Zero Punctuation: Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat Edition
- November 20, 2015
- Collected Worlds
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Zero Punctuation: Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat Edition," players must catch falling hats on their heads, while avoiding obstacles like anvils and refrigerators. The game features new mini-games and updates to existing ones, with the goal of mastering the art of putting on multiple hats. Collecting 1500 hats unlocks a mysterious surprise.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game captures the humor of Zero Punctuation, making it enjoyable for fans of Yahtzee Croshaw.
- It's a fun and addictive time-waster with whimsical mini-games that add variety to the gameplay.
- The simple premise of catching hats is engaging, and the game is filled with absurd humor and clever writing.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, especially when trying to unlock achievements.
- Some players find the core gameplay loop boring and lacking depth, comparing it to a basic flash game.
- There are technical issues, such as graphical bugs and a lack of Steam Cloud support, which can detract from the experience.
- humor104 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in "Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat" is characterized by Yahtzee's signature crass, cynical wit, filled with political digs and mockery of video game tropes, appealing primarily to fans of his "Zero Punctuation" style. While many players find the game genuinely hilarious and a fun time-waster, some note that the novelty of the humor can wear thin after a few hours, and the repetitive gameplay may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the humor is a major highlight for those who appreciate Yahtzee's comedic approach, though it may not resonate with everyone.
“Absolutely hilarious”
“The game is sprinkled with plenty of funny moments, never too many and never too few.”
“Simple premise, great humor, and lots of diverting mini-games make this game stand out on Steam.”
“Repetitive, unfunny, and not rewarding gameplay, which is very surprising, considering how good Yahtzee's reviews are.”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Hatfall is characterized by a simple and repetitive core mechanic of catching falling hats, which many players find boring and lacking in depth. While the game features fast-paced action and occasional mini-games that add variety, the overall experience is often described as unfulfilling and more suited for casual play rather than a "proper" PC game. Despite its comedic writing and some engaging moments, the gameplay fails to deliver a satisfying loop, leaving players wanting more complexity and reward.
“A game which starts out as extremely simple but frequently mixes up the formula with all kinds of additional mechanics and features, Hatfall has some of the best absurdist comedy writing I think I may have ever seen.”
“It's snappy and quick enough to never get dull, with a straightforward but very effective central mechanic.”
“Combining both challenging and fun gameplay, Hatfall is sure to leave you on your toes.”
“The core gameplay loop (catching falling hats) is terribly boring and pretty random.”
“Do keep in mind the gameplay is quite repetitive mainly because it's the same thing every round ... you're trying to get under the falling hat.”
“I don't find it particularly funny, and the gameplay is so godawful I'm surprised Yahtzee agreed to put his name on it and allow it to be sold.”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight that the game suffers from excessive grinding, particularly when attempting to unlock achievements or collect items like hats. While the initial gameplay is enjoyable, the repetitive nature of the grinding leads to tedium and diminishes overall fun, with many feeling that the lack of variety exacerbates the issue. Overall, the grind-heavy mechanics are seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the game's initial appeal.
“The only issue is how grindy the game gets, and through that it kills the fun because of doing the same things over and over.”
“Unfortunately, the game is very grind-heavy, and with its lack of variety and relatively small number of methods to speed up progress, it gets extremely tedious at times.”
“A fun game for the first hour, the other 6 and a half were spent grinding the dating sim mini-game for around 170 hats per 5-10 minutes in order to get 5000 hats and to buy all characters.”
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story in "Zero Punctuation: Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat Edition" is centered around the whimsical concept of collecting hats to save the world, which some players find basic yet charming. While the plot starts simply, it evolves and introduces engaging minor characters, with each hat serving a purpose that ties back into the storyline. However, many reviewers note that the overall narrative is minimal and somewhat repetitive, often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and side missions.
“Awe inspiring story”
“Each main hat story arc introduces new minor characters as well, and they're just as much fun and easy to fall in love with as the first hat.”
“Every hat has a purpose and adds to the storyline, and one of the really cool things about Zero Punctuation: Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat Edition is that these 'purposes' often resurface at later points in the game.”
“The plot is pretty basic at first.”
“The game is very samey, but that isn't bad if you are just playing to get through the game's somewhat existing story.”
“Especially if you're progressing the extremely minuscule story or hunting achievements.”
- music16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its catchiness and enjoyable soundtrack, particularly the tunes associated with specific gameplay elements. However, some players note that the music can become repetitive over time, and there are mixed feelings about the quality of the background themes. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point that enhances the gaming experience.
“Great soundtrack”
“Also, the soundtrack (well, the 'collecting hats' tune and the 'JRPG parody fight/finale minigame' tune) was catchy as hell.”
“Maybe graphics are a bit simplistic, but the awesome soundtrack makes up for it.”
“The music gets a bit repetitive after a while.”
“This game is mostly Yahtzee laughing himself to the bank, only you can't hear it over the generic metal Zero Punctuation theme music.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with some players noting the simplistic art style and the presence of non-gamebreaking graphical bugs. While the visuals may not appeal to everyone, particularly those familiar with the Zero Punctuation series, the unique aesthetic and engaging soundtrack help to enhance the overall experience for fans. Despite some criticisms, many agree that the graphics are sufficient to justify a purchase for interested players.
“Otherwise, beyond some non-gamebreaking graphical bugs, there is little to complain about.”
“While sticking to the ZP aesthetic and random humor, the game tries to stand on its own and doesn't really require you to know the series that inspired it.”
“While achievement hunters will struggle with the unreasonably high thresholds for the final achievements and all players will face some graphical bugs, there's enough here to justify a purchase for interested players, especially visiting fans.”
“I don't like the art style, or I've seen the Escapist arcade version - no thanks. I'm guilty of both of these myself.”
“As for the art style, it's true, it's completely different from almost anything else I've seen.”
- emotional10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring heartfelt storytelling and character development that create strong attachments to its whimsical characters, particularly during poignant moments of romance and adventure. Players are often surprised by the emotional weight of certain scenes, which blend humor with heart-wrenching experiences, making for a memorable and engaging journey. Overall, it successfully balances lightheartedness with impactful emotional moments, leaving a lasting impression on players.
“Much of the beginning of the game is dedicated to gathering hats and letting you get to know them, though it's definitely never lacking in action. Once you fall in love with Hat-chan after an emotionally wrenching section of wonderful headgear romance, you're swept up in adventure after adventure, following some of the most fantastic sections you'll ever play.”
“There are some extremely powerful scenes and gameplay sections that kind of blindside you and leave you wondering when you became quite so emotionally attached to certain characters or other things.”
“Zero Punctuation: Hatfall - Hatters Gonna Hat Edition has it all - amazing characters, the never-ending yet never too over-the-top humor, exciting battles, fun adventures, heartbreaking moments with quick to follow touching moments.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability due to its deep narrative and upgrade system, encouraging players to revisit it to explore different choices and outcomes. While many upgrades are cosmetic, they lead to engaging minigames that enhance the overall experience, making players want to replay to uncover all options.
“The upgrades, while mostly cosmetic, can segue into odd minigames that often involve branching choices such that you'll want to buy them again to see all the options - thus, the replayability.”
“It boasts a surprisingly deep narrative and upgrade system that promotes solid replayability for such a simple concept.”
“It's got some replayability.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with multiple users describing it as "buggy" and a "waste of space" on their hard drives, indicating significant performance issues.
“A buggy waste of space on my hard drive.”
“Game is buggy; it's bad.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as engaging and educational, enhanced by a unique reward system involving 'hats' that resembles a canine training method. This innovative approach makes it suitable for potential inclusion in state school curricula.
“With these 'hats' used as a form of domestic canine-esque reward system, Croshaw has created an engaging atmosphere with an educational twist that I could see being recommended for further use in the state school curriculum.”
