Hob Game Cover
Hob is an action adventure with a stunning visual style, engrossing world and enjoyable combat. It is a standard bearer for what the genre can achieve at this level.

"Hob" is a single-player, open world fantasy game with a great story, marvelous mechanics, phenomenal graphics, and a wonderful soundtrack. Traverse and transform the mysterious world of Hob, uncovering the planet's mysteries and repairing it through puzzles and upgrades to your mechanical glove-arm. With an unique atmosphere, wholesome story, and a few bugs, Hob offers an immersive and unforgettable experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,219 reviews
story187 positive mentions
stability94 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a unique art style that captivates players.
  • Exploration and puzzle-solving are rewarding, with a dynamic world that changes as you progress.
  • The lack of dialogue allows for a more immersive experience, encouraging players to piece together the story themselves.
  • The fixed camera angles can lead to frustrating platforming and navigation issues.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and soft locks.
  • The combat system is simplistic and lacks variety, making encounters feel repetitive.
  • story713 mentions

    The game's story is conveyed entirely through environmental storytelling and visual cues, with no dialogue or text, which some players find intriguing while others feel it lacks depth and clarity. While the narrative is simple and open to interpretation, it effectively engages players through exploration and discovery, allowing them to piece together the plot as they progress. However, the ambiguity and minimal guidance can lead to confusion, leaving some players wanting a more structured narrative experience.

    • “The story is told without a single word, which is both a strength and a weakness.”
    • “It's beautiful how they managed to convey a story this way, and it works.”
    • “The game tells an amazing story with great world-building and not a single word needed to be spoken.”
    • “The story is told without any dialogue whatsoever.”
    • “Without any kind of story or comprehensible level design, I felt like I was in a skinner box where I was pushing whatever buttons someone had put in front of me.”
    • “If storytelling weighs heavily on your purchase decision, maybe give this one a skip.”
  • graphics607 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art style, vibrant colors, and immersive world design, which many players find reminiscent of classic titles like "Zelda." The visuals are described as beautiful and charming, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game, despite some reports of technical issues such as frame drops and graphical glitches. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a standout feature, enhancing the exploration and puzzle-solving experience.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the combat is engaging and fun, and the level designs are unique.”
    • “The art style is breathtaking, watching the world change is fantastic, and the backtracking feels well done.”
    • “The visuals are absolutely stunning, and the world changes all the time.”
    • “The game is very un-optimized without any settings to lower the graphic settings etc to at least reduce the lag.”
    • “For an older game, it didn't run very smoothly, even on the lowest graphic settings.”
    • “Game is a perfect example of why you can't always trust recommendations and good reviews; about the only good aspect of the game is the least important part, the visuals. Gameplay and polished controls were not taken into account for the creation of this game.”
  • gameplay536 mentions

    The gameplay of "Hob" is characterized by a blend of exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving, reminiscent of classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda." While many players appreciate the beautiful art style and engaging mechanics, there are notable criticisms regarding the lack of tutorials, occasional bugs, and some frustrating combat and traversal mechanics. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience for those who enjoy environmental puzzles and a visually rich world, despite its technical shortcomings.

    • “The gameplay consists mainly of solving environmental puzzles, fighting enemies, platforming, and exploring.”
    • “The gameplay is centered around exploration and observational puzzles.”
    • “The challenging yet simplistic gameplay and stunning level design really made this game a wonderful experience.”
    • “Mob designs are fine but the game doesn't teach you crucial mechanics to beat some of them, which I found searching online only.”
    • “The gameplay isn't engaging, the camera is terrible and frankly it's not fun.”
    • “It's repetitive, stale due to the lack of enemies, it has unfair puzzles, some not so great camera angles mixed into its platforming, and some gameplay/graphical bugs.”
  • music271 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric, soothing, and complementary to the visuals, enhancing the immersive experience of the alien world. While many players appreciate the ambient soundscapes and the quality of the soundtrack, some note that the music can be sparse or unnoticeable at times, leading to a lack of engagement during gameplay. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics and a fitting soundtrack contributes to a memorable and relaxing gaming experience, though some players feel it could be more pronounced or impactful.

    • “The music is soothing, haunting, and melancholy all at once.”
    • “The music is ambient and soothing for the most part and adds to the beautiful and fantastic atmosphere of an alien world.”
    • “The music, visuals, and sequencing are just so spellbinding I can't get enough.”
    • “Most of the time I spent in the game, I hear no such music; it's mostly animal sounds chirping in the forest.”
    • “There is virtually no story or soundtrack to speak of, either - the game employs no ambient music and has no dialogue, which altogether leaves players with little to emotionally connect with in the game.”
    • “The music is unnoticeable, not intriguing nor engaging.”
  • atmosphere143 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, characterized by stunning visuals, ambient sound design, and a captivating world that encourages exploration. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and sound effects, which enhance the overall experience, creating a serene and enchanting environment. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the game's atmospheric elements are consistently regarded as its strongest feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric adventures.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly unique.”
    • “The music is ambient and soothing for the most part and adds to the beautiful and fantastic atmosphere of an alien world.”
    • “Hob is a game that practically bleeds atmosphere; it's one of those games that, even though it has many elements that are common in puzzle platformers, it's done in a unique way.”
    • “So, even though I fell in love with its stunning looks and mysterious, fairy-tale atmosphere at first, it really grew stale after a while and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it, because I learned that that would mean hours and hours of more backtracking and revisiting places I had been to a dozen times before again.”
    • “Music is also weak in this game; I feel it doesn't fit with the atmosphere at all. Mute music doesn't change any feeling in the game.”
    • “The back story and characters don't really have a lot of emotional depth; however, it's really the place with all its charm which provides the depth atmosphere.”
  • stability98 mentions

    The game is plagued by a significant number of bugs and glitches, ranging from minor visual issues to major gameplay-affecting problems, such as getting stuck in the environment or experiencing camera malfunctions. While some players found the gameplay enjoyable enough to overlook these issues, many reported that the frequent technical problems detracted from their overall experience, leading to frustration and a lack of trust in the game's mechanics. Despite the presence of a respawn feature to mitigate some of the glitches, the game's stability remains a major concern for potential players.

    • “It's a very enjoyable game; it runs great on Deck. Pick it up during the next sale.”
    • “Amazing indie game; runs great on Rog Ally.”
    • “It's fairly bug-free, but I did get stuck in the terrain a few times.”
    • “I dealt with a lot of late game bugs/glitches where my character got stuck while platforming or fell through the world.”
    • “The nail in the coffin for Hob was the high number of bugs and glitches that I experienced as I played it.”
    • “The game is buggy and crashed on me a few times.”
  • optimization82 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent frame rate drops, stuttering, and performance issues across various hardware setups. While some users experienced decent performance, especially on lower settings, the lack of effective graphical options and persistent bugs detracted from the overall experience. Many reviewers expressed disappointment, noting that better optimization could have elevated the game significantly.

    • “The world design, seamless levels, absolutely gigantic areas, the art style, subtle but exact to the point music, beautiful animations, progression system, performance... I can go on forever.”
    • “When they fix the performance issues and bugs it will be a very nice game, but even in its current state, very recommended.”
    • “I've had a great deal of fun with the game so far and hope that sooner rather than later the performance issues will be ironed out.”
    • “The game is very unoptimized without any settings to lower the graphic settings, etc., to at least reduce the lag.”
    • “The engine, the same they always used, is also not handling the game very well. I've had performance issues, from inconsistent frames to horrid performance in parts for a game that is far too visually simple for this to be reasonable.”
    • “The one thing I hate about this game is how bad the optimization is.”
  • replayability32 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed among players. While some appreciate the challenge of achievements and collectibles that encourage multiple playthroughs, many feel that the game lacks significant replay value, often describing it as a "one and done" experience. Players who enjoyed the initial playthrough may not feel compelled to return, as the game offers limited variety beyond completing achievements or exploring different difficulties.

    • “It's got a lot of replay value with the achievements.”
    • “Other than that, this is an amazing game with a very high replay value.”
    • “Lots of replay value and has hard mode and a speed run achievement.”
    • “I feel satisfied for ending it, but if you are one for replayability, then this may not be your cup of tea.”
    • “This game is more for the puzzles and the visuals than anything else and has near zero replayability.”
    • “We're talking about a game that doesn't offer very much in replayability; you can find all the collectibles or replay the game on a harder difficulty, but there's no variety to it in that sense.”
  • grinding26 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often requiring excessive precision and backtracking that detracts from the enjoyment. While some appreciate the engaging puzzles and satisfying mechanics, many feel that the combat becomes monotonous, especially against spongy enemies that prolong encounters without meaningful rewards. The combination of slow traversal and fixed camera angles further contributes to a sense of frustration, making the grinding experience feel more like a chore than a fun challenge.

    • “Hob is a very engaging game; I love the puzzles which are not too easy, not too tedious.”
    • “The combat is punchy and feels good, and the puzzles are not too difficult but aren't tedious, which is a great thing.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “On hard mode, it could become a bit tedious since later enemies are quite spongy - and it isn't very interesting to repeat the same 'recipe' over and over to down a single enemy.”
    • “Unfortunately, the tedious backtracking choked out all the fun for me in the end.”
  • emotional19 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the touching storytelling conveyed through environmental design and minimalist art, others feel a lack of depth due to the absence of dialogue and a traditional narrative. Many find joy in simple interactions, like petting animals, which enhance their investment in the world, while others critique the game for not providing a clear emotional connection or purpose. Overall, the game evokes a range of feelings, from happiness and engagement to a desire for deeper emotional stakes.

    • “Amazed by how such a touching story can be told without a single word.”
    • “I've hugged, patted, nuzzled and belly-rubbed my way through this amazing world and it made me feel so much more invested in it than I might have been otherwise.”
    • “To be sure, the wordless approach allows for touching moments, as when your golem buddy releases a butterfly while our hero looks on in admiration.”
  • character development15 mentions

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its stunning visuals and unique character designs, which contribute significantly to the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the depth and personality conveyed through character animations and interactions, enhancing the emotional connection to the characters. The art direction and aesthetic choices are noted as key elements that bring the characters and their world to life, making players eager for potential continuations of the story.

    • “Right away I want to say I adore the visuals of this game - the environments, the character designs (and their animations! All the subtle detail in reactions and emotions breathe life into the characters, which I really appreciate).”
    • “I don't expect too much from this story, but because I like the character designs so much, I would love to see a continuation.”
    • “Character design and animation is also top-notch and full of personality.”
    • “The character designs are all unique and help add to the feeling of this place being a real live world.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it entertaining and funny, often highlighting amusing moments like glitches and quirky design choices. However, some critiques mention that while the humor can enhance the experience, it doesn't compensate for issues like poor controls and repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor that adds to its charm, making it a fun investment for players.

    • “Anyway, a very funny and entertaining game and definitely not a bad investment.”
    • “A bug or a glitch is unintentional, and they can even be funny, like the invisible guy.”
    • “It was kind of funny though so I wouldn't really want that one to be patched out, it also fades away once you're gone from the area where the enemy is in.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The game's monetization approach is praised for being refreshing, as it avoids the common pitfalls of microtransactions and loot boxes often found in $60 titles. Instead, it focuses on delivering a narrative experience without additional financial burdens on players.

    • “This game is a breath of fresh air in a time when $60 games are filled with microtransactions, loot boxes, and other ways to drain money from players.”
    • “There are narrative elements the development team thought were important to convey when advertising the product, but not in the product itself.”
    • “This game is a breath of fresh air in a time where $60 games are filled with microtransactions, loot boxes, and other ways to drain money from players.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
10hMain story
16hCompletionist
5-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 33 analyzed playthroughs

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