A Hat in Time

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
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  1. Game Over Online
    Jan 2, 2018
    95
    However, as an overall product, A Hat in Time is a must-buy for any 3D platforming fan. The pacing is superb in every stage, and there’s far more variety here than in any 3D platformer released in the past decade. The game definitely has some rough edges – but they’re a bit like eating a fine meal on a cracked plate. The overall experience is so great that you don’t remember the small nagging issues very much. The camera could definitely use some work, and the soundtrack may not be the most memorable ever – but it’s genuinely great, as is the voice work. It’s clear that this was a passion project, and it’s one of the finest crowd-funded projects ever made.
  2. PSX Extreme
    Mar 13, 2018
    90
    A Hat in Time is just plain fun. It reminded me of a mixture of Mario 64 and Spryo the Dragon. It’s humorous and charming. It has a bunch of really memorable characters and diverse worlds that are very distinct. The only downsides might be a short run time and some minor graphical issues but it was never enough to ruin my experience.
  3. GamePro Germany
    Jan 29, 2018
    86
    Sugar sweet, sophisticated 3D platformer, close the greats of the genre, with lots of creativity and great level design.
  5. Video Chums
    Dec 12, 2017
    85
    A Hat in Time is a charming adventure with four wonderfully crafted and unique worlds. Finding new hats and abilities keeps the gameplay exciting and overall, A Hat in Time ended up being the best non-Nintendo 3D platformer that I've played in quite a while.
  6. PlayStation Universe
    Dec 8, 2017
    85
    Buckets of adorable charm and solid platforming fundamentals win out over some minor shortcomings to cement A Hat in Time as one of the best surprises of the year.
  7. XGN
    Jan 3, 2018
    80
    A Hat in Time is not a perfect experience, but it is one of the most lovingly made games this year. If you want more platforming after completing Super Mario Odyssey you should definitely give A Hat in Time a go.
  8. LevelUp
    Dec 18, 2017
    80
    A Hat in Time is not the best platform game of this year, but it surprises us with degrees of experimentation and gameplay variety. Gears for Breakfast debut title is not only recommended for those who yearns the golden age of old school 3D platformers, but also those who want the experience from the past fused with modern designed elements.
  9. Game Informer
    Dec 12, 2017
    80
    A Hat in Time lacks polish, but it makes up for its shortcomings with excellent platforming and a universe I was happy to be part of. The whole experience is adorable, and in many ways it improves on the very platformers it uses as inspiration.
  10. Multiplayer.it
    Dec 7, 2017
    80
    A Hat in Time is a solid and fun 3D platformer, with inspired and charismatic characters.
  11. Vandal
    Dec 6, 2017
    80
    This title is a great platformer, that shows there are still ways to surprise within the genre. If you want a platformer for Christmas, this one is a pretty good option.
  12. Trusted Reviews
    Dec 6, 2017
    80
    A Hat in Time is more than a lovingly crafted homage to the world of platformers; it’s a delightful adventure in its own right that brings creative innovation to the genre in an abundance of wonderful ways.
  13. Metro GameCentral
    Dec 5, 2017
    80
    A hugely entertaining 3D platformer that channels the imagination and unpredictability of older games without becoming a prisoner to the past.
  14. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Dec 5, 2017
    80
    A Hat in Time is delightfully charming and always manages to take a left turn, surprising and challenging even a storied gamer like myself.
  15. Digital Chumps
    Dec 21, 2017
    75
    What’s most important is that, in most cases, A Hat in Time is more interested in looking around than staring backward. This is a challenging exercise for a 3D platformer, and yet A Hat in Time keeps its perspective balanced between careful devotion and sensible progression. Being responsive to your environment, as it turns out, makes it easier to see where you should be going.
  16. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Feb 22, 2018
    70
    A twitchy camera inspires ire, but the game manages the neat trick of doffing its cap to Nintendo's N64 classics, while still maintaining its own identity, impresses with its charm and variety. [Feb 2018, p.94]
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  17. M3
    Jan 29, 2018
    70
    A Hat in Time is a game full of fun, charm and variety - just like the best 3D platform games from the late 90's. Even though A Hat in Time is not as polished as, for example, Super Mario's latest adventures, it's still an entertaining adventure that is a great choice for everyone who wants to relive something akin to the platforming games from their childhood.
  18. Push Square
    Dec 11, 2017
    60
    A Hat in Time excels with an overwhelming charm in its writing and art direction that overcomes any missteps in these areas. Its core, smooth mechanics also benefit from promising ideas, but none of them prevent the game from being pulled into a wormhole of mediocre level design and objectives. The potential for phenomenal platforming and exploration is here, but for every positive, there seems to be a negative in A Hat in Time.
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This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

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  1. The Jimquisition
    Dec 13, 2017
    Yeah, it’s alright. It’s not Yooka-Laylee, and that’s better than being Yooka-Laylee.

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Best PS4 Game of 2017
76
#76 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 121 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 93 out of 121
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 121
  3. Negative: 14 out of 121
  1. Jobernater
    Dec 11, 2017
    9
    If you're looking for a platformer in the in the style of Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie or even Sly Cooper then you'veIf you're looking for a platformer in the in the style of Super Mario Sunshine, Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie or even Sly Cooper then you've come to the right place. Every area in this game is not only well-designed from the visual standpoint, but from a gameplay standpoint as well. Each level has a completely different feel to it, but the game never loses sight of what it is. The story is simplistic and the ending is kind of unsatisfying, but the characters more than make up for it. Notably, The Snatcher, The Conductor, and Hat Kid are all very entertaining. In terms of presentation, the Wind Waker-esqe art style is very pretty to look at, and the character design is amazing, although the animations sometimes leave something to be desired. The soundtrack is a mixed bag, but not in the "some of it is good and some of it isn't" sense. What the soundtrack lacks in consistency, it MORE than makes up for in terms of sheer variety and quality of it's tracks (and I'm a sucker for any game that puts some electro-swing into it's ost). Controlling Hat Kid is easy and responsive. Mapping a cancelable dive to the R2 button was a genius idea, and although I wish it was unlocked from the start, diving into and off of walls always feels satisfying to do (especially when you're making a tricky jump or saving yourself from a fall). The game does suffer from a few small problems however:
    Firstly, I should mention how glitchy the game is. While the glitches aren't unbearably bad, I DID softlock at one point, which really sucked.
    Secondly, the game is really short.
    I understand that this is an indie game (I helped back it after all), but I think a little more time should have been put into ironing out some stuff like being able to grapple through walls or into water (which is what softlocked me). I CAN say, that the problem of the game's length will be rectified once the 2 free dlc chapters are released, and (at least on Steam) mod support will keep the game alive for a long time.
    All in all, A Hat in Time is a rare instance where a game kickstarted on Kickstarter ended up being not only exactly what they said it would be, but so much more. I really appreciate the work done here and I hope the team decides to continue making games. They really seem to care about their work, which is something a lot of game developers and companies have been sorely lacking lately.    … Full Review »
  2. Badilsquare
    May 31, 2020
    4
    This game could be good, but the basic platforming feel like an outdated platform game, camera movement is a mess. I got alot of frustationThis game could be good, but the basic platforming feel like an outdated platform game, camera movement is a mess. I got alot of frustation because the character doesn't move the way it suppose to. I got stuck on a level because she can't running on wall somehow and thats it i uninstall it immediately.… Full Review »
  3. IReviewGames101
    Aug 30, 2019
    10
    This game is amazing and really reminds me of games like super Mario 64. Really underrated and deserves more popularity.
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