Hue

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 86
  3. Negative: 10 out of 86

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. storageheater
    Dec 5, 2016
    7
    It's pretty darn light in terms of puzzles, though they are satisfying enough to plough through (in 4 hours tops by the way, "6 hours" is an excessively kind overstatement) - controls seem fine, excellent attempt to acknowledge colourblind people and the art is nice and clean, and while it delivers all the moving parts of your colourwheel arsenal quite briskly, it still takes quite a lotIt's pretty darn light in terms of puzzles, though they are satisfying enough to plough through (in 4 hours tops by the way, "6 hours" is an excessively kind overstatement) - controls seem fine, excellent attempt to acknowledge colourblind people and the art is nice and clean, and while it delivers all the moving parts of your colourwheel arsenal quite briskly, it still takes quite a lot of the game up by doing so. Very few of the puzzles demand great hand-eye coordination, so while timing is sometimes important it is still very accessible, it doesn't punish you for being a bit cack-handed. All in all a decent quality puzzle game for low to medium skill level puzzle fans.

    I'm not going to count the rest of this against my score despite it being a tirade of hate, because it's entirely superfluous to the actual game:

    It also has a terrible narrative (that "touches on themes of love, loss, existence and remorse") bolted on in a way that's really front-and-centre and you can't skip it, since the developer put all the narrative sections as voiceovers that play in extremely long and time-wasting corridors. So even if you mute it, you've got a long empty corridor to walk down. May as well listen to it, you don't have anything better to do. It mentions "research" and "universities" a lot so you know it's profound, and nothing wins awards like indie games that make you think. If you're wondering how much it touches on themes of love, loss, existence and remorse, it touches on them this much:
    "Do we all see the same colour? Makes you think, right? You should look at things sometimes. I wish I'd sorted out my work/life balance." That's technically a spoiler, because that is exactly as far as the game takes these themes. Sorry.

    The "collectables" have very few good things to say about them. There's a couple of them that demand you do a puzzle slightly differently for "challenge" but the majority ask you to press against the wall to find a bit that's actually hollow then walk down a narrow stretch to collect your thing, or drag a box slowly down a narrow stretch to collect your thing. Some demand you play entire zones again but with a new colour you didn't have first time to access the blocked-off collectable.

    (as a bonus, I just checked the Steam page for this, the blurb lists this as a Key Feature:
    "A world full of lively characters to talk to, each with their own personality and story."

    Let's see, you meet a miner behind some rocks, he says "i am trapped" and "thanks for saving me," and you meet a fisherman by a lighthouse who says "I wish we knew why the lighthouse doesn't work" and "the lighthouse works!" and "did you fix the lighthouse? the ships can now find us because that's what lighthouses are for", the sailor says "you can ride on my boat" or something, and it's true you do ride on his boat, and there is a woman by a waterfall who says "there are caves behind the waterfall but I wouldn't go there." Oh there's a dude in the university who says "you shouldn't be here" but since he is actually just background flavour you sail right past him in search of the end.)    … Expand
  2. EmirKhorasani
    Mar 4, 2017
    8
    Gorgeous. Puzzling. Calming. This game has a magnificent aesthetic and challenging puzzles. Puzzles are 100% of the gameplay, so if you aren't a fan of puzzle games, this one isn't for you. This game is a brilliant bite sized experience.
  3. Frankdnb
    Oct 21, 2017
    10
    Great little puzzle game, love the idea of solving puzzles with color. The music is beautiful and it has a nice story. A little short but overall great game!
  4. ReviewGene
    Oct 15, 2017
    8
    Hue is a fun, unique puzzle platformer with some good level design, and the nice odd challenge in figuring out certain levels. The use of colour change to alter the area is very smart and flows nicely with the game. The time it takes to complete the game is somewhat disappointing, as the game can be played through in a few hours. The story is redundant and confusing, pretty unnecessary forHue is a fun, unique puzzle platformer with some good level design, and the nice odd challenge in figuring out certain levels. The use of colour change to alter the area is very smart and flows nicely with the game. The time it takes to complete the game is somewhat disappointing, as the game can be played through in a few hours. The story is redundant and confusing, pretty unnecessary for a game of it's kind, which also leads to annoying breaks in the game climbing stairs or ladders listening to the narrator. Despite this, the core game is very relaxing and highly recommended if you are a fan of this type of game.… Expand
  5. mrnice
    Dec 26, 2017
    9
    I had the opposite experience of HTgamer's. No issues with fast sections. Game-time pauses while you browse for colors in the color wheel, so you can easily take your time and adjust the stick with perfect precision, even in stressing sections. The game feels perfectly polished, with zero of the minor annoyances sometimes found in indie games. For example, if you get tired of the manyI had the opposite experience of HTgamer's. No issues with fast sections. Game-time pauses while you browse for colors in the color wheel, so you can easily take your time and adjust the stick with perfect precision, even in stressing sections. The game feels perfectly polished, with zero of the minor annoyances sometimes found in indie games. For example, if you get tired of the many ladders in the game, you might start to jump upwards or downwards on them and find it greatly speeds up the climbing.

    Another example, specific to PS4 is that Dualshock 4's blue light will change to any color chosen in the game. I thought that was telling of how much care seems to have gone into the game.

    The majority of games puzzles are slightly easy and casual, but late game got surprisingly clever and even had me stuck one time, and I had no idea what to expect of where the ideas would be taken. Turns out the ideas went in all sorts of cool directions. It was cool to pass by the Goethe statue at the university and be reminded of his big role in the study of color (you should google for that free old book which is in the public domain... I don't remember the title at all)... I'm sure the devs read that book, and Newton's work too, they definitely knew what they were doing and had a passion for the subject. Maybe this game is meant for teenagers, but despite the simple presentation, I appreciate the solid work and thought put into it nonetheless.

    It does not have much replay-value despite collectibles. But a single run through the campaign was easily an 8/10 for me. You know what? I'm giving a small 9/10 for the original concept.    … Expand
  6. HTGamer
    Nov 12, 2017
    4
    Hue is a nice little platform/puzzle game, with story and gameplay mechanics inspired by colours, but is let down by poor gameplay mechanics implementation on PS4.

    You have to change the colours of the backgrounds in order to reveal invisible doors and make some obstacles and platforms appear or disappear, all of which are linked to a certain color. This opens up the possibility of    Hue is a nice little platform/puzzle game, with story and gameplay mechanics inspired by colours, but is let down by poor gameplay mechanics implementation on PS4.

    You have to change the colours of the backgrounds in order to reveal invisible doors and make some obstacles and platforms appear or disappear, all of which are linked to a certain color. This opens up the possibility of including gameplay mechanics like those of Guacamelee! and other older games, with the player shifting between "realities" in order to clear obstacles and proceed.

    It's great to shift between 2 realities at a time, but having to shift between 3 or more is too much for me. I stopped playing when I was stuck at a sequence where I had to quickly shift between 3 colors while running to avoid rolling stones. Why? Because the color shifting mechanic is tied to the right analogue stick instead of dedicated buttons, and it's imprecise. Tried it 20 times, failed, and that was it.

    I am sure that Hue is a nice game overall but the shifting mechanic implementation on PS4 was a disaster for me.    … Expand
  7. mdelolmo
    Nov 13, 2017
    8
    Beautiful puzzle/platform little game.
    The combination of its artwork and music makes playing a very immersive experience. I was particularly fascinated by the soundtrack... It inspires me such calm!
    Regarding the gameplay, I found it not too challenging, but entertaining and approachable. Some levels make you think for a few minutes, but I don't see a reason to get stuck anywhere.    Beautiful puzzle/platform little game.
    The combination of its artwork and music makes playing a very immersive experience. I was particularly fascinated by the soundtrack... It inspires me such calm!

    Regarding the gameplay, I found it not too challenging, but entertaining and approachable. Some levels make you think for a few minutes, but I don't see a reason to get stuck anywhere.
    Sometimes you'll have to switch the color somehow quickly, but if you have slow hands like me, that is not a big deal either.

    The narrative maybe does not match the quality of the artwork and music, but hey... It's a puzzle game!

    Summary: If it had a more elaborated story and maybe some more levels/secrets I would have given a higher score.    … Expand
  8. getrwuegyweh
    Oct 7, 2017
    8
    I would've given this a higher rating if it wasn't for a single glitch in only the PS4 version. Near the end, there's two moving platforms which pour down purple and blue ink, but that level is glitched. The game however, is challenging but rewarding.
  9. gamerking
    Sep 8, 2016
    10
    A well made game and polished experience. Jump into the shoes of character Hue and traverse a world laden with vibrant colours and beautiful artwork. Solve challenging puzzles by shifting the colour of the world.
  10. Thespore01
    Sep 2, 2019
    7
    bruh beth brick Nicko Osijek cocobolo vivid gogo vivify fight study susu for into
  11. Skurttish
    Jun 9, 2020
    6
    It’s a good little game, and I was going to give it an 8, but the last puzzle bumped it all the way down to a 6 for me.

    First, the good: Very unique, fun mechanic. I loved the timing sections with the falling boulders—it made me feel like I was in the Matrix, able to slow down time as I picked the next color. All of the puzzles but two are fair; one has two platforms with paint pouring    It’s a good little game, and I was going to give it an 8, but the last puzzle bumped it all the way down to a 6 for me.

    First, the good: Very unique, fun mechanic. I loved the timing sections with the falling boulders—it made me feel like I was in the Matrix, able to slow down time as I picked the next color. All of the puzzles but two are fair; one has two platforms with paint pouring down and a lever that causes them to stop, and I felt the answer to this puzzle was so difficult that it could not reasonably be solved without a walkthrough; the other is the very last puzzle, which deserves its own paragraph. I also liked that the story had the ending that it did (no more details for no spoilers).

    Now, here’s my issue: The answer to the very last puzzle involves a mechanic which is not introduced anywhere else in the game. It’s like the devs jumped out from behind a corner and shouted ‘Gotcha, we could beat you the whole time!’ Well, I already know you can, devs. Without any introduction, this particular mechanic is impossible for the player to figure out on his own unless he gets really lucky after randomly flailing around for an hour and guesses it. This is doubly disappointing because it’s the very last puzzle, supposed to be a highlight of your achievement in beating the game.

    TL;DR : Last puzzle bad. Game good; just use a walkthrough for the two levels I mentioned, and you’ll enjoy it.    … Expand
  12. drlowdon
    Mar 17, 2018
    7
    Hue is a puzzle platformer in which the player explores an initially colourless land in search of their missing mother. As the player progresses they’ll gradually unlock a selection of colours which they are able to switch to at will. The key is that any objects matching the chosen colour will “disappear” into the background and the player is required to make use of this to solve a varietyHue is a puzzle platformer in which the player explores an initially colourless land in search of their missing mother. As the player progresses they’ll gradually unlock a selection of colours which they are able to switch to at will. The key is that any objects matching the chosen colour will “disappear” into the background and the player is required to make use of this to solve a variety of puzzles and traverse the landscape.

    Hue is an enjoyable little game that combines its puzzle and platforming elements in a very satisfying way. The puzzles, unlike other examples in the genre, are always logical and can be solved without the need for trial and error or looking up YouTube videos. The controls are precise making the platforming sections, which often involve quickly switching between colours, enjoyable as well and any deaths will be the result of player error rather than awkward controls. Hue is a relatively short game (around the 4-5 hour mark) but that means it doesn’t outstay its welcome and remains fun until the end.    … Expand
  13. Underpants158
    Feb 27, 2018
    7
    Hue has an interesting and at times really cool puzzle gimmick and I don't use the word gimmick insultingly. This is the type of game that I just like to play in short bursts. Get that satisfaction from solving a few puzzles then go on to something else. I am maybe half way done with it and due to the way I play it maybe I'll never finish it but I appreciate it for what it is.
  14. HaloFever
    Aug 13, 2020
    7
    Hue is a short and simple game with a unique mechanic and some clever puzzles. The game includes some charming voice over in some section and overall has a cute story about a 2-D black and white world.

    My main criticism is the implementation of the color changing mechanic. The idea of the mechanic is brilliant. Many games will have alternate dimensional items or a foreground/background    Hue is a short and simple game with a unique mechanic and some clever puzzles. The game includes some charming voice over in some section and overall has a cute story about a 2-D black and white world.

    My main criticism is the implementation of the color changing mechanic. The idea of the mechanic is brilliant. Many games will have alternate dimensional items or a foreground/background for the player character to interact with. (Just writing about this makes me want to play more Super Mario 3.) Hue takes this to the next level with its color wheel mechanic. My issues are two fold. One, the mechanic is hit and miss with the right control stick. Sometimes I feel like I selected the right color but instead I watch the player character die. Two, there are too many similar colors. Rather than the traditional rainbow, the game also includes pink, cyan, and a light purple. The orange and yellow are also similar, though this could be an issue my TV's color settings. The similar looking colors create several issues with the puzzles involved and seem rather unnecessary overall when none of the puzzles actually require the use of all of the colors. The game's core strength is in its simplicity, and the color changing option should be just as simple.

    The puzzles themselves are as inspired as any you see in these types of games. They also become more complicated as the game progresses, from stupidly easy to 15 minute long brain busters near the end. This is all quite nice for keeping the player engaged.

    All-in-all, there is not much game to review. I might even score this as a 5 but I do not want to give the impression that I did not like the game. I will say that I downloaded this for "free" from PlayStation Plus, and Sony provided this as the third game to the usual two releases per month on the service. For the right price, the game is a no brainer of good time.    … Expand
  15. hiro64
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    Great game, with a marvelous soundtrack. Fun puzzles, you never feel lost or clueless.
  16. Winko
    Oct 24, 2017
    7
    Good:
    - Wide variety of puzzles; interesting use of limited assests
    - Challenging gameplay that is rewarding - The devs did a great job of weaving the colors collected into the game’s narrative - Great art style; animations are much better than what I was expecting - Fantastic soundtrack; voice acting is sparse but very strong - Hue really utilizes the the PS4 controller’s color    Good:
    - Wide variety of puzzles; interesting use of limited assests
    - Challenging gameplay that is rewarding
    - The devs did a great job of weaving the colors collected into the game’s narrative
    - Great art style; animations are much better than what I was expecting
    - Fantastic soundtrack; voice acting is sparse but very strong
    - Hue really utilizes the the PS4 controller’s color changing light bar
    - Most rooms are set up so you won’t get stuck in them; safeguards are put up all over the place so you don't have to manually restart, which is very impressive in terms of level design
    - The slow mo feature that kicks in while changing colors is very helpful

    Mixed:
    - The ending is a little weak considering the build-up
    - Personally, there were way too many collectibles with no real incentive to collect them all; For people who are looking for a challenge and to extend their time with the game, they can put some effort into picking them all up

    Bad:
    - The last act tends to drag on and is significantly longer than the other chapters
    - Sections of the game would consist of empty hallways that existed for the sole purpose of moving the narrative forward
    - Weird inclusion of NPCs; there are very few of them and they just tend to distract from what’s going on with the narrative
    XXX    … Expand
  17. MasterRiley
    Aug 6, 2018
    9
    Hue is a very unique and creative platformer/puzzle game. The story and game mechanics revolve around colour. The game starts in black and white and as you travel to new areas you unlock new colours that you can see in the world. But the colours you unlock are also used in the puzzles and platforming as well. If you don't have a specific colour yet, there are specific parts of the worldHue is a very unique and creative platformer/puzzle game. The story and game mechanics revolve around colour. The game starts in black and white and as you travel to new areas you unlock new colours that you can see in the world. But the colours you unlock are also used in the puzzles and platforming as well. If you don't have a specific colour yet, there are specific parts of the world you won't be able to access yet as they rely on that specific colour. The puzzles are very cool and often require you to think outside of the box in order to solve them. I often found myself stumped trying to figure them out. But when I would finally figure them out it was extremely satisfying to progress to the next part of the game. Overall, its a fantastic game. If you like indie games, puzzle games, and games with a unique art style this game is for you.… Expand
  18. Dragonfly44
    Feb 24, 2021
    7
    Pretty fun for a puzzle game with some cool ideas, but nothing too special. 70/100
  19. Kokoroket87
    Feb 2, 2018
    8
    A 2D Puzzle/Platformer guided by a clever core mechanic; change the monochrome world’s colour palette to advance in the game. It’s a simple idea that evolves steadily into more complex iterations as you proceed, like the best mechanics. The colour palette is represented by a colour wheel, only visible when activated by directing the right trigger stick to the correct colour required. TimeA 2D Puzzle/Platformer guided by a clever core mechanic; change the monochrome world’s colour palette to advance in the game. It’s a simple idea that evolves steadily into more complex iterations as you proceed, like the best mechanics. The colour palette is represented by a colour wheel, only visible when activated by directing the right trigger stick to the correct colour required. Time slows but doesn’t stop until you strike a palette then release the stick. This mostly feels intuitive, only slipping with particularly quick response challenges that could result in incorrect palette swaps, however that’s more about challenge than a bad control scheme.

    The soundtrack is exceptional; a classical piano focussed soundscape that compliments what is a surprisingly effective bittersweet coming-of-age story. The writing and acting present are great examples of why most AAA games in the same department fall short for me – there are inflections appropriate to the emotional beats of the story that never succumb to melodrama nor feel like one simply rehearsing a scene - when things get emotional, it’s convincing.

    Hue takes roughly one or two nights to beat, but it doesn’t intend to occupy your time for too long. The learning curve is well balanced and the story acts to compliment the core mechanic rather than drive it and this works. A great bridging game perhaps between more complex, time important titles. Recommended.    … Expand
  20. LexuzEagle
    Mar 20, 2018
    6
    Audibly and visually brilliant, Hue is quite relaxing to play if you are looking to try something different yet simple or take a break from a more immersive or full-on game. However, it's really quite short and the puzzles should not pose any real challenge to a player of any ability. The story is a bit nonsensical at times and in all honesty, there is not much satisfaction to be gainedAudibly and visually brilliant, Hue is quite relaxing to play if you are looking to try something different yet simple or take a break from a more immersive or full-on game. However, it's really quite short and the puzzles should not pose any real challenge to a player of any ability. The story is a bit nonsensical at times and in all honesty, there is not much satisfaction to be gained for completing the game.

    Altogether, the game gets a mixed review because it is enjoyable whilst playing, and although it does not have much replay value, it is a nice little game to play in one or two sittings.    … Expand
  21. Snyx
    May 25, 2018
    8
    Hue is a puzzle platformer with a charming art style and puzzle mechanics that revolve around the use of color. The game gradually introduces new mechanics as you play, and solving puzzles to proceed from one room to the next proved to be fun and even challenging at times.
  22. iBob_1977
    Sep 23, 2018
    8
    For a strange reason, this one and Thomas Was Alone, are my favourite puzzle/platformers of all time. The story, the music, the learning curve, the puzzles themselves...everything is superb! Just dive into the color blind world of Hue!
  23. Bonsai76
    Aug 21, 2019
    10
    This is an amazing puzzle game! The game desing, art and animation and especially the score - were all 10 out of 10. Looking forward to Hue 2 !
  24. 234566
    Jul 23, 2020
    9
    난이도가 적당히 어려워서 끝까지 흥미진진하게 퍼즐을 풀 수 있었습니다. 게임 그래픽은 간단하면서 아기자기하고 예뻤습니다. 다만 수집품으로 플라스크를 모으는 게 있었는데 플라스크를 다 모으고도 새로운 엔딩을 볼 수 있다든지 캐릭터에 변화가 생긴다든지 그런 보상이 없어서 좀 허무했습니다.난이도가 적당히 어려워서 끝까지 흥미진진하게 퍼즐을 풀 수 있었습니다. 게임 그래픽은 간단하면서 아기자기하고 예뻤습니다. 다만 수집품으로 플라스크를 모으는 게 있었는데 플라스크를 다 모으고도 새로운 엔딩을 볼 수 있다든지 캐릭터에 변화가 생긴다든지 그런 보상이 없어서 좀 허무했습니다.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Everyeye.it
    Oct 30, 2017
    73
    At the end of the journey it seems that something has remained unfinished, that the colors have stopped at the surface.
    Read full review
  2. PlayStation Country
    Nov 25, 2016
    70
    Hue is a unique puzzle platformer that will keep you entertained to its conclusion. There’s no real replay value but the design and the steady introduction of new obstacles make it worth a look if you’re a fan of the genre.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Nov 18, 2016
    70
    An interesting and well-executed concept sometimes held back by frustrating controls. [11/2016, p.48]
See all critic reviews »