Hoa

Hoa is a spirited adventure with a relaxing atmosphere. While I wish it were longer for its launch price (with optional challenges), I’m confident I’ll replay it. The desirable aesthetics combined with goal-driven gameplay are too enjoyable a combination. Did this puzzle platformer go unnoticed by you this summer? It’s never too late to give it the attention it deserves.

Young players still green to the simple story ideas and to platforming fundamentals will find absolute magic in Hoa. The orchestral score and hand-painted backdrops have the power to whisk imaginations away like nothing else. The tried-and-true design of a modern platform game, while unsurprising to seasoned players, will delight budding gamers getting to know the genre. Apart from its closing stage, Hoa is a paint-by-numbers platformer – and the painting is exceptional, even if everything stays carefully inside the lines.

Unravelling the narrative and exploring the carefully crafted world in Hoa is both satisfying and rewarding. Fans of puzzle games like Flower or Journey will find the same sense of peace and emotional fulfillment, while those who enjoy Studio Ghibli-inspired art like the Nino no Kuni series will likely appreciate the hand-painted characters and backgrounds. Hoa is a puzzle game worth playing multiple times, as every new journey through the magical landscape reveals further details, and remains just as delightful as the first playthrough.

Hoa is a little audiovisual gem that invites us to live a relaxed adventure where the goal is to enjoy the journey, with no more worries than letting go and living the experience. Forget about enemies and great challenges, just let yourself be lost into the beautiful atmosphere.