Holt
- December 28, 2021
- Void Hook
Get on SteamThe people of Xyla flourished for years with no trouble. But, an unknown entity called the Shaxis would wreak havoc on their once peaceful world. Play as Holt and uncover the story of the war and what the future holds.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful pixel graphics and great music, showcasing the developers' effort in visual and audio design.
- There is a promising story and fun gameplay mechanics, particularly the axe-jump feature that adds a unique element to the platforming.
- Some players found the game enjoyable and expressed excitement for its potential development, highlighting its charm as a demo.
- The game suffers from poor controls and a lack of fluidity between movement and attack inputs, making gameplay frustrating.
- It has been criticized for being unfinished and abandoned by the developers, with no updates for an extended period.
- Many players reported technical issues, including crashes, unresponsive controls, and a lack of sound effects beyond the music.
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are polarizing, with some praising the beautiful pixel art and its integration with the sci-fi theme, while others criticize it as outdated and poorly executed. Despite the mixed opinions, many appreciate the overall aesthetic and sound design, though some feel that additional sound effects are needed for a more immersive experience.
“It had a great story, and I loved the art style. I can't wait to see this continued.”
“It's a beautiful pixel graphics game with great music, but not much else.”
“Amazing visuals and sound design, though it could use some sounds for shooting the gun and swinging the axe.”
“There's a sci-fi theme, but the developers put a lot of work into making the game look bad with the terrible, obsolete pixel art visuals.”
“They chose to use obsolete retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- story5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, with many praising its promise and engaging narrative, though some feel it leans more towards an interactive experience than a traditional game. The art style enhances the storytelling, but the lack of immersive sound effects detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players are eager to see how the story develops in future installments.
“It had a great story, and I loved the art style. I can't wait to see this continued.”
“It's easy to overlook those since the story is promising, and the gameplay is fun.”
“Holt is more of an interactive story than a game.”
“Gunfire, axe swings, and crackling fire in the background; adding sound effects would help with immersion rather than making it feel like you are just watching a story unfold.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally regarded as decent and contributes positively to the overall experience, complementing the beautiful pixel graphics. However, some users feel that the sound design could be enhanced with additional audio elements beyond just music.
“It's a beautiful pixel graphics game with great music, but not much else.”
“Only sound is music.”
“Add some sound other than music.”
“The music is decent.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay features solid movement mechanics, but users have noted compatibility issues with PC, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The movement mechanics are pretty good, making the gameplay feel fluid and engaging.”
“The gameplay offers a unique experience that keeps players coming back for more.”
“The controls are intuitive, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy for this game involves a temporary free offering, which contrasts with the common perception of games made with Gamemaker Studio as often being low-effort cash grabs.
“Very often, game maker studios are used to create shovelware and lazy cash grabs, and in this case, the game is temporarily free.”
