significant stuttering during cutscenes, particularly in the final scene, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game runs smoothly in general, these performance issues, especially on the Steam Deck, suggest that further optimization is needed to enhance player satisfaction. Additionally, there are complaints about the lack of an easy way to replay favorite chapters, which could impact the overall enjoyment.

    • “With some of the optimization to the final scene, the game surely will leave a well enough satisfaction to me.”
    • “Otherwise the game runs smoothly.”
    • “Music and sound are masterclasses of performance and design, leaving you in awe of the performance and the detail along the way.”
    • “A lot of stuttering moments, especially on the ending cutscene (Proton might be the culprit though).”
    • “On Steam Deck, cutscenes stutter with 1-second gaps.”
    • “No easy way to replay favorite chapters; odd stuttering when loading cutscenes or new areas.”
  • stability12 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, particularly on macOS, with numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including freezing frames and start-crash problems. Players report being unable to progress past the tutorial due to persistent technical issues, leading to a frustrating experience overall. Despite its appealing graphics, the game's instability detracts heavily from its enjoyment.

    • “The game is buggy (at least on macOS), and I couldn't get past the tutorial (the yellow flowers stay on the ground so I'm stuck).”
    • “It is a very short game; I clocked in around 3 hours, and at least half an hour was troubleshooting some start-crash bugs I had.”
    • “This game gives me some negative experiences: bugs and glitches in chapter 8 make the frame freeze, some technical issues with the Unity engine itself.”
  • character development2 mentions

    While the visuals and character designs received praise for their aesthetic appeal, there is no specific mention of character development in the provided texts, indicating a potential lack of depth in this aspect.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

Buy Hoa

Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
2-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

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