HOLEHOLE

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

gameplay8 negative mentions

The game features visually appealing character designs and a charming aesthetic that initially draws players in.
Despite its simplicity, the game offers a touching and bittersweet narrative that resonates emotionally with players.
It's a short and inexpensive experience that can provide a relaxing and whimsical escape for those willing to embrace its quirks.

The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, primarily revolving around monotonous fetch quests and minimal challenge.
The story and characters are underdeveloped, leading to a shallow narrative experience that fails to engage players fully.
Controls can be clunky and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment and immersion in the game.

story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's story is largely criticized for being shallow, poorly written, and lacking depth, with many players finding it tedious and uninspired. However, some reviews highlight a more positive experience with a touching narrative that unfolds through a unique gameplay loop, despite its simplicity and repetitive mechanics. Overall, the story's effectiveness seems to vary significantly among players, with some appreciating its emotional resonance while others find it lacking.
- “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'm pretty sure my friend gifted me this as a joke, so I started it kind of jokingly too, but was pleasantly surprised by its story.”
- “This game takes an hour to complete and features a touching story.”
- “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.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
39%
44%
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 consensus suggests that those seeking a more fulfilling gaming experience should look elsewhere.
- “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.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The graphics of "holehole" are characterized by a vibrant and cute aesthetic, featuring colorful, furry character designs and a unique blend of 2D and simplistic 3D elements. While the visuals initially impress with their charm, some players feel that the lack of depth and complexity diminishes their overall impact. The art style, reminiscent of a single-person project, is praised for its emotional storytelling but may not meet the expectations of those seeking high-end graphics.
- “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.”
- “Venturing into this game, I found a confusing blend of 2D and 3D that's harder to digest than a husky eating spicy tacos.”
- “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.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players are pleasantly surprised by the emotional depth of the game, which transcends its initial lighthearted premise. The story is described as sweet and heartwarming, evoking genuine feelings and even tears, making it a memorable experience despite some rough edges. Overall, the game is praised for its touching narrative and potential for future emotional storytelling.
- “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 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.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
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.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally 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 reviewers express disappointment in the lack of engaging content, leading to a sense of boredom.
- “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.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is described as wholesome, with players initially expecting a lighthearted experience featuring cute animal girls in a dungeon, but instead finding themselves emotionally moved, highlighting the game's unexpected depth and value.
- “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%.”
- “The humor in this game is cleverly woven into the storyline, making every interaction a delightful surprise.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the quirky dialogue and hilarious situations the characters found themselves in.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The music in the game is characterized as mellow and lo-fi, which some players find to be a redeeming quality amidst other less favorable aspects. However, it appears that the music alone may not be enough to elevate the overall experience for all users.
- “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.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
The game offers moderate replayability, particularly for players who wish to uncover the hidden "real" ending, and multiple playthroughs are generally enjoyable rather than tedious.
- “The game offers multiple paths and choices, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.”
- “With various character builds and story outcomes, I find myself coming back to explore different strategies and endings.”
- “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 found little incentive to go back. The choices felt limited, and the outcomes were predictable.”
- “While the game offers multiple endings, the journey to reach them feels repetitive and lacks the depth needed to keep me engaged for a second playthrough.”