HOLEHOLE

  • June 1, 2023
91%
Game Brain Score Based on 56 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
HOLEHOLE Game Cover
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"HOLEHOLE" is an adventure game where players collect objects, help residents, and explore a dungeon with no set purpose. Progress is made through visual novel-style storytelling and interactions, with freedom to play as desired. To achieve the true ending, players must increase their status by eating, win a single battle, and give items to three people.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 56 reviews
emotional6 positive mentions
story6 negative mentions
  • Visually appealing character designs and a charming aesthetic that attracts players.
  • The game offers a unique and bittersweet narrative experience that can evoke emotional responses.
  • Despite its simplicity, it provides a relaxing and quirky gameplay loop that some players find enjoyable.
  • Gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, primarily consisting of fetch quests and minimal challenge.
  • The story and characters are underdeveloped, leading to a shallow narrative experience.
  • The overall execution feels rushed and unpolished, making it feel more like an art project than a fully realized game.
  • story26 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being shallow, poorly written, and lacking depth, with many players finding it tedious and uninspired. While some appreciate the emotional undertones and touching moments within the narrative, particularly in the visual novel "Holehole," the overall consensus is that the storytelling is simplistic and often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay mechanics. Despite some redeeming qualities, the narrative fails to engage players meaningfully, leaving a sense of disappointment in its execution.

    • “Holehole is a visual novel game; it is a very good game and the story is very sweet and heartwarming when you start to realize what the story is about. Make sure you go in the hole.”
    • “I got a smile out of the experience and the story was touching.”
    • “Rather than be grim, it takes the ideas of delving into things (be it projects, friendship, romance, and grief) by allowing the player to interact with NPCs and face a story which is core to the game's setting itself.”
    • “The story is poorly written and lacks any meaningful depth or intrigue.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious, the story is nonexistent, and the overall experience is just plain boring.”
    • “There is one very small map to explore that gets periodically rehashed the entire time, broken up with fragments of poorly translated dialogue and another small chapter of the overriding 'story' when the map has been traversed each time.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by repetitive and tedious mechanics, primarily involving fetch quests and exploration of bland environments, which leads to a frustrating experience for players. Many reviews highlight the lack of meaningful progression and a shallow narrative, making the overall gameplay feel monotonous and unengaging. While some players may find enjoyment in its simplicity, the general consensus is that the game fails to offer a fulfilling gaming experience.

    • “If you're okay with a fairly short story with simple and repetitive mechanics, you might enjoy it.”
    • “Instead, the gameplay revolves around interactions and exploration of this small hub, finding things to devour, and speaking to the residents.”
    • “Gameplay itself is almost non-existent, consisting of just exploring the same hub each day, a few jumping puzzles to reach some pieces of food, and one dungeon fight with a monster that only acts as a check to see if you have consumed enough food by that point in the game to pass by it.”
    • “While the initial impression might be one of colorful charm, the game quickly reveals itself to be a tedious and frustrating exercise in fetch quests and monotonous gameplay.”
    • “The core gameplay loop revolves around completing an endless series of fetch quests, requiring players to run back and forth across bland environments, collecting items and delivering them to equally bland NPCs.”
    • “Holehole is a frustrating experience due to its repetitive gameplay, shallow narrative, and lack of meaningful progression.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics of "holehole" are characterized by a vibrant and cute aesthetic, featuring colorful, furry character designs and a unique art style that blends 2D flat sprites with a simplistic 3D world. While the visuals initially impress, some reviewers note that the lack of depth and complexity in the graphics ultimately detracts from the overall experience, giving it a more indie feel. Despite this, the art style successfully conveys a range of emotions and maintains a charming appeal throughout the game.

    • “Giving off a made-by-a-single-person vibe, holehole uses RPG Developer Bakin’s engine to showcase a vivid aesthetic that is complemented by Lu’s own unique art style of 2D flat sprites inhabiting a simplistic 3D world.”
    • “These stories travel through all kinds of emotions, from happy familial charm to lonely endeavors to melancholy nostalgia, and they push into some fairly dark corners at times, yet never lose a sense of cuteness complemented by the art style.”
    • “[Kawaii/Casual] Casual, short, calm, and relaxed game with unique cute furry anime artwork.”
    • “The visuals are cute, but that's about all this game has going for it.”
    • “Giving off a made-by-a-single-person vibe, Holehole uses RPG Developer Bakin’s engine to showcase a vivid aesthetic that is complemented by Lu’s own unique art style of 2D flat sprites inhabiting a simplistic 3D world.”
    • “This art style extends to other works by the developer, but Holehole has a bit more meat on the bones, with some nuances and secrets not present in those other games.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be unexpectedly profound, with many expressing that it offers a heartwarming and touching experience that surpasses initial expectations of humor. The narrative evokes genuine feelings, often leading to moments of reflection and even tears, highlighting the game's potential for creating impactful stories despite some rough edges. Overall, it is described as a wholesome journey that leaves a lasting emotional impression.

    • “It is just a wholesome experience. I was expecting a funny game about cute animal girls in a dungeon, but in the end, I almost cried. Worth the little it cost 100%.”
    • “Holehole is a visual novel game; it has a very good story that is sweet and heartwarming. When you start to realize what the story is about, make sure you go in the hole.”
    • “I got a smile out of the experience, and the story was touching.”
  • character development4 mentions

    While holehole features visually appealing and memorable character designs, reviewers note that the initial charm is undermined by a lack of depth in character development, making the characters feel less engaging over time.

    • “Character designs are very nice and memorable.”
    • “While Holehole boasts a visually appealing aesthetic with its colorful, furry character designs, this initial charm quickly fades as the lack of depth becomes apparent.”
    • “I have to give the creator credit for actually using character designs and models for some dialogue.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, characterized by repetitive fetch quests and monotonous gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Many describe it as boring, with a lack of engaging story elements to motivate continued play.

    • “While the initial impression might be one of colorful charm, the game quickly reveals itself to be a tedious and frustrating exercise in fetch quests and monotonous gameplay.”
    • “Repetitive and tedious gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious, the story is nonexistent, and the overall experience is just plain boring.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as wholesome, with players finding it unexpectedly emotional rather than purely comedic. While it features cute animal girls in a dungeon setting, the experience transcends typical humor, leaving players touched and satisfied.

    • “It is just a wholesome experience. I was expecting a funny game about cute animal girls in a dungeon, but in the end, I almost cried. Worth the little it cost 100%.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music in the game is characterized as mellow and lo-fi, serving as a redeeming quality amidst otherwise lackluster elements. While it may appeal to some players, it seems to be a minor highlight in the overall experience.

    • “The mellow, lo-fi music is a standout feature that adds a unique charm to the experience.”
    • “The images on the store page will likely be its biggest draw, but they (if they are indeed your thing) and the mellow, lo-fi music are the only elements of this 'game' I found to be even slightly redeeming.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers moderate replayability, particularly for players seeking to uncover the hidden "real" ending, and multiple playthroughs are generally enjoyable rather than tedious.

    • “The game offers multiple paths and endings, making each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With various choices and character builds, I find myself coming back to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
    • “There’s some replay value if you don’t find the secretive 'real' ending on your first playthrough, but even playing through it two or three times doesn’t seem like a chore.”
    • “After completing the game once, I felt no urge to go back and experience it again; the story just doesn't change enough.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel redundant and uninspired.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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