Hob Reviews
Hob is a beguiling action adventure that's hamstrung by its platforming and a sub-par second half.
Hob is a beautiful but unoriginal Zelda-like that lacks an interesting story and has mind-numbingly dull combat and exploration.
Though it pains to proclaim such a promising title as this — given how obviously ambitious its world-building stands, how undeniably strange-but-enticing its organic-mechanical aesthetic is or how inviting the otherwise isolating ambience of its sound design is — Hob may well be one of the more disappointing showings for the genre this year when all is said and done.
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.
Hob tries to do a lot of things within its beautiful world but never does any of them very well. The platforming feels janky and slow, combat is basic and meaningless, and the puzzles will make you wish you were back in 10th grade listening to your Geometry teacher explain proofs for the millionth time. A great game was not too far away from what eventually was delivered, but outside of the stunning visuals and world design, Hob falls frustratingly short.
Intricate and ingenious, Hob is a true spiritual successor to A Link to the Past.
I left the game not regretting my time, but with no desire to continue or relive the experience.
Were Hob a tightly-scripted action adventure that guided the player from point to point and told them exactly what was expected of them, it wouldn't be nearly as magical an experience, and certainly not as personal. Making my own decisions (and my own mistakes) makes the impressive, world-changing moments feel like something I did.
Hob is like a beautiful example of how to make a third-person action game.
Hob creates a magical and wondrous world that adapts and changes thanks to your input. Watching the world shift around you and sometimes underneath you is awe-inspiring and magnificent. Seeing the fruits of your labour literally coming to life is one of Hob’s biggest selling points and makes the game worth playing by itself. The game’s art, world design and wordless narrative all come together to make a genuinely special experience. Some aspects of Hob’s gameplay and systems can hold it back from being truly unique and captivating, but it more than makes up for it through personality and liveliness alone.
Runic Games is to be lauded for taking a bold chance when the company could have simply revisited familiar grounds with another Torchlight.