Hob

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 57 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 57
  3. Negative: 13 out of 57

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  1. jazzy_jeff
    Dec 7, 2018
    5
    Disappointing game.

    Hob has all the parts to be great, but it comes up short on execution. It’s an action/platformer/puzzle game at heart, but it doesn’t excel in any of these areas. It’s all so... dull. And the performance issues don’t help. I didn’t finish the game, but had enough after a few hours.

    Aside from its art direction, it’s just not very good.
  2. BobbyGuano
    Oct 6, 2017
    9
    This game is really something special. I was a huge fan of the Torchlight series and thought this looked kind of interesting so I bought it without really knowing what to expect....it's incredible.

    This is just set in such a unique and compelling world that it just sucked me in right off the bat. It's a place you want to spend time in and it's a place you just want to explore. If    This game is really something special. I was a huge fan of the Torchlight series and thought this looked kind of interesting so I bought it without really knowing what to expect....it's incredible.

    This is just set in such a unique and compelling world that it just sucked me in right off the bat. It's a place you want to spend time in and it's a place you just want to explore.

    If you are a fan of Zelda/Metriodvania's and are at all interested in HoB just go ahead and buy it. This really is a modern game that takes you back to those times as a kid when you played Zelda/Metroid where you had to figure out/learn everything on you own through trial and error and exploration. This little gem has more heart and soul than anything I have played in years.    … Expand
  3. SuperDuck23
    Oct 2, 2017
    8
    Imaginative and fun to play, Hob is a solid puzzle platformer that impressed me through most of its lengthy runtime. Its art style, creative puzzles and creepy monster designs are all worthy of praise. Aside from a few frustrating camera issues, the occasional frame-rate drop and an underwhelming ending, there are not many complaints that I have. Hob is a well constructed game that is veryImaginative and fun to play, Hob is a solid puzzle platformer that impressed me through most of its lengthy runtime. Its art style, creative puzzles and creepy monster designs are all worthy of praise. Aside from a few frustrating camera issues, the occasional frame-rate drop and an underwhelming ending, there are not many complaints that I have. Hob is a well constructed game that is very reminiscent of some older classics in the genre, which is never a bad thing.… Expand
  4. GBG_Jason
    Sep 27, 2017
    10
    It’s not often that a game takes the path of no discernible dialogue, and instead relies on you to not only figure out what it’s saying by body language, but also gives another language to decipher on top of it. That’s not to say games don’t do it – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is one of the more notable games in recent years to do this. But it’s a bold approach. When a game not only doesIt’s not often that a game takes the path of no discernible dialogue, and instead relies on you to not only figure out what it’s saying by body language, but also gives another language to decipher on top of it. That’s not to say games don’t do it – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is one of the more notable games in recent years to do this. But it’s a bold approach. When a game not only does that, but creates a sense of deep emotions within the first few minutes, and follows it up with deep combat and puzzle-platforming, you know you’re in for something truly special.

    The feeling I get when playing this game is the same I receive from playing something like Super Metroid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and a number of older Zelda games. Finding items off the beaten path is just as exciting as progressing in the story. Getting into fights with enemies much larger than you and having a little fanfare once you defeat them is rewarding and something to cherish. Gaining new abilities allowing for you to backtrack to puzzle pieces you saw previously that you couldn’t quite figure out feeds the love for metroidvanias. One of the nicer features I found while solving the puzzles the game has to offer is that it doesn’t force you to complete them again if you die. If there’s a timed puzzle that you complete and you end up falling off the ledge right after (very possible with some of the fixed camera angles), you don’t have to worry about rushing through it once again.

    The game offers a lot in terms of content, and the challenges are also quite dubious. While you’ll likely be upgrading your character your first run, subsequent playthroughs challenge you to beat it with less than 5 deaths (Limbo, anyone?) and no optional upgrades. These are certainly doable, as the game offers a few difficulty options, but fun and worthy challenges nonetheless.

    The skills that were learned in the creation of the Torchlight series are evident here. The level creation, the ability to see your character through the environment with the fixed camera (love this so much – I forgot how much I prefer to not have to control the camera in this type of game), and the overall art direction are all reminiscent of my time with their previous games.

    Perhaps my favorite character of the game is the world itself. While many games boast a living, breathing, open world, they still often feel lifeless. In this, you can’t stray too far off from the provided paths, lest you be hurt or killed by the fauna on the walls – be they toxic or not. This may be seen as a cheap tactic, and it can be depending on how it’s implemented, but it’s done so masterfully here. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring part of the game is when the world itself changes by your doing. You’ll see this a bit from the robot at the beginning, but soon you’ll be making much bigger changes to the world you live in. Whether it be a dungeon or simply a wall to walk across, the ever changing world is one of the coolest aspects you’ll find in video games today.

    I’m hoping that this ends up a sleeper hit, as people start seeing and hearing just how solid of a game it is. If you were to ask what my contenders for game of the year are right now, it’d be between Persona 5 and Hob. Yes, I’ve played Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Horizon Zero Dawn, and the other heavy hitters from the year. No, I didn’t feel as inspired by them as I did with P5 and this. If you’ve been searching for that game with the special something you can’t find elsewhere, you’ve found it.    … Expand
  5. Kumasimc
    Oct 1, 2017
    9
    So often games talk about allowing players to change the world, and very rarely does it happen in a unique way. Much like Hyper Light Drifter, Hob gives you a mysterious, wordless world to explore with systems so intuitive that exposition and tutorials become unnecessary. When you succeed at your goals you find the world literally changing around you. While some may scoff at the idea ofSo often games talk about allowing players to change the world, and very rarely does it happen in a unique way. Much like Hyper Light Drifter, Hob gives you a mysterious, wordless world to explore with systems so intuitive that exposition and tutorials become unnecessary. When you succeed at your goals you find the world literally changing around you. While some may scoff at the idea of minimalist adventure games, much like Rime and ICO, Hob is brimming with magic for those willing to lose themselves in the world Runic has masterfully built.… Expand
  6. Dubeau
    Sep 27, 2017
    8
    Hob is a nice and fun no dialogues game. First, I love the art that went into the game. The attention to details into the levels make the game so alive. The mechanic seem to work pretty well. I got some cheap death because of twitchy landing area when jumping...nothing major. I saw some fps issues in some areas. When there are a lot particules and sunray (bloom) effect, you can feel theHob is a nice and fun no dialogues game. First, I love the art that went into the game. The attention to details into the levels make the game so alive. The mechanic seem to work pretty well. I got some cheap death because of twitchy landing area when jumping...nothing major. I saw some fps issues in some areas. When there are a lot particules and sunray (bloom) effect, you can feel the fps struggling...and I have a good PC. The story is mysterious and revolve around exploring. You have combat with a sword, but the main part of the game is activating puzzles, opening areas, finding upgrades. The world is quite elaborate and you will switch to the map quite often. There is no minimap but I find it acceptable in this case. I give it a 85%, and with fixes it should get better.… Expand
  7. stryfee-rl
    Sep 28, 2017
    9
    I thought Hob was a fantastic game! You play as a charming, nameless fellow who reminds me of a character from He-man or Thundercats. When you are awoken by some sort of Titan you emerge from a cave out in to a beautiful cartoon like world and as you explore you realise that you are a protector of a literally broken kingdom. You alter the world via ingenious puzzles and environmentalI thought Hob was a fantastic game! You play as a charming, nameless fellow who reminds me of a character from He-man or Thundercats. When you are awoken by some sort of Titan you emerge from a cave out in to a beautiful cartoon like world and as you explore you realise that you are a protector of a literally broken kingdom. You alter the world via ingenious puzzles and environmental obstacles and find secrets galore along the way, the whole world is like one gigantic mechanical clockwork jigsaw puzzle which goes from deep underground to towering above the skyline. The combat was not overly elaborate but it was good enough for me and at times I got a little stuck for where to go but that was almost part of the charm. This is not a game for people who like easy games either, you will need a bit of mental skill to work out some of the puzzles and figure out the world around you. Overall, Amazing!… Expand
  8. omghiguy
    Sep 27, 2017
    5
    What are you supposed to do and how are you supposed to do it? Even MacGyver is puzzled. There's very little that is obvious other than you have to solve puzzles. Where are those puzzles? That's part of the puzzle. How do you solve the puzzles? It's very puzzling. The artwork is nice, the controls do whatever they're supposed to do well. If you enjoy games where you have to figure outWhat are you supposed to do and how are you supposed to do it? Even MacGyver is puzzled. There's very little that is obvious other than you have to solve puzzles. Where are those puzzles? That's part of the puzzle. How do you solve the puzzles? It's very puzzling. The artwork is nice, the controls do whatever they're supposed to do well. If you enjoy games where you have to figure out literally every single thing about how the game works and what you're supposed to do in the game, this is for you.… Expand
  9. PiePieper
    Oct 3, 2017
    1
    While Hob is a ok looking game, the gameplay and mechanics leave much to be desired. Story is meh, characters are shallow and have no dimensional and music just seems like your standard indi music.
  10. Bloov
    Feb 17, 2019
    9
    Крайне недооценённый платформер-адвентчура. Удивительно красивый мир, загадочная, но простая история и довольно живая боевая система. На PS4 есть проблемы с производительностью.
  11. Artur1957
    Dec 10, 2017
    10
    É uma obra de arte! Adorei o jogo, foi um dos melhores que joguei em 2017. É um jogo relaxante e repleto de puzzles que fazem você querer jogar cada vez mais para verificar as mudanças que ocorrem no mundo. Lembrou-me um pouco de Zelda misturado com The Witness.
  12. yitus
    Aug 23, 2018
    8
    Very special game with a great eye-catching graphic aspect. Adventures, puzzles and action are the strengths of this game that does not leave those who play it unnoticed. A unique and very special adventure that will delight gamers who like this genre.
  13. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    7
    Hob is a short and fun game that can be beaten in a few hours. Check it out.
  14. Raziel72
    Aug 7, 2022
    8
    Кайфовый механический мир, где придется изрядно побегать и подраться. Редко встретишь такой стимпанк

Awards & Rankings

73
#73 Best PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Vgames
    Dec 10, 2017
    70
    Hob is a good game, even if a bit flawed. The platforming is not as good as the combat and the puzzles, and you can sometimes get lost in the world. But even with those problems the beautiful world and good soundtrack does make up for it’s shortcomings. Hob is a good game that PS4 owners with some time on their hand and an itch for a Zelda-like adventure should pick up.
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  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Nov 22, 2017
    80
    Hob is an obscurist's dream, and while it can flummox, Runic's game offers a connected world that demands to be explored, and pulled apart, and remade. It's brilliant. [Dec 2017, p.92]
  3. Games Master UK
    Nov 2, 2017
    80
    Once you do start putting it together, it's actually a relatively simple tale, but the revelations along the way are a fun reward for those determined enough to find them. [Nov 2017, p.81]
See all critic reviews »