Hob

 PC
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Nov 12, 2017
    90
    A gorgeous action-adventure that transports you to a magical world. [Issue#267, p.74]
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  2. GameSpace
    Oct 1, 2017
    90
    Hob never loses momentum as you dive deeper and deeper into the game. It constantly rewards you by making the game easy to consume and feeling like you can go for just a little longer. As a result, this is one of the few games that I’ve ever had trouble putting down. The gorgeous artwork might draw you in but the content will not let you leave.
  3. Gamer.nl
    Oct 16, 2017
    85
    Hob is like working on an exotic island during your holiday. Yes, you are responsible for some things, but during puzzles and fights you can thoroughly enjoy nature, architecture and culture of a strange world.
  5. MMORPG.com
    Sep 30, 2017
    85
    Hob is a fantastic game and just be on a play list for anyone who enjoys puzzle platformers and wouldn’t mind some light RPG elements thrown in. The story is told organically and beautifully through gameplay and has some of the best sound design I’ve seen in a game.
  6. IGN Italia
    Oct 9, 2017
    84
    A pretty good action-adventure, with a fantastic world design. The combat system is a little bit too simple, but the experience is really positive. Recommended.
  7. The Games Machine
    Oct 10, 2017
    82
    Hob is an action adventure that stands on the shoulders of giants like Legend of Zelda, and offers an experience based around a constantly-growing world. There are some camera and technical issues, but fans of the genre should definitely consider it.
  8. GameStar
    Oct 8, 2017
    81
    Hob is a charming action adventure that shows the journey is more important than the destination.
  9. GameOver.gr
    Nov 11, 2017
    80
    We wanted to explore the world of Hob from the first minute we set our foot in it, thanks to the attractive visuals and its precise gameplay controls that helped made platforming a joy. It’s too bad that combat seemed to be an afterthought, but nevertheless Runic crafted a beautiful, mythical environment.
  10. Worth Playing
    Oct 30, 2017
    80
    Hob is a solid adventure game. If you can live with brief moments of frustration when you're lost and nothing is going on, you'll often be rewarded with a large chunk of the game where the pacing is just right and the balance between combat and puzzle elements is fair. Despite a few issues with stuttering, the presentation is exquisite, and the game comes in at a satisfying length. Adventure fans would do well to give Hob a look.
  11. 4P.de
    Oct 18, 2017
    80
    A fascinating trip into as living world full of mysterious puzzle machines.
  12. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 6, 2017
    80
    Good, but with some camera and combat flaws, Hob will be enjoyed by those in search of a good Zelda-like.
  13. Eurogamer Italy
    Oct 4, 2017
    80
    Hob is the reflection of one of the best developers of our time. A team brave enough to change completely genre moving away from a golden goose like Torchlight in order to create a little gem of level design and exploration. A puzzle game full of mysteries and wonder. [Recommended]
  14. Game Informer
    Oct 2, 2017
    80
    Despite its technical hiccups and frustrating early hours, Hob is a worthwhile experience that rewards ardent explorers and delivers an exciting mystery to unravel. Each conquered dungeon feels like a mini triumph as you watch the desolate and dying world come back to life, and I loved the sense of wonder and each "a-ha" moment of discovery. Even after I finished the main story of Hob, I was excited to jump back in and search for more secrets hidden within the world.
  15. PC Invasion
    Sep 28, 2017
    80
    Runic Games take you on a wondrous mysterious journey through fantastic environments making HOB well worth your time.
  16. PC Games
    Sep 30, 2017
    78
    You should not expect a grown-up action adventure in the Zelda format, because Runic Games relies entirely on the fun exploring and leaves a lot of potential unused.
  17. IGN
    Sep 28, 2017
    78
    Hob is a beautiful Zelda-like puzzler with fun combat elements that takes place on an enchanting world where nature and machinery alter the landscape as easily as a twist of a Rubik's cube. The wordless approach to the story creates some confusion and the fix camera sometimes results in unnecessary deaths, but never does the time spent with Hob feel wasted.
  18. PC Gamer
    Sep 26, 2017
    77
    A gorgeous world eager to be explored with satisfying puzzles and fun, if occasionally clumsy, action.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Eurogamer
    Sep 26, 2017
    Intricate and ingenious, Hob is a true spiritual successor to A Link to the Past. [Recommended]
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Sep 26, 2017
    Hob is like a beautiful example of how to make a third-person action game. Like a filmmaker who has learned every detail of cinematography, direction, lighting and set dressing, but never thought to care about the script. In that, I found it impossible to escape the sense of lack that pervades its beauty, both in an overall motivation (beyond “because it’s there”), and in the “why?” of everything you do. It’s fun to play, it’s often extremely clever, but – well – it lacks at the same time too.

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
71
#71 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 131 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 131
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 131
  3. Negative: 19 out of 131
  1. Zer0TheHer0
    Oct 1, 2017
    0
    keyboard controls aren't redefinable.....if you don't play with wasd you're screwed....if you don't like the control setup you'rekeyboard controls aren't redefinable.....if you don't play with wasd you're screwed....if you don't like the control setup you're screwed.....this is absolutely unacceptable in this time and age… Full Review »
  2. Dranakar
    Oct 7, 2017
    7
    Hob is beautiful, it's hard to argue against that, it has beautiful environments and have a highly stylized art-style, which makes the gameHob is beautiful, it's hard to argue against that, it has beautiful environments and have a highly stylized art-style, which makes the game enjoyable to look at. And that's it's saving grace. The game has everything going for it, has no bugs for what I've experienced (except maybe a couple of unintentional navmeshes), but the level design.

    Jesus guys, the level design and the puzzles are unfortunatley very lacking to say the least. Most of them revolves around a 'do this' kind of mentality that makes 'puzzles' more of a chore and not something you have to figure out.
    Non of the puzzles made me feel clever cause I was handed the solution seconds before encountering it. And the payoff is usually a very flashy and good looking animation of the world changing, which is cool, but after getting the same reward everytime, you come to expect it and it becomes a bit boring.
    The world design in general is really nice and the world ties together beautifully and shortcuts you unlock makes the world easy to traverse.

    But the level design... It's such a wasted opportunity for such a polished game.

    The 'dungeons' are extremely linear and usually reveals a key before a door, making the challenge non-existing. At the same time, you don't have any idea what you're trying to achieve in the dungeon, before you've actually achieved it which makes you go 'huh, that's neat' but not more than that.

    Basically there are only 1 way to go and I found myself trying to explore (cause I love to) but whenever I tried, I wasn't rewarded for it.
    Once In my 4 hours of play did I find a side path which led me to a cave that I'd been teased earlier in a vista, and I was so ready to be rewarded for finding it. The reward... a glowing wall... presumably story related, but not rewarding for such a build-up.

    I'm about 50% through the game as of writing this review and I'm unsure if I'll finish it since the challenge of the game was so lack-luster. It's really a shame, cause most of the level-design could have been fixed in an early blockout phase.
    I'm giving the score of 7 - while the gameplay smoothness and the artstyle alone would score a 10/10 on both fields, the level design I would rate 1 or 2/10 cause it drags the experience so much down.

    I'm not sorry for buying the game, as long as the team looks on some of these reviews and take notes. You're next game better up their level design :)    … Full Review »
  3. Bortx
    Jan 5, 2018
    8
    The game suffers from consolitis. The keyboard controls are not remap-able and the default choice for the keys are awkward. You can tell theseThe game suffers from consolitis. The keyboard controls are not remap-able and the default choice for the keys are awkward. You can tell these people did not test with the keyboard especially the choice the grappling hook on Q when you have to use A with it in conjunction.

    The game also crashes a lot. About every 45 min of play.

    Aside from that it is a wonderful game with great art style and level design. The developers also make it so you don't have to repeat complex platform puzzles by providing shortcuts after they have been solved. Great atmosphere and sound.

    If they can fix the crashes and allow for remapping keys, this game is worthy of a 10.    … Full Review »
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