Horace

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 259 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Horace Game Cover
Horace is a pitch-perfect puzzle platformer that expertly balances addictive gameplay with its moving tale of a robot trying to discover himself in a world that makes no sense. It knows why we love video games, and it confirms we’re right to do so.
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"Horace" is a single-player comedy platformer game with a splendid story, marvelous game mechanics, and hilarious, highly emotional moments. The game combines eccentric British humor with a cinematic narrative and nostalgic popular culture references from the 8 and 16-bit era. As the charming robot protagonist, players must learn to master their abilities, reunite with their family, and save mankind from destruction in this touching and humorous adventure.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 259 reviews
story118 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Horace features a charming and emotional story that resonates with players, often evoking laughter and tears.
  • The gameplay is diverse and engaging, with a mix of challenging platforming, clever puzzles, and entertaining mini-games that keep the experience fresh.
  • The pixel art and soundtrack are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and nostalgia of the game.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues, with long cutscenes that can disrupt the flow of gameplay and may feel tedious to some players.
  • Some players may find the difficulty spikes frustrating, particularly in later levels and during boss fights, which can lead to repeated deaths.
  • There are technical issues reported, such as bugs affecting gameplay and problems with controller compatibility that can hinder the experience.
  • story230 mentions

    The story of the game is a central focus, often described as emotional, charming, and filled with humor, though opinions on its execution vary. Many players appreciate the rich character development and engaging narrative, while some criticize its pacing and reliance on lengthy cutscenes that can disrupt gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a heartfelt journey that enhances the platforming experience, despite some technical and structural flaws.

    • “Horace is a brilliant experience, with a heartwarming/breaking story that if you're reading this, and thinking if you should play it, then let me tell you, you should.”
    • “The story is surprisingly emotional and great, and the gameplay is rather unique.”
    • “The story is great, and will make you smile, laugh, and at times bring a tear to your eye.”
    • “Tldr: a mediocre platformer that can't pick a genre wrapped in a poorly written and cliché 'robofeels' story that can't keep track of its own themes, hiding behind some references to 70s and 80s arcade titles.”
    • “Apparently the game's developers didn't get the memo as you get literally hours of boring cinematic telling a very bland story in agonizing detail.”
    • “The story itself is a weird meandering thing that keeps getting distracted and going off on bizarre tangents.”
  • gameplay151 mentions

    The gameplay in this game is a mix of challenging platforming and innovative mechanics, often incorporating gravity-defying elements and frequent gameplay shifts that keep it fresh. While some players appreciate the variety and depth, others find the difficulty spikes and lengthy cutscenes disrupt the flow, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, the game offers solid mechanics and engaging storytelling, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its pacing and complexity.

    • “The gameplay may not be for all, but I love it for what it is: an endearing storytelling adventure filled with platforming and adventure.”
    • “The gameplay is fun most of the time, but the story ruins it.”
    • “Fun platforming that is kept fresh with frequent introduction of new mechanics and upgrades, a very touching yet humorous story and a huge amount of content make Horace my favorite game so far this year.”
    • “The pacing is not good and the gameplay, while solid in many ways, isn't strong enough to carry it all the way through the narrative slog.”
    • “Ok story, and a tedious gameplay revolve around not so great puzzles with one-shot mechanics; worst level design ever (damn how annoying this part of the game, every level I enter, it feels like a chore) and rhythm mini-games.”
    • “Nearly a chunk of gameplay is punctuated by long, slow-paced, unskippable cutscenes that really kill the flow of the gameplay.”
  • music71 mentions

    The music in the game is a blend of retro-style chiptunes and classical compositions, often praised for its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere. While many players appreciate the nostalgic homage to early video game soundtracks, some find the repetitive loops and occasional technical issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth and enjoyment.

    • “The music is amazing and suits the game very well.”
    • “The music grabbed my heartstrings, and some scenes made sure that all the dust in the room gathered in my eyes without fail.”
    • “The 8-bit classical soundtrack is absolutely priceless.”
    • “Most of the music is a bunch of classical music played like it was done by a low quality chipset, an obvious homage to the kind of music you'd hear on early ZX Spectrum/C64 games.”
    • “A good deal of the chiptunes are fast looping cuts of classical music, which become really grating after a while.”
    • “The cut scenes' volume are too low most of the time and the music is too loud most of the time.”
  • emotional56 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its touching and heartwarming narrative, which balances humor and poignant moments effectively. While many players find the story deeply engaging and capable of eliciting strong emotional responses, some critique the pacing due to the frequent cutscenes that can disrupt gameplay flow. Overall, the game is celebrated for its unique storytelling and the emotional depth it brings to the platforming experience.

    • “I can assure you that this game has one of the best and most emotional stories I've ever seen from an indie game (maybe even games overall).”
    • “Horace is a brilliant experience, with a heartwarming and heartbreaking story that if you're reading this, and thinking if you should play it, then let me tell you, you should.”
    • “The story is engaging and funny yet also emotional at times.”
  • humor41 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, blending heartfelt moments with a plethora of pop culture references and witty dialogue. Players appreciate the balance between lighthearted comedy and emotional storytelling, though some note that the frequent cutscenes can disrupt the pacing. Overall, the humor is described as engaging, often darkly ironic, and integral to the game's appeal, making it a standout feature for fans of both platformers and narrative-driven experiences.

    • “I recommend it to everyone who loves tough platformers, heart-rending and moving stories, humor and references up the wazoo, and just... want to have a good time.”
    • “It perfectly balances fun intuitive gameplay which constantly changes, with a genuinely heartfelt and funny narrative which is unlike anything else I've seen in this media.”
    • “The storytelling is funny and deliberately silly, and the game is challenging with mostly pleasant shifts between various genres and eras.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, which evokes nostalgia while maintaining a modern aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the high-quality sprite work, varied visual effects, and charming artwork that enhance the overall experience, despite some criticism regarding pixelation in close-up scenes. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “All throughout, the visuals are very good, from the high-effort and varied sprite work to the various visual effects and manipulations that are applied both during gameplay and cutscene segments.”
    • “The art style is wonderfully reminiscent of those old flash serials from Newgrounds like SMBZ or Mega Man Dies at the End, yet this feels like a grown-up version of those ideas.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the script goes from heart-wrenching to comedic and back again.”
    • “Graphics are really pixelated, and when the camera is close (especially in some cutscenes), it can be overwhelming on large screens. Otherwise, the art is decent.”
    • “The graphics are 8-bit, reminiscent of classic Sega arcade styles, but while I love the nostalgia, it doesn't fully utilize modern design principles.”
    • “While the game has a charming story and great overall aesthetic, it is incredibly tedious to play.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often feeling like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. The lack of shortcuts or fast-travel options exacerbates the issue, leading to repetitive backtracking and monotonous challenges. While the game boasts a charming story and aesthetic, the gameplay is criticized for dragging on and becoming tiresome, particularly after several hours of play.

    • “Life is grindy enough as it is; please don't put that in my games too.”
    • “Then, to add insult to injury, the player must backtrack the whole way, repeating the tedious challenges they faced on the way there, without any sort of shortcut or fast travel opened in light of their having completed those challenges already.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay gets a bit tedious, and the game felt like it was dragging on by hour 5.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while the custom 2.5D engine delivers good performance overall, players report significant issues with certain minigames that control poorly and hinder progress. Additionally, the presence of bugs and performance drops in various areas detracts from the experience, even on capable hardware.

    • “The in-game engine itself is pretty nice; it's a 2.5D engine, probably custom-made because it offers great performance.”
    • “Imagine what we could all do if we optimized the meta of life itself?”
    • “Despite a decent amount of bugs, the game's performance manages to hold up in more than a few areas, even on a computer that runs Path of Exile and Monster Hunter World.”
    • “Some minigames are quite easy, but that's a small minority; most of them control horribly, leading to poor performance, and you have to beat those to continue.”
    • “There's also a decent amount of bugs, and the game's performance struggles in more than a few areas (and this is a computer that runs Path of Exile and Monster Hunter World).”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is marred by inconsistent controls, including questionable input interpretations and momentum issues, which can hinder gameplay progression. Additionally, players have reported rare but disruptive bugs, such as overlapping music tracks during cutscenes, further detracting from the overall experience.

    • “Questionable interpretations of inputs near platform corners, arbitrary retention or cancellation of momentum when moving between surfaces of different orientations, finicky short-hop inputs, visually inconsistent hurtboxes, and admittedly rare actual buggy behavior all detract from the experience.”
    • “Controls tend to be buggy and out of place in certain moments; they could really get in the way of game progression.”
    • “Buggy music (two different songs playing simultaneously) sometimes ruins the mood during emotional cutscenes.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with exceptional level design and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the experience across various cities and areas. Reviewers commend the art and music for creating an immersive environment that significantly contributes to the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The gameplay and level design are exceptional, and the music fits perfectly with the atmosphere.”
    • “Nothing but praise for the game's soundtrack, art, and atmosphere.”
    • “Apart from gameplay, the music is amazing to listen to as it breathes atmosphere into the many cities and areas you visit.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in "Horace" is highly praised, with users noting its excellence alongside other game elements such as storytelling and worldbuilding. The game features a rich narrative that enhances the player's connection to the characters, contributing to an engaging overall experience.

    • “In almost every way a video game can be good (controls, storytelling, music, level design, character development, variety, game mechanics, set pieces, humor, worldbuilding, etc.), Horace excels.”
    • “It's a platformer/puzzle game mixed with some Metroidvania mechanics, featuring beautiful pixel art, scenarios, and character design.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is viewed positively, with players appreciating its adventure theme and mystery elements, but there is a strong desire for increased advertising to enhance its visibility and reach.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

26hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
16-29hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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