Hostil
- December 1, 2017
- Eteru Studio
Get on Steam"Hostil" is a single-player mystery point and click game with an interesting plot, taking place on a dangerous planet where a young astronaut is stranded. The game features excellent visuals, atmospheric music, and immersive sound effects across 12 hand-drawn scenes and 250 paragraphs of story. With 40 minutes of gameplay, narrative and musical puzzles, and original soundtrack, players can uncover 12 secrets and achievements. Suitable for all ages, "Hostil" offers a short, emotional, and captivating interactive tale, encouraging support for the developer through full-price purchase.
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Reviews
- Beautifully drawn backgrounds and atmospheric music create an immersive experience.
- The game offers a charming and engaging story, despite its short length.
- Puzzles are simple and logical, making it accessible for casual players.
- The game is extremely short, typically completed in under an hour, which may leave players wanting more.
- Lacks depth in story and character development, making it feel less substantial.
- Some puzzles, particularly the music-related ones, can be frustrating for players who struggle with sound recognition.
- story83 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received for its engaging sci-fi themes and beautiful visuals, though many players note its brevity, with most experiences lasting around 30 minutes to an hour. While some appreciate the compact narrative and atmosphere, others criticize the lack of depth, character development, and challenging gameplay, suggesting that the story could benefit from more elaboration. Overall, it offers a pleasant, albeit short, adventure that may appeal to fans of the genre looking for a quick experience.
“I very much enjoyed the world and the story, the beautiful art and soundscape.”
“Hostil manages to tell a very bittersweet story that feels very complete given its short gameplay (roughly an hour).”
“The story is intriguing and meaningful, but I would have liked a longer and more satisfying ending.”
“Because of its shortness, there is no satisfying and substantial story and character development.”
“The story is short and trivial.”
“The story itself would benefit from some additional editing for clarity of language, which is one of the biggest downfalls of the game.”
- graphics47 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, pre-rendered backgrounds and artistic style, creating an atmospheric experience that enhances the storytelling. While the artwork is often described as stunning and reminiscent of classic point-and-click games, some reviews note a lack of character animation and occasional graphic issues. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
“The artwork for all the scenes is very pretty to look at, and the music always feels very fitting!”
“However, the graphics of this game are so beautiful and ethereal that I totally would buy it again, just to experience the transcendent, immersive graphics that transport you into a different dimension.”
“It's a point and click affair, simple yet satisfying puzzles and amazing artwork; this game is beautiful and brought to mind the wonder of seeing SVGA graphics in the point and click games of the mid 90's.”
“The artwork doesn't win any prizes, either.”
“There are no graphics options.”
“A few graphics that are not good at all, a few lines of text that can fit one A4 page, 2 puzzles and few items to use at right places.”
- music37 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and fitting integration with the visuals, enhancing the overall experience. While some players enjoyed the soundtrack and found it beautiful, others noted that the music puzzles towards the end could be challenging, particularly for those without a musical ear. Overall, the combination of art and music contributes to a charming and immersive adventure, despite the game's brevity.
“The artwork for all the scenes is very pretty to look at, and the music always feels very fitting!”
“Pretty graphics, beautiful atmospheric music, nice little story.”
“Overall I loved Hostil, with its gorgeous scenery to the lovely soundtrack played in the background.”
“Wish there would be more music (specifically at the end of the game).”
“Music consists of a few subdued, dark/mystery themed melodies that are also reminiscent of older adventures.”
“As the puzzles are lackluster, the game's value depends on the writing; but the story has no depth or character development (and the soundtrack didn't blow me away either) and no humor whatsoever.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive qualities, featuring beautiful graphics, a fitting soundtrack, and a unique art style that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of hope and despair, despite its brevity and simplicity in gameplay. While some critiques mention a lack of character animation and a straightforward story, the atmospheric elements remain a standout feature that captivates players.
“The setting, music, and atmosphere are all beautiful; it's a lovely little thing to unwind with for a half hour or so before bed.”
“I really liked the very atmospheric color palette of the scenes, because the developers really tried hard to equip the story with suitable pictures.”
“The atmosphere really draws you in and makes you wish there was more by the end of it... ah well!”
“A very short, pretty adventure, with ample atmosphere.”
“The game has a brooding mood and atmosphere, with simple puzzles and hidden object mechanics.”
- gameplay24 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and brief, often falling within a 15 to 60-minute range, depending on player engagement. While some players appreciate the artistic visuals and the bittersweet storytelling, many criticize the limited interactivity and repetitive mechanics, likening it to a hidden object adventure rather than a fully developed point-and-click experience. Overall, the game may appeal to those seeking a short, casual experience, but it lacks depth compared to other titles in the genre.
“Gameplay is simple and fun; I’d definitely play it again.”
“The game has a brooding mood and atmosphere, with simple puzzles and hidden object mechanics.”
“The backdrops for each scene are beautifully rendered landscapes, and I can't fault the gameplay mechanics, so you can tell that effort has gone into this.”
“There's not much here in terms of gameplay and there are some obvious translation errors, but the low asking price (especially while on sale) might be worth it if you're looking for a brief sci-fi story about a marooned starship pilot.”
“Most of the gameplay simply involves moving your cursor back and forth to locate non-obvious things to click on.”
“This game has more of a comic book style of gameplay with mostly static backgrounds and character interactions that really borders more on a hidden object adventure than an actual point and click game.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with most players finding it worthwhile to experience once but lacking the incentive to return. Some users noted minor replay value in discovering missed secrets or collectibles, but the enjoyment of a second playthrough is generally low due to a lack of challenge and depth.
“There was replay value for me when I missed one secret that was non-obvious, and for picking up all the motes.”
“There's no replayability, but it's still worth playing just the once.”
“There was replay value for me when I missed one secret that was non-obvious, and for picking up all the motes, but it wasn't very enjoyable to play it a second time.”
“The art is nice and there's a vaguely interesting plot, but not a whole lot of challenge or replay value.”
- character development3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game suffers from a lack of substantial story and character development, with many players finding the narrative shallow and unengaging. While the background graphics are praised, the overall character design and writing fail to provide depth or humor, detracting from the overall experience.
“Because of its shortness, there is no satisfying and substantial story and character development.”
“As the puzzles are lackluster, the game's value depends on the writing; but the story has no depth or character development.”
“The character design is unfortunately pretty awful.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its beautiful environments and touching, albeit brief, story, making it a compelling choice for fans of emotional narratives and sci-fi themes. Its artistic presentation enhances the overall emotional impact, resonating deeply with players.
“It's got beautiful environments and builds a touching story, even if it's really short.”
“A beautiful, artsy, and touching game.”
“If you like emotional narratives and sci-fi, then get this.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is notably absent, with players criticizing the writing for lacking depth and character development, which diminishes the overall experience.
