Hollowed

About

Hollowed is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Project Polish Productions and was released on November 2, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

Hollowed tells the story of a woman who will do anything to bring her perished loved one back to the world of the living. Control Halia and her spirit Oco simultaneously on a single controller in this side-scrolling puzzle platformer.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 91 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Hollowed features stunning graphics and a beautiful soundtrack that enhance its atmospheric experience.
The gameplay mechanics are innovative, allowing players to control two characters with unique abilities to solve puzzles, creating a rewarding challenge.
As a free game, Hollowed offers a surprisingly polished experience with a compelling story that unfolds through gameplay rather than dialogue.

The game requires a controller to play, with no support for keyboard and mouse, which can be frustrating for PC gamers.
Some players experienced bugs and glitches that affected gameplay, including issues with controls and timing puzzles that could lead to frustration.
The level design can be inconsistent, with certain puzzles requiring precise timing and execution that may feel unfair or overly challenging.

gameplay
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The gameplay of Hollowed is characterized by innovative mechanics that involve controlling two characters simultaneously, which can be both engaging and occasionally clunky. While the puzzles and traversal elements are generally enjoyable and well-designed, some players noted issues with clarity in mechanics and occasional bugs. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning and atmospheric experience, making it a worthwhile endeavor despite its imperfections.
- “The art is stunning, the lore is deep, and the gameplay is innovative and fun.”
- “This game was beautifully atmospheric, the puzzles were enjoyable, and the gameplay was solid.”
- “In terms of gameplay, the puzzles were well thought out and had enough variance to keep the player thinking through the entire experience.”
- “Looks horrible, gameplay is plain and in just 10 minutes I encountered a game-breaking bug.”
- “Thirdly, and most importantly, the game doesn't explain mechanics effectively (what each power can/can't do) and yet it's very clear when the developers want you to use one or the other power.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's a confusing controller system where you have to simultaneously control your character, Hollow, with the left thumbstick and her floating soul, Oco, with the right thumbstick.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
8%
The game's story is described as basic yet artistically conveyed through visuals and gameplay rather than dialogue, allowing for a more interpretive experience. While some players found the narrative murky and lacking initial clarity, others appreciated its depth and emotional resonance, particularly in relation to themes like the five stages of grief. Overall, the story is seen as a subtle and engaging element that enhances the gameplay, making it a worthwhile experience despite its simplicity.
- “This is a simple and beautiful game with a nice deeper story.”
- “The story is told through the environment and unfolds more and more as you progress, just like in the aforementioned games.”
- “The story is very basic and you get it all just by reading the Steam store game description.”
- “I didn't feel connected to the story because I didn't understand what the goal was from the get-go.”
- “The story is not terribly original, but it is well told through subtle imagery and hints hidden in each of the many secret areas throughout the game.”
music
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
26%
11%
The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its emotional depth, relaxing qualities, and how well it complements the visuals. While some found it annoying or felt it detracted from the experience, the overall consensus highlights the soundtrack as a standout feature that enhances the game's atmosphere and charm. Many reviews specifically mention the beautiful piano compositions and fitting soundtracks that contribute to the game's appeal.
- “The story is practically murky until the end, with beautiful visuals and a wonderful piano soundtrack.”
- “Dim colors and a moderate amount of polygons together with soothing piano music and subdued sound effects generate an atmosphere akin to a hushed dream.”
- “The atmosphere and the music in this game are an amazing combination.”
- “The music is so annoying.”
- “Decent graphics and music.”
- “Both the music and the graphics are pretty, with the latter looking a bit low-tech, like something you would find in older console platformers, which only adds to the overall charm.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
12%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique art style and beautiful visuals that enhance the overall aesthetic experience. However, some users noted limitations such as a lack of support for resolutions beyond 1080p and a low-poly look that can feel outdated. Overall, the game's charming visuals and engaging art direction contribute positively to the gameplay, despite some technical shortcomings.
- “The art style is incredible and beautiful.”
- “A fun little platformer with great visuals and a peaceful soundtrack to go along with it.”
- “The game is fun for a while, it throws some mechanics at you that are interesting, the puzzles are intriguing, the overall aesthetic is beautiful.”
- “Despite the 2017 release date, there's no support for resolutions beyond 1080p, and the low poly graphics look lackluster.”
- “Both the music and the graphics are pretty, with the latter looking a bit low-tech, like something you would find in older console platformers, which only adds to the overall charm.”
- “Decent graphics and music.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dreamlike quality, combining beautiful visuals, soothing music, and a sense of mystery that captivates players. Many reviewers note the effective use of imagery and sound to convey emotion and storytelling without relying on dialogue, creating an immersive experience that lingers long after playing. Overall, the atmosphere is described as enchanting and thoughtfully crafted, enhancing the gameplay and puzzle-solving elements.
- “This game was beautifully atmospheric, the puzzles were enjoyable, and the gameplay was solid.”
- “It's similarly set in a beautifully crafted world filled with an incredible dreamlike atmosphere of mystery and grandeur that lingers in your mind for years to come.”
- “Dim colors and a moderate amount of polygons, together with soothing piano music and subdued sound effects, generate an atmosphere akin to a hushed dream.”
- “The atmosphere and the music in this game are an amazing combination.”
- “Hollowed has a mysterious atmosphere about it, which benefits from the graphic style, audio, and gameplay mechanics.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to various performance problems that can affect gameplay, such as high GPU usage and rendering errors in fullscreen mode. While these issues do not completely ruin the experience, they detract from the overall enjoyment and need to be addressed.
- “Unfortunately, the game is not well optimized, and I encountered a few problems here and there, but none of them really broke the game.”
- “It's also badly optimized, so be careful with that. I run every single game on the market perfectly without trouble, but this one is making my GPU go nuts.”
- “Really, the main thing is that the optimization of the game should be fixed.”
- “I would like to have seen some better optimization; turning on fullscreen broke the rendering on my system before ever entering the actual gameplay.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is marked by a range of minor glitches and frustrating mechanics, particularly with collision detection and platforming, which can detract from the overall experience. While players report some clunky elements and a few harmless bugs, none are game-breaking, allowing for an enjoyable experience despite the occasional annoyance. Overall, the game is playable but could benefit from improved stability and polish.
- “Now, the bad: a controller is the only way to play but the PS4 controller is not recognized, there are tons of glitches regarding collisions (ranging from getting stuck until you jump to having your orb fall below the level), the platforming is mildly frustrating, a certain secret area is incredibly frustrating, the game can be completed 100% in less than one hour, and worst of all most 'puzzles' have a single possible solution.”
- “I would just find myself cursing under my breath throughout the entire game: every time Halia failed to pick up the Oco, or the Oco got stuck on scenery, or Halia suddenly drifted off the platform, or the Oco got stuck behind Halia, or any other of the many maddening glitches that just kept interfering with what is otherwise a great time.”
- “It's not perfect, I must say - there were some buggy elements and some puzzles that seemed more frustrating by mechanics rather than by design - but there was nothing game-breaking and the experience as a whole is definitely thoroughly enjoyable.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, particularly through its beautiful music and engaging puzzles, which collectively evoke strong feelings in players. Reviewers highlight the impactful ending as a significant emotional achievement, indicating that the developers successfully elicit intended emotional responses.
- “A beautiful product with emotional music and interesting puzzles.”
- “This game gave me an ending that made me feel something.”
- “Anytime a game can elicit an intended emotional response from the player, no matter the emotion, I feel that the developers have succeeded in ways most cannot say they have.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the need for precision jumps in timed sequences, which can lead to frustration. While the puzzles are well-designed, the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The puzzles are well thought out, but some require precision jumps on our end, and this can be tedious, especially when facing a timed sequence.”