Hot Lava
- September 18, 2019
- Klei Entertainment
- 33h median play time
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"Hot Lava" is a first-person platformer game that brings back memories of childhood imagination, where the floor is made of hot molten lava. Players must run, jump, climb, and surf through detailed environments filled with obstacles, while avoiding hazards and competing for the fastest route on the friends leaderboard. The game features drop-in-drop out multiplayer for up to eight players and allows for creative level design. The goal is to master execution and never touch the floor.
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Mac OS
PC
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Windows
Mobile Platform
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and nostalgic experience, reminiscent of the childhood game 'The Floor is Lava'.
- Smooth and satisfying movement mechanics, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive play.
- Great level design with multiple paths and challenges, encouraging exploration and replayability.
- The game can feel repetitive after completing all main levels, with limited content for long-term engagement.
- Some players experience issues with controls and physics, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- Lack of a robust multiplayer system, as players cannot race against friends directly.
- gameplay228 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its fluid movement mechanics, combining elements of parkour, bunny hopping, and surfing, which create a satisfying experience that is easy to learn but challenging to master. Players appreciate the variety of mechanics and level designs, although some find the gameplay can become repetitive over time, particularly due to a lack of depth in certain mechanics and level layouts. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging and nostalgic gameplay, appealing to both casual players and those seeking to refine their skills.
“Simple to pick up, a good skill ceiling, solid mechanics, and perfectly responsive gameplay.”
“The fluid movement mechanics feel fantastic, making it satisfying to leap, climb, and swing through the environment.”
“Overall, hot lava is an excellent platformer game that offers challenging gameplay, beautiful graphics, and a fun multiplayer mode.”
“But since Hot Lava has no story and the excitement of the gameplay is only limited to completing the challenges, it becomes repetitive and boring; unless you're interested in beating the record for finishing levels as fast as possible.”
“A pretty low-effort game with boring mechanics that make the parkour feel unsatisfying.”
“Hot Lava feels empty and void of any challenge other than the surf mechanic, where it gets really tedious really fast as many of the maps do not allow great speed with many cramped areas.”
- graphics111 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant and colorful aesthetic, effectively capturing a playful atmosphere reminiscent of childhood imagination. While many players appreciate the charming visuals and unique art style, some note inconsistencies in graphical quality across different levels, with occasional bugs and a shift in aesthetic midway through the game. Overall, the graphics are considered polished and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's appeal, despite some minor criticisms regarding performance and design coherence.
“The graphics are vibrant and colorful, perfectly capturing the playful atmosphere.”
“The fast-paced parkour gameplay combined with stunning visuals makes for an exhilarating adventure.”
“The game has a vibrant and colorful art style that makes each level feel like a playground.”
“I noticed a few graphical bugs where the NPC would loop animations such as running in place.”
“The game also just seems to abandon its art style halfway through the official levels.”
“The first half has a semi-realistic aesthetic, with the latter half looking like something an indie threw together in Unity as their first game project.”
- story72 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many users noting that it has little to no narrative structure, making the gameplay feel repetitive over time. While some players appreciate the hidden lore and collectibles that hint at a backstory, the overall consensus is that the game prioritizes gameplay over storytelling, leaving many feeling that a more developed narrative could enhance the experience. Despite this, a few users find enjoyment in the subtle themes present, such as familial turmoil, and the game's nostalgic premise.
“The subtle story of familial turmoil and the effect it has struck a fine balance between being shown and heard.”
“Deep back story to the game, caught me off guard.”
“Wasn't expecting a subtle story about a kid's parents going through a divorce, but aside from that, very good game.”
“It's a waste they made this whole cool game that works so well and looks so good, and then didn't include any sort of story mode.”
“I loved the game quality but it lacks a story to back up what is happening and why.”
“It has no story or forward driving incentives other than making an arbitrary star count go up, making it extremely lackluster as a 3D platformer.”
- music57 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its ability to enhance the overall experience and create a chill atmosphere. However, some users noted occasional audio glitches and found the soundtrack to be somewhat repetitive or lacking compared to other titles. Overall, the game is often described as a great backdrop for listening to personal music or podcasts while enjoying the gameplay.
“The sound design and music also contribute to the overall fun vibe, enhancing the experience as you explore different worlds.”
“With charming visuals and an engaging soundtrack, this game captures the essence of youthful imagination.”
“The best chill game to play while talking with friends or listening to music!”
“The only complaints I have are occasional audio glitches where dialogue from the sister or music would play two tracks instead of just one, and they're always just slightly out of sync when it happens.”
“If I had to pick something I wasn't completely sold on, it's that some of the alternate movement-style trials aren't as fun or fleshed out as the main levels, and the music isn't as great as Klei's other games.”
“I turned off the music because I found it a little annoying, but otherwise it's alright.”
- replayability35 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players praising its engaging movement mechanics, diverse challenges, and numerous collectibles that encourage repeated playthroughs. Many users highlight the satisfaction of mastering levels, competing for high scores, and exploring community-created content, making it a favorite for speedrunners and completionists alike. Overall, the game's design and ongoing support contribute to a rich and rewarding experience that keeps players coming back for more.
“The game is highly replayable, addicting, and clearly has a lot of love and care put into it.”
“The movement is one of the best things about the game and all the levels are built around it, blending together perfectly to the point of never feeling repetitive. The replayability is great, with challenges, leaderboards, cards, and stars to collect in every level.”
“I beat all the base levels already, but there is a ton of replay value in it whether you are beating old scores, doing trials, or playing custom maps. This game is so much fun.”
“I beat all the base levels already but there is a ton of replay value in it whether you are beating old scores, doing trials, or playing custom maps. This game is so much fun.”
“So far I have completed almost all of the official maps and there are tons of community maps you can play on. The replayability of older maps to score all the stars will always challenge you.”
“The better you get at movement, the more options open up to you, which adds to the replayability of each level.”
- humor29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its creativity and charm, with players enjoying the hilarious scenarios, funny character cosmetics, and amusing animations. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend modern humor with entertaining gameplay, making it a fun experience, especially when played with friends. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing both the enjoyment and challenge of the parkour mechanics.
“It's hilarious to see everyone trying to avoid the 'lava' while attempting to outpace each other.”
“The whole concept of the game is very funny; I really feel like being a toy when playing it, and the scenarios, characters, and accessories are all very creative.”
“Great style, fun/loose gameplay, and a wealth of humor.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 61 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding in the game are mixed; while some players find it tedious and requiring excessive time investment, others appreciate the balance and feel that progression is rewarding without being overly grindy. The game offers a variety of characters and customization options that can be unlocked through gameplay, making the grinding feel more purposeful for those who enjoy it. However, cramped levels and occasional glitches can detract from the experience, leading to frustration for some players.
“Great game, there's multiple characters to unlock and deep customization for all of them, but the unlocking systems are not grindy; they're built around a lot of the mechanics of the game, so no matter what you're doing, you'll always be earning new characters, stages, and items to customize your chosen character.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“One long, tedious grind.”
“This is tedious at best and completely pointless at worst.”
- stability14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report a generally smooth experience with only minor audio glitches and occasional fun bugs, others have encountered significant issues such as game crashes, unresponsive controls, and problematic mechanics. Despite these drawbacks, the game remains enjoyable for casual play and has fostered an active speedrunning community, suggesting that the glitches can sometimes enhance the experience rather than detract from it. However, improvements in optimization and multiplayer stability are still needed to elevate the overall gameplay experience.
“The game is usually bug-free and smooth, which contributes greatly to its overall stability.”
“Game optimization in specific areas could enhance stability even further.”
“The only complaints I have are occasional audio glitches where dialogue from the sister or music would play two tracks instead of just one, and they're always just slightly out of sync when it happens.”
“But sometimes it glitches and doesn't let me play.”
“There have been times where I get locked in place, unable to move without resetting my run, cosmetic glitches (wearing headwear and all of a sudden it's glitching into your field of view), and other times where I just plain out stutter so hard the game eventually crashes.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players praise its smooth performance and impressive graphics, especially on lower-end hardware, others report inconsistent performance issues, including frame lag and stuttering. Despite these drawbacks, the game is generally considered well-optimized for its genre, particularly in terms of mechanics and customization options.
“The player and game customization is really great, combined with clean graphics which just makes the game feel really optimized and smooth, which is really vital to a parkour game.”
“The attention to detail in the environments and character models is impressive, and the game runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware.”
“The game's graphics are quite good for what it is, and the game is also quite well optimized as well.”
“Maybe game optimization on that specific part of it would go a long way because every other part of the game is usually bug-free and smooth.”
“Inconsistent performance.”
“This game is a speed run game, but there are some problems with optimization. When you are playing, you will find that sometimes the frames will lag behind, but it will feel as if the computer just forcefully moved your frames forward. What does this mean?”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its nostalgic appeal, evoking fond childhood memories through its playful mechanics reminiscent of the imaginary game "the floor is lava." Players find it wholesome and enjoyable, often expressing that it brings joy and a sense of mastery, while fostering a positive community atmosphere. Overall, the game successfully combines fun challenges with a heartwarming experience that resonates with players of all ages.
“Appeals to all your childhood nostalgias in the best way possible, this game feels wholesome and fun to play and never fails to put a smile on my face, gets a lot of updates, plenty of challenges to do and cosmetics to unlock, and no, you can't buy them; you get stuff for actually playing the game like the good old days.”
“The game's title and general mechanic stems from a childhood imaginary game 'the floor is lava' where people pretended the ground was lava or any other number of dangerous things, and they used furniture or playground setups or any number of things to avoid touching the ground.”
“Legitimately wholesome and fun game.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by vibrant graphics and a playful tone, enhanced by smooth controls and a well-crafted soundtrack that varies by location. While it maintains a fun and simplistic vibe, there is also a creepy undertone that adds depth to the overall experience. Players appreciate how the atmosphere contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
“The graphics are vibrant and colorful, perfectly capturing the playful atmosphere.”
“Smooth controls, challenges that actually require practice, a childish, fun atmosphere, and a creepy underlying plot.”
“Plus the well-made soundtrack that differs from location to location, adds a bit to an already great atmosphere.”
“The game lacks any real atmosphere; it feels empty and uninspired.”
“Despite the setting, the atmosphere is flat and fails to engage the player.”
“The overall ambiance is dull, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its near full character design and diverse outfit choices, contributing to an engaging and visually appealing experience. Players appreciate the fun and cute aesthetic, along with a rewarding earning system that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The style of the game is very cute, and I love the character design choices Klei made.”
“Fun, awesome character designs, quick-paced and easy to hop into levels make this game an absolute treat to play!”
“Near full character design, outfit choices, and earning system.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
“I was disappointed by the limited options for character growth and customization.”
“The characters don't evolve in a way that feels impactful or engaging.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features a commendable monetization model with no microtransactions, allowing players to unlock a wealth of content, collectibles, and character customizations through gameplay and challenges. This approach is praised for providing a rewarding experience without the pressure of additional purchases.
“There are no microtransactions, and there are tons of stuff to unlock and challenges to complete that put other games to shame.”
“There are collectibles and cosmetics that you earn by completing tasks, with no microtransactions... for now anyway.”
“You can level up your character and unlock customizations, with no microtransactions.”
“The game is riddled with microtransactions that feel exploitative and detract from the overall experience.”
“It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it frustrating to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“The monetization strategy is aggressive, pushing players to spend more to access content that should be available through gameplay.”
