The Spectral Web: Hitodama

About

"The Spectral Web: Hitodama" is a top-down adventure game featuring pixel art and modern effects. When Hito gets lost in the woods, he's spirited away to the Labyrinth, where he must battle monsters and confront his captors to find his way home. With crisp, responsive controls, players can maneuver precisely, dodge enemies, and wield powerful spells. Search for hidden coins to power up and discover elemental shields.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 22 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Hitodama offers a charming blend of Metroidvania exploration and classic Zelda-style gameplay, providing a nostalgic experience with modern design sensibilities.
The game features a rich variety of spells and combat mechanics, encouraging players to strategize and adapt their approach to different enemies and challenges.
With multiple routes, a wealth of secrets, and the ability to adjust difficulty at any time, Hitodama boasts significant replay value and content that far exceeds its low price.

Some players find the gameplay repetitive and the level design reminiscent of random Zelda dungeon rooms, which can detract from the overall experience.
The lack of defensive options for the character can lead to frustrating encounters, especially on higher difficulty settings where players may feel overwhelmed.
While the game has a lot of content, some aspects, like the fast travel system and certain visual elements, may not be immediately intuitive or polished.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The gameplay is a blend of old-school metroidvania and Zelda-like mechanics, offering around 40 hours of engaging exploration and combat with diverse mechanics that enhance replayability. Players enjoy a large interconnected map filled with secrets, intense bosses, and various gameplay modes, though some find the core mechanics can become repetitive. Overall, the game balances challenge and accessibility, providing a rewarding experience that integrates gameplay with its narrative.
- “A marvelous game, an old-school metroidvania with Zelda-like gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is fun and engaging, with mostly switching between fighting and exploring.”
- “Hitodama has a large, interconnected metroidvania style map, intense bosses, fun items to fit a variety of gameplay/combat styles, passive character progression upgrades, and a story that'll keep you guessing.”
- “It's very reminiscent of the original Zelda 1 (for NES), for various reasons, which does mean it's somewhat repetitive at times, with the gameplay.”
- “It actually has a decent amount of replayability, as you'll find later on with unlocks, but the core gameplay remains mostly the same, so it's really just about picking your favorite flavor.”
- “These mechanics increase in complexity at a fairly smooth pace, sometimes challenging or even a bit frustrating but never incomprehensible.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game's story is engaging and features unexpected twists, with multiple routes to explore, enhancing its replayability. While the narrative is somewhat sparse, it effectively integrates with gameplay, supported by captivating graphics and music that enrich the overall experience. Players can expect around 4-5 hours to complete the main story, with additional content available for further exploration.
- “It's got fun music and an intriguing story that takes some unexpected turns.”
- “The graphics and music really make the story come alive, and it has tons of replay-ability.”
- “The game's story is relatively sparse, but effective when it comes up.”
- “Hitodama has a large, interconnected metroidvania style map, intense bosses, fun items to fit a variety of gameplay/combat styles, passive character progression upgrades, and a story that'll keep you guessing.”
- “Being already familiar with the game, I needed about 3.5 hours to complete the main story, so I estimate about 4-5 hours for newcomers.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The game boasts impressive replayability, featuring a wealth of unlocks, alternative stories, and various gameplay modes that enhance the experience. Players can enjoy multiple characters and a robust randomizer, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging. Overall, it offers significant content that encourages repeated play, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “The real shining achievement of this game, however, is in its replay value.”
- “It actually has a decent amount of replayability, as you'll find later on with unlocks, but the core gameplay remains mostly the same, so it's really just about picking your favorite flavor.”
- “There is a lot of extra content that at least doubles the time to see most things, plus alternative stories on top of that adding a lot of replayability.”
- “There is seriously so much replay value packed into this, from multiple playable characters to a really expansive randomizer.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its fun and engaging quality, with a fully original soundtrack that enhances the storytelling experience. While no individual track stands out significantly, the overall composition is enjoyable and reminiscent of other notable games, contributing to the game's replayability and immersive atmosphere.
- “It's got fun music and an intriguing story that takes some unexpected turns.”
- “The graphics and music really make the story come alive, and it has tons of replayability.”
- “The OST reminded me of games like La-Mulana, sometimes with no tracks particularly standing out, but all of them pleasant to listen to.”
- “Composing a fully original soundtrack for a game is no small undertaking for a solo developer, and you can really feel that Aevin gave it his all.”
- “I'd also like to give a special mention to the music.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, indicating that it can become monotonous over time.
- “This got a bit tedious, honestly.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
- “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again just to progress.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The review indicates that the author is unbiased regarding the game's optimization, focusing instead on their enjoyment of the game itself. There is no specific feedback on performance issues or optimization quality provided.
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics, along with the music, significantly enhance the storytelling experience and contribute to the game's high replayability.
- “The graphics and music really make the story come alive, and it has tons of replayability.”