Hook

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 7,601 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.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
  • Windows Phone
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,601 reviews
gameplay295 positive mentions
replayability34 negative mentions
  • Relaxing and calming gameplay with soothing music.
  • Clever puzzle design that gradually increases in difficulty.
  • Great value for the price, providing about an hour of entertainment.
  • Very short game with only 50 levels, leaving players wanting more.
  • Some puzzles can feel repetitive and lack depth.
  • No options menu or settings to adjust sound or graphics.
  • gameplay983 mentions

    The gameplay of "Hook" is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, which are introduced gradually 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, leading some players to wish for more content and deeper mechanics. Overall, it provides a pleasant puzzle-solving experience that balances simplicity with increasing complexity.

    • “The absolutely unique mechanics are introduced to you so smoothly that, when all is complete, you should feel like a genius!”
    • “It does an incredible job of slowly introducing new mechanics in an easy to understand way and all of the puzzles follow a simple to understand logic that quickly becomes more and more complex.”
    • “The mechanics are introduced progressively in the first handful of puzzles, making it seem banal at first until you see everything that can be in a puzzle.”
    • “I found myself relatively entertained for a few levels and moderately intrigued by its mechanics, but I really didn't enjoy finishing it.”
    • “The first half of the levels aren’t really puzzles in the sense that they don’t require a lot of figuring out and are rather straightforward, but new mechanics ramp up the difficulty so that by level 50 they require some decent thought.”
    • “The gameplay itself is very straightforward once you get the hang of what you are even supposed to be doing.”
  • music722 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and minimalist qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing atmosphere while players engage with the puzzles. Many reviewers noted that the ambient soundtrack complements the gameplay well, although some expressed a desire for options to mute or adjust the music. Overall, the soothing sound design contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a pleasant experience for those seeking a tranquil gaming session.

    • “Very chill little puzzle game with relaxing music, minimalistic art, and puzzles that are challenging but not too hard.”
    • “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 perfect for this simplistic yet visually enticing and thought-provoking game.”
    • “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.”
    • “Furthermore, there are no options to turn off the music, change screen resolution, etc. Overall, it's a lazily-made game.”
  • graphics390 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a clean, minimalist aesthetic that enhances the overall experience without overwhelming the player. Reviewers appreciate the simplicity and elegance of the visuals, which effectively support the gameplay and create a relaxing atmosphere, although some note that the graphics could benefit from additional polish and options for higher resolutions. Overall, the minimalist design is well-received, contributing to a soothing and engaging puzzle-solving experience.

    • “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.”
    • “Beautiful, minimal graphics and great atmospheric music make this game a true masterpiece.”
    • “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.”
    • “Pretty darn short (1.5 hours if you are taking your time) and the graphics could have used an extra bit of polish.”
    • “One major issue that annoys me is that on my 1080p display, the graphics seem a little bit blocky, and it seems like it should be played on a 720p panel.”
  • replayability100 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.”
    • “This is about an hour's worth of puzzle gameplay, with a somewhat low replayability -- there's a campaign of about 50 screens before it all somewhat abruptly ends and leaves you wishing for so much more.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere94 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as calming and relaxing, enhanced by soothing music and minimalist design that fosters concentration. Players appreciate the zen-like environment, which allows for a pleasant puzzle-solving experience without frustration. Despite some critiques of the puzzles themselves, the overall ambiance is praised as a significant highlight of the game.

    • “The atmosphere is genuinely relaxing, and at no point in the game did I feel frustrated or unmotivated for being presented with 'just yet another puzzle'; like I have in many other puzzle games.”
    • “The minimalist art style and sounds create a wonderful atmosphere of concentration and relaxation.”
    • “The background music is very pleasant and relaxing, and creates an ideal atmosphere for the game.”
    • “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.”
  • story70 mentions

    The consensus among users is that the game lacks a significant story, with many reviewers explicitly stating "there is no story" or describing it as minimalistic. While some appreciate the gameplay experience without a narrative, others suggest that a story could enhance the game, indicating a desire for more depth. Overall, the game is characterized as a puzzle experience that can be enjoyed without a traditional plot.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “There is no story.”
    • “No story, just solving decent looking puzzles in an awesome way!”
    • “However, this game has no story.”
  • grinding54 mentions

    The reviews indicate that while the puzzles in the game can be enjoyable, they often become tedious, especially in the later levels where the challenge diminishes and the length increases. Many players feel that the lack of variety and engaging goals, such as achievements, contributes to the overall sense of monotony, leading to frustration and a desire for a more rewarding experience. Overall, the game is described as relaxing but ultimately suffers from excessive repetition and a lack of stimulating content.

    • “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.”
    • “The whole thing feels like some grinding mobile game and then there's no payoff.”
    • “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.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The game surprisingly delivers a strong sense of humor, with players laughing out loud at its clever and convoluted puzzle designs. Many reviews highlight its amusing nature, especially given its abstract premise, and appreciate the low price point for a fun, brain-teasing experience. However, some users express a desire for more content, wishing the game were longer.

    • “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 what attracted me to purchase the game was the fact that I didn't immediately figure out what the puzzle mechanics were when I watched the trailer.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be significant, as it evokes feelings through its simple yet challenging puzzle mechanics. The tension of navigating hooks without touching others creates a sense of urgency 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.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches, and a smooth introduction to game mechanics. Overall, players appreciate the seamless experience and find it to be a well-executed concept.

    • “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.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game heavily relies on intrusive mobile ads that often misrepresent gameplay, leading to player frustration and dissatisfaction. Users express annoyance at the deceptive nature of these ads, which detracts from the overall experience.

  • optimization2 mentions

    The game suffers from poor PC optimization and lacks sufficient options for users, leading to a subpar experience on this platform.

    • “Lack of options and poor PC optimization.”
    • “Lack of options and poor PC optimization.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
1-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 61 analyzed playthroughs

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