Hohokum Reviews
Despite a distinct look and feel, Hohokum doesn't live up to its more ethereal aspirations. Although its flowing movements and refreshing themes try to evoke a sense of meditative exploration, it's hard to shake the compulsion to solve each puzzle and move on. At its core, Hohokum doesn't quite make you forget that it's still a game.
Hohokum is a great, joyous escape into a well-polished, artistic video game. I felt very happy playing it. I felt an innocent kinship with my fellow eye-kite beings, and I had fun trying to find them. Over the course of playing the game, you gain a simple respect for adventure with friends. Any screenshot taken from this game could serve as a desktop background, and any person could find something to like from the many worlds, sounds, and little narratives. Hohokum is a game of many colors.
The lack of direction can lead to repeated frustrations, but the striking visuals and hypnotic character movement make Hohokum a joy.
Genuine art is meant to evoke a response from its audience, and Hohokum's diverse assortment of imaginative endeavors makes it easy to get lost inside its world. It's effective union of art, activity and music, managing a progression of open personal responses without the weight of a direct narrative or dissonant mechanics. If you're out there looking for the holy grail of emotive game design, Hohokum's declarative statement to the power of amusement is worthy of consideration.
You should definitely try Hohokum if only to understand how weird and hard to describe it is. Some will appreciate its laid-back attitude and guidance allergy. It's certainly a beautiful and unique title, and I enjoyed playing it, but you should bring along some extra patience just in case.
Hohokum's worth greatly depends on one's ability to revel in simple, charming discoveries. There's no lasting impact, meaningful message, or even resolution to its shallow core mechanics, but a playful aesthetic and relaxing music make being in its spaces enjoyable for a time.
Sony has a habit of putting certain games on pedestals, heralding them as experiences that gamers only see on PlayStation. Typically, these are more experimental titles designed to evoke thoughts and feelings, artistic endeavors that test the boundaries of what games can and can't be. Hohokum fits perfectly into that category, and I'm sure we'll see it used as evidence in many "Are video games art?" debates.
Try not to approach Hohokum with the mind to "complete it" or "solve it" as many avid players like to treat their video games. Instead, try to think of the experience as a lesson in how games still manage to combine music and moving visuals to instill an artistic push in another.
A vibrant and delightful playground that will surprise you at every turn.
Hohokum aims to be a nonlinear, exploratory experience. While it has its charms, too often it's just dull
Perhaps confusion is the ultimate goal of Hohokum, or maybe it's to simply see something unlike anything else in the gaming space. Is it supposed to elate us, or be the last thing we do before drifting off into slumber? It's unclear whether or not the developers accomplished their goals, but does it truly matter? Hohokum is a charming, unique experience that often feels as though it doesn't stick to its guns.
Hohokum is bizarre yet hypnotic. The urge to make sense of what's going on will keep you playing a lot longer than you'd frist expect.
Hohokum is beautiful but shallow
Short, simple, and wonderfully inventive, Hohokum's bizarre aesthetics and enigmatic level design make for a consistently surprising, enjoyable romp.
"Hohokum" is an example of how abstract a video game can be when it strips away the conventions like a plot, tutorial or anything that is a virtual representation of something found on the Planet Earth. Its vagueness is both its strength and its weakness. Players will either love it for being different or hate it for the same reason. I'm stuck somewhere in between. I don't see myself revisiting "Hohokum," but it will certainly stick out in my mind for the foreseeable future.
Bad puzzles are easy to design; good puzzles (whether easy or hard) require logic, care, even a touch of the narrative Hohokum pointedly rejects. Good puzzles tell a story in their physical parts. Over time, Hohokum demands story, even as it tells you it doesn't have one, and it demands progress, even as it works so hard to act like it doesn't.
Hohokum is a different kind of game that prizes aimless interaction and exploration above completing specific objectives. It's a title that brings together a cute, minimal art style and a great soundtrack to create a zen experience. It's worth a play, but not everyone will appreciate its strengths.
There is no doubt about the fact that Hohokum achieves exactly what it wants to, the game is a relaxing and gorgeous adventure that can take a few hours from you. It does a wonderful job at helping you clear your mind and just focus on the magic happening on your television screen. Unfortunately, that relaxation can turn to confusion as you wander around attempting to figure out what to do next. Hohokum's visuals, music, and controls are spot on, but it is missing that little hand holding experience that many games need. Despite the occasional frustration it brings, Hohokum is an absolute treat to behold.
Above all else, Hohokum is a constant reminder that the verb used when we interact with games is "play."
It's one the more unusual, charming and relaxing indie efforts available on a consoles today.