Hohokum

Hohokum is a calming experience that will start to rub you the wrong way after a while. At first you’ll be able to enjoy the amazing soundtrack and imagery to the fullest. But you won’t escape treating the game in a very pragmatic way to progress further in the game. A bit weird for a piece of art that is so big on atmosphere.

An artistic game that will make you forget the outside world. Hohokum is pure magic.

Despite a distinct look and feel, Hohokum doesn't live up to its more ethereal aspirations.

It's rarely short of absurd charm or interesting things to do. [Oct 2014, p.88]

A gorgeous explore 'n' experiment experience. Can be too directionless which can harsh one's buzz. [October 2014, p83]

Hohokum is a spiritual journey without a destination. It starts as an interactive screensaver, but slowly unfolds into a puzzle game. There are no hints, which is refreshing but ends up being feeling a a bit frustrating. It requires backtracking through a world in which navigation is cumbersome. That repetition detracts from the phenomenal design and soundtrack.

Hohokum is a really relaxing game, with brightly colored worlds and soothing music, but people looking for a challenge are at the wrong address with Hohokum.

Hohokum is unlike anything you’ve ever played in your PlayStation. Occasionally there are different experiences on Sony consoles like Patapon, flOw and Journey that make us believe that video games are an art form. Hohokum can be placed in the same group.

Hohokum is a strange experience: there's a little bit of puzzle solving in it, but the main value of the game remains its artistic and creative look.

Hohokum is a weird, interesting game that unfortunately not everybody is going to enjoy. Try it if you have a chance, you could fall in love with this stylish piece of art from the British studio Honeyslug.

Players will be discovering secrets in Hohokum for years, even if the ways to interact with it are quite limited.

For its vibrant visual design, wonderful music and sheer whimsical weirdness, Hohokum is well worth experiencing. But at times it seems to be meandering back and forth between a video game and a piece of interactive art, unsure of which world it belongs to.

Hohokum is not a game to show this medium a new direction. Instead it points to where gaming came from, promoting a delightfully childish sense of play.

But once I had the sense that there were specific things to be done in order to achieve goals, that became my focus, and the magic of the experience suffered for it. The sense of wonder I had with each new discovery was tempered by the logical part of my brain, which began looking for problems to solve and working out plans.

Hohokum gives you everything you need to enter a colorful and freeform world with little restraint toward the kind of art exploration that turns anyone into a finger-paint prodigy. That doesn’t make for the greatest video game, even if its charm lasts far longer than you’d think.

Short, simple, and wonderfully inventive, Hohokum's bizarre aesthetics and enigmatic level design make for a consistently surprising, enjoyable romp.

It’s easy to get lost in Hohokum’s enchanting scenes, but it’s just as easy to come crashing back down to Earth when you lose your way.

In the end, Hohokum often seems content with simply being strange rather than evolving into something transcendent.

It’s difficult to adequately explain or describe Hohokum. It’ll fill you with a child-like sense of wonderment with its abstract exploration, but as a game, its definitely a case of style over substance.

Hohokum‘s intriguing collection of free-form worlds begs exploration, but the game’s questionable structure stifles the ability to play it on your own terms. It’s an aural and visual spectacle, but it’s also a lot more frustrating than it ever needed to be.

Hohokum may look bright and colorful, but it can feel awfully like stumbling around in a darkened room. It's a double-edged sword. Charting the unknown can feel as stressful as it is intoxicating. There's serenity to be found in the shadows, but it's just as easy to become agitated as you reach out into the black, searching for that elusive light switch.

Hohokum’s worth greatly depends on one’s ability to revel in simple, charming discoveries. There’s no lasting impact, meaningful message, or even resolution to its shallow core mechanics, but a playful aesthetic and relaxing music make being in its spaces enjoyable for a time.

While the game's audiovisual presentation is not to be missed, Hohokum as a game experience leaves something to be desired. The lack of a purposeful goal is both relaxing and frustrating, as it's difficult to discern any true meaning other than simply existing and floating around. This isn't so much a game as it is interactive art.

The title’s at its best when you meander through its oversaturated scenes without purpose, but that means that it’s not recommended for everyone.

Hohokum is a different kind of game that prizes aimless interaction and exploration above completing specific objectives. It's a title that brings together a cute, minimal art style and a great soundtrack to create a zen experience. It's worth a play, but not everyone will appreciate its strengths.

Hohokum is the prime example of a game whose beauty is truly skin deep. It sure is lovely to look at, and if that's all you want, you won't be disappointed. There's just not much under the surface.