Hook

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,798 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Hook Game Cover
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"Hook" is a single-player puzzle game with a simple yet relaxing gameplay mechanic of removing hooks from the board. With 60 levels and more to come, the game offers a calming soundtrack and a minimalistic, zen-like atmosphere. Despite its basic concept, the game boasts stunning graphics and an awesome soundtrack, although it may not offer high replayability and can be grinding at times.

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Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,798 reviews
gameplay147 positive mentions
replayability17 negative mentions
  • Really nice puzzles that gradually increase in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge.
  • Relaxing music and clean aesthetic create a calming atmosphere while playing.
  • Great value for the price, offering about an hour of engaging gameplay.
  • The game is quite short, with only 50 levels, which may leave players wanting more.
  • Some players found the early levels too easy, lacking a sense of challenge until the later stages.
  • No options menu or settings available, which can be inconvenient for adjusting sound or display.
  • gameplay490 mentions

    The gameplay of "Hook" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics that are introduced progressively across 50 levels, allowing players to learn through experimentation rather than explicit tutorials. While the game offers a relaxing atmosphere and a satisfying challenge, it is relatively short, typically taking around one to two hours to complete, which some players feel could benefit from additional content or deeper mechanics. Overall, the intuitive design and gradual difficulty curve make it a compelling choice for puzzle enthusiasts.

    • “The mechanics of the game are intuitive, and each time a new mechanic is introduced, it is done in a clear, clever, and understandable manner.”
    • “The introduction and progression of mechanics is incremental and well done.”
    • “Simple mechanics build upon one another to create 50 levels that perfectly balance puzzling conundrums and simplicity, without feeling overwhelming or oversimplified.”
    • “The first few levels are just to make you acquainted with the game mechanics and building blocks.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very straightforward once you get the hang of what you are even supposed to be doing.”
    • “The puzzles start out simple but by the end have a fair bit of complexity and new mechanics are added the entire way to keep things fresh.”
  • music361 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and calming qualities, enhancing the overall experience of solving puzzles. Many players appreciate the minimalist and ambient soundtrack, which complements the game's simple graphics and allows for focused gameplay without being intrusive. However, some users expressed a desire for options to mute or adjust the music, as it can become repetitive over time.

    • “The music is great, the simple and elegant graphics help you concentrate, there is no stress involved, it is quite relaxing.”
    • “The game is incredibly relaxing, allowing you to solve each level in your own time, with no pressure and with calming background music.”
    • “The music is soothing, the graphics are clean and simple, and the brain-teasing is aplenty.”
    • “I sincerely hope that in the new update there will be the option to turn off the music!”
    • “The music became repetitive after a few minutes and since I couldn't find a way to mute the music alone, I muted the whole game and put some of my own music on.”
    • “The only issue I have is the lack of menu or the option to mute the music without bringing up the mixer/sound control.”
  • graphics196 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist aesthetic that is both clean and elegant, effectively supporting the gameplay without overwhelming the player. Reviewers appreciate the simplistic yet beautiful visuals, which enhance the relaxing atmosphere alongside the soothing soundtrack. While some note that the graphics could benefit from additional polish or higher resolution support, the overall consensus is that the minimal design complements the puzzle mechanics well, creating an enjoyable and focused experience.

    • “The graphics are clean and the sound effects are very calming.”
    • “Overall, the simple, clean graphics and relaxing music made this a very enjoyable game.”
    • “The minimalist art style and sounds create a wonderful atmosphere of concentration and relaxation.”
    • “The ambient music is bland, and the graphics are way too simplistic - it's not always apparent what is blocked by what at a first glance, because later levels are just a mess of lines.”
    • “The graphics are a little basic and aren't as easy on the eyes compared to other minimalistic puzzle games, but if you're the sort of person spending pennies on a quick puzzle, I don't think that it's likely to bother you.”
    • “The art style is dull but it doesn't matter because of the time span of the game; there are zero options anywhere, if you don't like the loud music then you're going into your volume mixer, and the first half of the game is way too easy.”
  • replayability50 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that once the 50 levels are completed, there is little incentive to return. While some users suggest that adding features like user-generated content or additional challenges could enhance replay value, the consensus remains that the game offers a brief, enjoyable experience but lacks depth for repeated play.

    • “I made it a bit more arbitrarily challenging by trying to solve some puzzles with minimal interactions and button presses, and I think if this game had a goal for each puzzle in this regard, it could really help with the replay value.”
    • “Being able to design and share your own puzzles would really skyrocket the replayability.”
    • “If you space out your play sessions, it probably has pretty good replayability.”
    • “A nice little puzzler, but sadly not much replayability once you've completed the 50 levels.”
    • “The music is very soothing and relaxing but the game lacks replayability; maybe if the creator would add user levels it could keep me playing once in a while. After beating it, I don't see the purpose of having it in my library anymore.”
    • “I only want to emphasize that this game has literally no replayability, which sucks, but it's not like you'd spend a ton of money on it anyway.”
  • atmosphere47 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as calming and relaxing, enhanced by excellent sound design and minimalist visuals that create a zen-like environment. Players appreciate the soothing background music and nature sounds, which contribute to a stress-free experience while solving puzzles. Overall, the game's tranquil ambiance is a highlight, making it suitable for those seeking a peaceful gaming experience, despite some critiques regarding the puzzle quality.

    • “The atmosphere of the game is calm throughout, and it's a nice way to spend an hour.”
    • “The minimalist art style and sounds create a wonderful atmosphere of concentration and relaxation.”
    • “The music, while being a loop, creates a calm atmosphere that fosters a very positive environment for solving the puzzles.”
    • “I liked the feel and atmosphere, but that can't make up for bad/boring puzzles.”
    • “There is a somewhat zen atmosphere to it, but for relaxing I'd recommend to take a stroll instead.”
    • “I love the aesthetic and atmosphere of this game, but the gameplay itself is lacking for me.”
  • story35 mentions

    The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the story aspect of the game, with many users noting a complete absence of a narrative or plot. Some appreciate the gameplay experience despite the lack of a story, while others suggest that a minimalistic approach can still be enjoyable. A few reviews mention a rough historical backdrop, but overall, the consensus is that the game is primarily focused on gameplay rather than storytelling.

    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “Spoiler alert as I'm going to talk about the plot now, it starts out very rough in the year 1624, fighting for your freedom from the oppressive government, the disdain.”
    • “His storyline blurs your thoughts on fear and courage very artistically.”
    • “There is no story.”
    • “No story, no over-the-top flair, no annoying distractions.”
    • “However, Hook has no story.”
  • grinding27 mentions

    The reviews indicate that while the puzzles in the game can be enjoyable and rewarding, many players find the experience becomes increasingly tedious, especially in the later levels where the challenge diminishes and the length of puzzles increases. Some users express a desire for achievements to provide motivation, as the repetitive nature of the gameplay can feel more like grinding than engaging problem-solving. Overall, the game is described as relaxing but often veers into tedious territory, leading to frustration for some players.

    • “Puzzles are fun but not tedious.”
    • “A very well done, minimalist puzzle game that's rather challenging and not too tedious or too long either.”
    • “The problem is that the levels don't really get harder or more interesting but rather longer and more tedious to complete.”
    • “These puzzles are more tedious than difficult.”
    • “Tl;dr the reason two-thirds of people quit before they complete this game, even though it is only an hour long, is because the last half of this game is needlessly tedious just because there are no colors besides grey and the white background.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The game surprisingly delivers a strong sense of humor, with players laughing out loud at its clever and convoluted puzzle designs. Many find it to be a funny and engaging experience, especially given its low price point, though some wish it were longer. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, keeping players entertained and on their toes.

    • “You wouldn't expect such an abstract game to be funny, but I have laughed out loud seeing some of the new puzzles.”
    • “Keeps you on your observational toes, and had me laughing at some of the convoluted designs the developer came up with.”
    • “What's funny about this game is that what attracted me to purchase it was the fact that I didn't immediately figure out what the puzzle mechanics were when I watched the trailer.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful, as it evokes feelings through its simple yet engaging puzzle mechanics. The challenge of navigating hooks without touching others adds a layer of tension and satisfaction, enhancing the overall emotional experience.

    • “It makes you feel emotional.”
    • “Hook is a puzzle game where the point is to clear the board by retracting 'sticks' without touching any of the other sticks.”
    • “Along the way, they make it harder for you by adding things like buttons that deactivate multiple rods simultaneously, or pathways that can be altered, or having buttons and rods that aren't directly touching each other but are instead activated over distance remotely.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches and a smooth introduction to game mechanics. The positive feedback highlights the game's reliability and enjoyable experience.

    • “There are no bugs or glitches, and each game mechanic is introduced to the player for them to find out.”
    • “But I'm giving it a positive since it's a neat idea, has no apparent bugs or glitches, and is cheap.”
    • “Feels good, so no spotty glitches or anything.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Users express frustration with the monetization strategy, likening it to misleading mobile ads that promise engaging gameplay but often lead to disappointing experiences.

    • “The monetization strategy feels like a cash grab, with constant prompts to spend money on in-game items.”
    • “It's frustrating how much of the game is locked behind paywalls, making it nearly impossible to enjoy without spending real money.”
    • “The game is riddled with ads and microtransactions, which completely disrupts the gameplay experience.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game has been criticized for a lack of options and inadequate performance on PC, leading to a subpar experience for players.

    • “Lack of options and poor PC optimization.”
    • “The game suffers from significant performance issues due to inadequate optimization.”
    • “Optimization is severely lacking, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Hook

Play time

2hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
1-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 30 analyzed playthroughs

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