Harold Halibut Reviews
A VERY special adventure, both in aesthetic and narrative terms. The story starts slowly and with very few explanations, but as the game progresses it becomes more and more interesting and does not disdain to touch important chords. The mechanics are the classic ones of a graphic adventure but the gameplay has a few too many angularities due to a bit of "dirt" in the code. Finally, the total lack of localization in Italian could be a significant obstacle given that the tone of the dialogues is well above the classic school English.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With engaging puzzles in the mix, I truly believe Harold Halibut could have joined the pantheon of great classic-style adventure games. As is, it’s a title that consistently kept me hooked over the course of its 7-to-8-hour story but didn’t fully reel me in like the very best of the genre.
In the end, I think Harold Halibut ought to be experienced for its amazing technical achievement, if nothing else. While its gameplay doesn’t always engage, its narrative, characters, and themes are coherent in the manner of good speculative fiction. Both Harold the character and Harold Halibut the game are weird, wonderful, and quite unlike anything we’ve seen this year.
Harold Halibut gives shape to an attractive story led by a protagonist who manages to surprise the player. The magnificent handcrafted art section accompanies this good script, but at times its approach becomes somewhat heavy in terms of gameplay. Here's a good narrative adventure that could have aspired to be so much more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For most of its runtime, Harold Halibut is an exciting and captivating game. You can tell how much the authors loved the videogame medium. There's some minor issues, but nevertheless, if you like adventure games, it's simply a must play.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Overall, I enjoyed diving feet-first into this quirky and interesting narrative-driven mystery. While some may be deterred due to short attention spans or needing that quirk and fast-paced content this game will reward you for your time spent fishing for clues and unspooling the mystery. I'd encourage anyone looking to venture into this sub-aquatic adventure to devote some time to it allowing the game to grow. There's nothing out there at the moment to rival its quirky setting, it's out of the ordinary story and unique characters.
Despite some occasional bugs, problems with the plot's rhythm and lack of more engaging gameplay, Harold Halibut does not lose its shine as a work that uses its form well to bring visual charm, without forgetting to work on its content a story with strong text, interesting characters and issues so prominent in human nature.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Harold Halibut is an artistic achievement that I've not quite experienced in gaming before. Every game is handcrafted in some way, but Harold Halibut takes that concept and cranks it up to 11. And while its world and story are made up of inorganic materials, Harold Halibut's clay, wood, and paint communicated humanity even more than some games that aim to directly replicate it through photorealism or otherwise. With its occasional dryness and true depictions of life's ordinariness, it steps a little too far in that direction at times. But, if anything, the fact that it isn't perfect makes it even more human.
Harold Halibut may not be the most innovative game in terms of intervention mechanics in the world, apart from making some slips in the rhythm of the narrative, but it is undeniable that the sum of its powerful story and its spectacular art style make this one of the most irresistible games of recent times.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Harold Halibut is a heartfelt and handcrafted tale of human existence, delivering charming, profound, and deeply funny writing guaranteed to put a smile on your face. What Slow Bros has managed to achieve with its visual style is masterful and, for our money, it's now one of the best looking games on Xbox. The gameplay can feel repetitive at times, and the writing can drag in places, but ultimately we had a great experience seeing it through to the end. If you've got a Game Pass subscription, it's worth checking the game out for its aesthetic alone. Harold Halibut won't be for everybody, but for those that resonate with its story, it's sure to stick with you for a long time.
"The handcrafted, stop-motion look and feel to this world makes every imperfection just another lovely detail"
One thing’s for certain: you’ve never played a game like Harold Halibut before. You may have played cinematic narrative adventure titles before, but none offer up such a striking stop-motion style and thought-provoking narrative, especially when paired with a winning combination of mystery, heartfelt character relationships, and quirky artistic flair. You will question your own path in life and whether you’re truly happy, then leave you wondering how to find your own bluglglgl.
It may take place at the bottom of the ocean on a distant alien planet, but Harold Halibut’s story is an entirely human one, both in terms of its carefully handmade environments and its strong emphasis on empathy towards its eccentric cast of characters. While I wish that there was a little more interactivity to be found throughout its subaquatic setting, and Harold’s shuffling run could have been boosted to a sprint to reduce the time spent repeatedly schlepping from one end of its levels to the other, I nonetheless remained captivated by his whimsical quest to unite his community and explore the spectacular surroundings of his sunken home. Consistently funny and full of surprises, Harold Halibut is a wholesome, handcrafted adventure with plenty of heart.
With a development that lasted twelve years, it is legitimate to wonder if Harold Halibut is a fully successful operation: what we can tell you is that the work of the German studio has convinced us, thanks to a mature and engaging narrative capable of dealing with themes that are anything but obvious.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Harold Halibut is a special video game. Not only the incredibly elaborate style and how it was realized contribute to this, but also the fresh setting filled with lots of love and crazy nonsense. The basic gameplay does lag behind quite a bit, but for an adventure game you can easily cope with that.
Review in German | Read full review
Harold Halibut is not a game for everyone. The pace is slow, especially at the beginning, and the many trips back and forth between stations often seem very long. On the other hand, if you're a fan of narrative adventures like me, and enjoy discovering highly-developed characters, this is a very nice surprise. Slow Bros. succeeded in transporting me into its unique-looking universe and absorbing me completely.
Review in French | Read full review
Though plaudits will be rightly levelled at its appearance, Harold Halibut is equally as impressive when it comes to its narrative, world-building, and how both are realised. Despite being relatively light in gameplay terms, the game packs a punch where it matters by sticking its landing and proving beyond doubt that the answer to the meaning of life may be closer to home than you think.
A wonderful claymation adventure with an exciting plot that's not supposed to be played if you are in a hurry. It's slow and a bit lengthy, but every minute spent in it is worth it in the end.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Transcending the line between video game and interactive art piece, Harold Halibut explores the meaning of home on an isolated alien water world. While some pacing issues exist within the larger story, the handcrafted visuals that consistently charm alongside an extravagant cast make this a treat for fans of narrative adventures.
2024 has been a year so full of RPGs I can’t begin to imagine ever being able to finish all of them. Coming across Harold Halibut in the middle of so many massive, complicated adventures was a breath of fresh air. Just being able to slow down, soak in all the impressive minutia of a world built entirely by hand in an art studio, and wonder about what it was like to construct and digitize, felt like a release. I was able to let go a bit of having control over every piece of a game, and still have a story in front of me that was thoughtful and engaging enough to sit with me well after the credits rolled. Even the parts that felt rough around the edges were refreshing, as they enhanced the very human feelings that are so clearly front and center here. Harold Halibut is the kind of game I discovered by accident, but one I’m grateful to have come across in that way.