Hover
- May 30, 2017
- Midgar Studio
- 157h median play time
Slightly above average or simply inoffensive. Fans of the genre should enjoy them a bit, but a fair few will be left unfulfilled.
Get on Steam"Hover" is a Sci-Fi Open World game set in a futuristic city where fun is illegal. As the leader of a rebel team, known as the Gamers, you must sabotage propaganda, help citizens, and find a way to reach the Orbital Station to end the oppression. The game offers both single and multiplayer experiences, with the option to switch between offline and online modes to play with friends or other players. Although it boasts good gameplay, masterful graphics, and a delightful soundtrack, it can be quite grindy and buggy.
Reviews
- Fun and fast-paced gameplay with fluid movement mechanics.
- Colorful and vibrant art style reminiscent of Jet Set Radio.
- Engaging multiplayer experience with a friendly community.
- Repetitive missions and lack of clear objectives can lead to frustration.
- Performance issues and bugs, especially in online mode.
- Limited soundtrack and some awkward controls.
- story642 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "Hover" is generally viewed as lackluster and underdeveloped, often described as a simplistic rebellion against an authoritarian regime that bans fun. Many players find the narrative unengaging, with most of the storytelling conveyed through text boxes rather than cutscenes, leading to a disjointed experience. While the game offers a variety of missions and a vibrant world to explore, the repetitive nature of the tasks and the absence of meaningful character development detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.
“The story is the typical anti-establishment allegory; a plucky gang of expressive urban youths vs. the fascist anti-fun regime, and this is written with about as much subtlety as you'd expect.”
“What is ultimately an excuse to run, jump, and climb all over two massive city maps doing flips and tricks for kicks is the story of an evil tyrannical overlord of the Saturday morning variety deciding to ban all forms of fun and entertainment in order to turn the city and its denizens into a boring, efficient corporate machine.”
“The story isn't anything to write home about, but the superhuman parkour is really fun and a blast to play with.”
“The story is literally gamers rise up, we are oppressed by the government.”
“The missions are all, without fail, chores, and the blame for this is equally distributed between the missions being awful, the map itself being awful, both the mission and the map simultaneously being awful, or the occasional 'everything is awful plus the mission type is inherently awful' ones.”
“The story isn't anything to write home about.”
- music319 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the contributions of Hideki Naganuma, known for his work on the Jet Set Radio series, as standout highlights. However, players have noted that the overall soundtrack can be repetitive and lacks variety, often leading to a sense of monotony during gameplay. While some tracks are described as catchy and fitting for the game's vibrant atmosphere, others feel that the limited selection detracts from the overall experience.
“The music is very fun and lively.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely terrific, with tracks made by the glorious Hideki Naganuma, and the song itself fits the situation and the theme of the game.”
“The music is catchy and pumps you up to race around the city.”
“I've also never heard the Hideki Naganuma songs play in the game even once as of my current playtime.”
“The music is definitely solid, but I can only remember ever hearing three or four of the same songs, which bugged me enough that I turned off the music.”
“Just two hours in and the soundtrack has become annoying and repetitive; some songs will even start as soon as you enter an area a few dozen meters wide, interrupting the previous song and then, because you're no doubt blazing through on the way to somewhere else, end with the previous song starting again.”
- gameplay261 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Hover" is characterized by its fast-paced parkour mechanics and vibrant open-world design, drawing comparisons to titles like "Jet Set Radio" and "Mirror's Edge." While many players find the core movement mechanics enjoyable and satisfying, criticisms arise regarding the floaty controls, repetitive missions, and a lack of clear tutorials, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers a fun and engaging gameplay loop that encourages exploration and skill mastery, making it appealing for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is quirky yet satisfying, especially after playing for a while and getting used to the mechanics while unlocking upgrades.”
“The gameplay feels smooth, the stages look beautiful, and the music is, of course, amazing.”
“The gameplay is fun, there's a huge variety of missions, it's pretty addictive, and just overall I can't put this game down.”
“Gameplay-wise, it's mostly collectibles with some janky races and a not fun sort of sports game involving a ball you move from checkpoint to checkpoint.”
“The gameplay is clunky, the parkour isn't that fun, the city feels extremely empty, and the MMO mode feels forced as all hell, which was pathetically implemented.”
“The gameplay is one of the unique experiences I've seen, and it's really fun parkouring in the well-designed world.”
- graphics114 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant, cel-shaded art style that evokes nostalgia for titles like Jet Set Radio, blending funky aesthetics with a cyberpunk theme. While many players appreciate the unique visual appeal and smooth animations, some criticize the graphics for being outdated or underwhelming, with occasional technical issues and performance drops on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some optimization concerns.
“The aesthetics and energies of the game maintain a fun, funky, and upbeat vibe, while still maintaining some of the cyberpunk themes of fighting oppression in a dystopian, authoritarian, and technologically advanced future.”
“Awesome hidden gem, open world, stunning visuals and sick parkour combos.”
“The cell-shaded graphics lend it a nice cartoonish but vibrant world, and player models look great.”
“The graphics look like an HD port of a DS game.”
“The graphics and animation can be underwhelming and give the game an unfinished vibe.”
“It has the style and flashy visuals, but the flat textures and blocky models can at times detract from the aesthetic rather than add to it.”
- grinding62 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
Grinding in the game is a central mechanic that can be both enjoyable and tedious, depending on the player's approach and character build. While many players appreciate the satisfying movement and fluidity of grinding, they also note that the repetitive nature of missions and character upgrades can lead to frustration, especially with unclear objectives and unbalanced challenges. Overall, the game offers a vibrant open world that rewards exploration and skillful grinding, but it may require significant time investment to fully enjoy its mechanics.
“The way hover uses this is not as a stamina bar (thank goodness), but every time you jump or do almost anything that isn't grinding on a rail, your energy can drain very quickly.”
“Some of the missions are extremely unbalanced, some of them don't really tell you what to do, unlocking more characters can be extremely tedious and nebulous about what you need to do to unlock them.”
“The game is super tedious doing the same stuff over and over again with little to no guidance other than your scan.”
“I'm not saying the game is horrible, it's just repetitive and very grindy.”
- optimization52 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has seen some improvements since its early access release, but many players still report significant performance issues, including low frame rates and bugs. While some users have experienced stable performance on older hardware, others struggle with severe drops in frame rates, particularly at higher resolutions. Overall, the game is considered to have potential, but it requires further optimization to enhance the gameplay experience.
“The gameplay, leveling up system, hardware optimization (my computer is quite old), presentation, etc. is all mostly good.”
“There are a lot of reasons to pick this game up: excellent core mechanics and gameplay, tons of replayability and optimization to truly feel the progress of your team as the game progresses.”
“With recent updates, the game's performance has drastically increased from the 1 fps I experienced the first time I played this game.”
“This game is full of bugs that have been around since it released into (hopefully) early access. The optimization is apparently much better than it used to be, but it's still quite bad in some areas. The map in the free roam areas is next to useless because it's top-down 2D, but the game is extremely vertical.”
“It's currently let down by some absolutely abysmal performance, dipping below 10 fps on all the lowest settings.”
“The game's got a lot of performance issues at the moment, and the dialogue and title are a bit cringey.”
- stability24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous glitches and bugs, including graphical issues and mission-related problems, which can detract from the overall experience. While some players report that these issues are manageable and do not significantly impact gameplay, others warn that the game's stability is lacking, especially given its early access status. Overall, potential buyers should be prepared for a bumpy experience with frequent bugs and performance inconsistencies.
“The game runs great, and there is little to no lag while playing online.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I can play for hours without any interruptions.”
“The only downside I have is that this game has a lot of glitches and bugs.”
“The game is also buggy; you randomly get dropped from missions, and in the second area, retrying a mission will cause you to go through the floor.”
“If you are searching for a game that is finished and works perfectly without bugs, glitches, and crashes, I suggest you don't purchase this game as it will be a waste of your Steam wallet and your time.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its vibrant, neon aesthetic and energetic vibe, reminiscent of titles like Jet Set Radio. Players appreciate the unique cell-shaded art style and the engaging soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience. The combination of charming visuals, a welcoming online environment, and thematic depth contributes to a captivating and enjoyable atmosphere.
“The cell-shaded art style fits the tone and atmosphere of the game nicely.”
“The atmosphere combined with the amazing scenery and characters is wonderful.”
“The art style and animations are unique and fully gorgeous, the music is great and really helps sell the atmosphere.”
“If it was paired with something like what 404 Sight had, I think it would have added a lot to the atmosphere.”
“I don't mean that it's a blatant copy of Jet Set Radio, but it dealt with a lot of the same themes JSR did: corrupt government, suppression of freedoms, etc. and this atmosphere also loans itself to the gameplay.”
“Overall, I really like this game and the atmosphere of its universe.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a mixed experience in terms of replayability. While many players appreciate the fantastic aesthetics, online play, and extensive customization options that enhance replay value, some find certain missions tedious and repetitive, limiting long-term engagement. However, the presence of collectibles, character optimization, and the ability to explore the city contribute to a solid foundation for replayability.
“Aesthetics are amazing, fantastic replay value and seeing other players run around and join in on missions adds so much to the experience!”
“Tons of collectibles, online play and medals on missions make for good replay value.”
“Now the downsides are that the game doesn't have too much replay value and some missions (especially in the prison) are very tedious and repetitive.”
“It has the stuff and potential to be better than it already is; it just needs a little work for more playtime and replay value.”
“Even when you've done all the quests and seen all there is to see, this game still has an unbridled replay value which players will find by simply roaming around the city.”
- character development9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the ability to level up and customize characters, others find certain characters underdeveloped and lacking depth. The character designs evoke a range of opinions, with some praising their uniqueness and others criticizing them as bland compared to iconic designs from similar games. Overall, the balance of character development varies, with some characters feeling well-integrated into the story while others appear to be mere afterthoughts.
“I love this game... I don't have much time on Steam but I beat it and then some on the Switch... I mean the exploration is great as the spaces are surprisingly big, the soundtrack is great, it has multiplayer (with a small but dedicated base as of now), you can upgrade your squad in different ways, I love the character designs, it most certainly has that Jet Set vibe while being its own thing... it's great... buy it now or on sale and you won't be disappointed.”
“Now as for story and character development, it gets great balance for some characters (being that it isn't so deep and gratuitous but not so shallow as if they just threw them in), and some characters feel under-developed and just seem thrown in there with unexplained backstories.”
“Just kinda doing fetch quests around a weirdly organized city with some character designs that came from a middle schooler's sketchbook.”
“It has a bright graphical style very reminiscent of parts of Borderlands and character design straight out of some sort of Ratchet and Clank graffiti on the side of a bullet train.”
“The art style and character designs didn't originally appeal to me, but they have definitely grown on me as I've played.”
- humor7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find the story and characters endearing and occasionally funny, others criticize the dialogue as awkward, unfunny, and overly wordy. The lack of charm compared to previous titles and the generic character designs further detract from the comedic experience for some reviewers. Overall, the humor seems to resonate differently among players, with a mix of appreciation and disappointment.
“Hilariously, the idea of building a specialized team is almost completely undermined by the fact that a completely basic all-rounder character can handily complete any mission in the game.”
“The mechanics are fun, the story is funny, the characters are endearing, the music is awesome and well placed in the game, and the environment is colorful.”
“The story is campy but still alright, and even funny at times.”
“The dialogue is just awkward and unfunny.”
“It has none of the charm that JSR presented; the few music tracks other than the ones composed by Naganuma sound incredibly generic. All of the character designs are super bland compared to JSR's iconic designs, which were able to stand on their own with almost no dialogue. Whereas Hover is rife with unfunny, droll, wordy, and at times completely grammatically broken dialogue.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is negatively impacted by numerous technical issues, such as NPCs being unresponsive and mission markers changing unexpectedly, which disrupts player immersion and engagement. These frustrations detract from the overall emotional experience, leaving players feeling disconnected from the narrative and characters.
