Hollowed

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 88 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Hollowed Game Cover
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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.

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews
gameplay16 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • Hollowed offers unique gameplay mechanics that involve controlling two characters, providing a fresh take on puzzle-solving.
  • As a free game, it delivers a surprisingly polished experience with engaging puzzles and a meaningful story, making it worth a try.
  • The game is only playable with a controller, which limits accessibility for PC gamers who prefer keyboard and mouse controls.
  • Many players encountered frustrating bugs and inconsistent controls that detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • The level design can be confusing and some puzzles require precise timing, leading to moments of frustration rather than fun.
  • gameplay50 mentions

    The gameplay of Hollowed is characterized by its unique mechanics and atmospheric presentation, combining puzzle-solving with platforming elements. While players appreciate the innovative use of the spirit's abilities and the overall aesthetic, some find the controls clunky and the lack of clear explanations for mechanics frustrating. Despite these issues, many reviewers enjoyed the experience, noting that the game offers a charming and engaging journey, especially considering its status as a student project.

    • “The gameplay mechanics revolve around traversing through obstacles with the help of your physically manifested soul.”
    • “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.”
  • story36 mentions

    The game's story is described as basic and somewhat murky, primarily conveyed through visuals and environmental storytelling rather than text or dialogue. While some players found it lacking in clarity and connection, others appreciated its subtlety and artistic presentation, particularly in how it explores themes like the five stages of grief. Overall, the narrative is seen as light yet impactful, offering a satisfying experience for those willing to engage with its interpretive nature.

    • “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.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising its emotional depth and relaxing qualities, particularly the piano soundtrack that complements the visuals beautifully. While some found the music annoying or felt it didn't enhance the experience, the overall consensus highlights its effectiveness in creating an engaging atmosphere. The combination of music, art style, and gameplay is frequently noted as a standout feature, contributing to the game's charm.

    • “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.”
  • graphics26 mentions

    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 feels dated. Overall, the game's charming visuals and appealing art direction contribute positively to the gameplay experience, despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “The art style is incredible and beautiful.”
    • “I loved the art style and the 2.5D environment.”
    • “A fun little platformer with great visuals and a peaceful soundtrack to go along with it.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dreamlike quality, combining beautiful visuals, soothing music, and engaging gameplay to create a mysterious and immersive experience. Players appreciate the way the environment tells a story through imagery rather than dialogue, evoking a sense of grandeur and intrigue that lingers long after playing. Overall, the atmospheric design effectively enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “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.”
    • “Hollowed has a mysterious atmosphere about it, which benefits from the graphic style, audio, and gameplay mechanics.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to various performance problems that can affect gameplay, such as GPU strain and rendering errors. While these issues do not completely ruin the experience, they highlight a need for improvements in optimization.

    • “The optimization of the game could use some improvements.”
    • “I would like to see better optimization; turning on fullscreen caused rendering issues on my system before I even entered actual gameplay.”
    • “While the game is enjoyable, it is unfortunately poorly optimized.”
    • “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.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game exhibits some stability issues, including harmless glitches and frustrating collision problems that can disrupt gameplay, such as getting stuck or drifting off platforms. While these bugs can detract from the experience, they are not game-breaking, and many players still find the overall experience enjoyable despite the occasional clunkiness.

    • “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.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The game excels in its emotional impact, highlighted by a stunning soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players report feeling a strong emotional response, particularly from the game's conclusion, indicating that the developers have successfully engaged players on a deeper level.

    • “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.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    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 precise jumps on our end, and this can be tedious, especially when facing a timed sequence.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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