A Breezy, Ghibli-Inspired Smoothie
My gaming appetite tends to shift depending on my mood. Sometimes I want a fast and furious experience, like an action adventure full of car chases, shootouts, and leaping between buildings. Other times, I crave a horror, fleeing down dark corridors while being chased by something nasty.
But my absolute go-to comfort food is the platformer genre. Perhaps it is because I grew up on these types of games, but I still find them incredibly relaxing, even the more challenging ones. That is exactly why Hoa caught my eye with its beautiful world and relaxing gameplay.
A Silent Journey
There is a gentle story here, told almost entirely without words, relying instead on its brilliant visuals to do the heavy lifting. You play as Hoa, a little fairy-like being who resembles a giant wizard’s hat with little legs. Rooted in Vietnamese mythology, she arrives in this world on a leaf boat and is tasked with bringing life back to the environment and its creatures. This is the place where she grew up; by returning, she unlocks childhood memories through interactions with the creatures who still remember her.
The developers have openly cited Studio Ghibli as a major influence, which is clearly evident in both the storytelling and the visual design. I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle, simple narrative and found my brief time in this world deeply relaxing.
Gentle Mechanics
The gameplay is equally relaxing. While it can be a little tricky at times, there are no death or game-over screens to worry about, simply because there is no violence to speak of. The mechanics are wonderfully straightforward, and even without much instruction, picking them up feels as natural as riding a bike.
You have a standard jump, alongside a mid-air double jump to help you clear larger gaps, of course. As you progress, you unlock additional skills, such as a hovering ability to help you access hard-to-reach areas. In the final half-hour of the game, a few more mechanics are introduced that I won’t spoil here. However, these additions felt a bit late to the party; they left me wishing the game lasted much longer than its current two-hour runtime.
As mentioned earlier, you can’t actually die in Hoa, but there are some enemies in the form of robots. Instead of killing you, they simply knock you back, serving to disrupt your platforming rhythm. Beyond them, there is a huge array of creatures – ranging from tiny critters to giant beasts like a massive octopus – that act not as foes, but as friends to share memories with. The gentle nature of the game is like a refreshing, breezy smoothie for the brain.
Linear Paths and Lighthearted Puzzles
In terms of difficulty, the gameplay is very simple, though it does throw something slightly unusual and different at you towards the very end. The pacing is slow, featuring some light puzzle designs that are nowhere near the complexity of recent Metroidvania releases.
You bounce off bugs, follow snails around, and generally feel as though you are having a lovely day out in the countryside. The puzzles never truly made my brain hurt, and navigating the levels was never an issue, even in the late game. I suspect some players will find this distinct lack of challenge to be a problem, and others might crave a slightly brisker pace. The journey is also very linear, offering little to no incentive to replay the game for collectables or secrets.
Fairy Dust and Spellbinding Environments
It is visually, however, where Hoa truly impresses. The Studio Ghibli vibes are ever-present, showcasing brilliant colours and delightful creature designs. It is the little touches that work so well; for instance, every time Hoa jumps, she leaves a tiny explosion of fairy dust in her wake. The five distinct areas are utterly beautiful, particularly an underwater section that is genuinely spellbinding. Once again, the final section proves to be visually dramatic and highly effective.
The soundtrack consists of a mixture of beautiful, haunting piano tracks that provide the perfect meditative accompaniment to the gameplay. The ambient sound effects are subtle and full of natural noises, such as birdsong, which beautifully enhances the overall calm nature of the experience.
Short but Spellbinding
Hoa is a thoroughly pleasant journey from start to finish. Sometimes it is good to take a break from the constant death, violence, and horror of video games, and that’s where this one comes in. Don’t get me wrong, I love those intense experiences, but stepping into a calm, beautiful world is a lovely treat every now and then.
Hoa isn’t perfect; it is decidedly short, and I felt it was over long before I was ready to leave. The lack of a real challenge might also frustrate some players. But when you get to experience a world that looks so stunning and sounds so amazing, what is there to complain about?
Important Links
The stunning Hoa lands on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-stunning-hoa-lands-on-xbox-playstation-switch-and-pc/
Ghibli-esque Hoa platform leap to Xbox and PlayStation in July – https://www.thexboxhub.com/ghibli-esque-hoa-platform-leap-to-xbox-and-playstation-in-july/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/hoa/9P69BDSC7QBG
