Hob Reviews
I left the game not regretting my time, but with no desire to continue or relive the experience.
Runic Games has something special here and every facet of the game reeks of quality aside from one element. System performance on PS4 has a ton of stuttering or slow down moments. They have already updated the game a few times since it launched and the post support seems great, but this issue is literally my biggest and only issue. In an otherwise fantastic experience, captivating in its grandeur, this always took me right out of the experience. That blemish aside, every time I played Hob, I just got lost in its world, exciting to see everything the game would throw at me next. Exploration, combat, and the world all merge together in such a cohesive thought with almost no frustration, it’s just a sublime experience even with its performance issues.. Hob wasn’t on my list of must play games, or even known games for 2017. Don’t make the same mistake I did, Hob is definitely worth playing and a huge surprise.
Hob is an adventure that will keep you enthralled right up until the very end, and even then you may not be ready for what it has in store.
Hob is Runic Games’ first, and only, departure from Torchlight. And by most accounts it is a success. Hob packs so much personality into its world despite never uttering a word, letting every carefully placed object and interaction speak for itself. The game loses itself in moments where its camera works against its own goals and the ease with which a player can become lost before grasping the layout. However, the competent combat and engaging puzzle solving save Hob and make it a notable platformer to lose yourself in.
The gameplay is spot on, the story is compelling, everything about this game is well done and has you wanting more.
HOB is a game which I was missing for a long time and I didn't even notice it until I laid my eyes on it. The game has a flawless gameplay with so much to unravel and show you. What's not to delve into the ever-changing world of HOB?
For all it's worth, Hob is a genuinely fun Zelda-like exploration game that despite not being a classic, is worth the asking price.
Runic Games is to be lauded for taking a bold chance when the company could have simply revisited familiar grounds with another Torchlight.
Hob is a game that really works on immersing you in its world, and the end result is an experience that feels memorable and moving. It’s not as big on gameplay, but in terms of world-building, Hob is one of the classics.
Occasionally the art direction of a game is so striking, so inspired, and so beautiful one cannot help but be awed while playing. Hob, the newest adventure from Runic Games, embraces this notion and around every corner is a new canvas for the player to marvel. But does the rest of the game live up to the stunning art? Let’s dive in.
There’s an awful lot of depth to Runic Games’ action adventure indie game, Hob. Exploration of the huge steampunk-inspired world is exceptionally rewarding: secret rooms can be discovered, shortcuts can be accessed and mysterious green orbs hide in machines and tiny crevices which allow you to level up.
The most important thing though would be to address the common praise of the game, that this is “Zelda”. That would be true if Zelda lacked a story or interesting characters, or really a purpose had simplistic dungeons and more platforming than combat. Also, the enemies are repetitive and there are no interesting bosses as well.
Raising and cleansing Hob’s world was, for the most part, a good time. Nicely-flowing puzzles and platforming with a massive result in literally shifting the world around, coupled with combat encounters that were sensibly placed made sure of that.
From start to finish Hob kept me surprised. Each new area was full of new challenges to undertake and protected treasures. Combat was my least favorite and thankfully, for most of the game, it's arbitrary.
In the end as critical as I’m being with Hob it’s a pretty enjoyable game, and I like it, but it’s just aggravating so see an effort with so much apparent care get held back by a collection of lesser issues that unfortunately do add up...
Hob is definitely a game that is larger than the sum of its parts, which come together almost perfectly to create a truly singular adventure. Hob not have the AAA budget and polish of the franchises it draws inspiration from, but it has lots of heart and something to say, which is impressive for a game without a single spoken word.
The occasional design issue aside, restoring Hob's ramshackle world is satisfying, with its cel-shaded art style and tech-infused nature concealing a complex network of pulleys, valves and hidden paths.
Runic Game's Legend of Zelda inspired adventure takes players on a mundane journey through an extraordinary world.
Hob is a genuinely beautiful game, as you'd expect from the very talented people at Runic Games, the developer of Torchlight, but I do feel that there could've been, at times in the game, a bit more detail about the world the game's set within, what has happened and why, as wel as more information on Hob himself!