Hob: The Definitive Edition

With a deceptively linear quest and extremely accessible challenges, it is unsurprising that Hob: Definitive Edition, like RiME, is not the most cerebral challenge. It is, instead, a gorgeous journey that dutifully sweeps you away into another world. It continues to be a charming tale and Panic Button has smoothed out many of the original’s irks.

Hob: The Definitive Edition is a 3D adventure game that combines fluid combat, landscape altering puzzles, and engaging platforming. The varying area designs and atmospheres are a treat to experience and entice you into pushing forward. The enhancements since the original improve the experience as well.

The magic and poetry of this title are great. A pity that its duration is so short. We can also find some small problems in the enemy AI and some technical drops in portable mode.

Hob has obvious inspirations and an overwhelming originality. The Runic Games's title is a tale of adventure mastered as rarely seen before. Classic in its approach or progression, it offers a high-end artistic direction and a dream soundtrack. The impression of "déjà vu", inherent to the genre, is sometimes present but does not affect in any way a smooth and pleasant progression. The ten hour longevity of Hob is well worth the investment.

Overall, the new port is solid in execution and the indie title is perfectly suited for the Switch. The frame rates are speedy, the loading screens are quicker than a blink of an eye, and the controls are intuitive. Though the narrative and direction of Hob can be unclear at times, unraveling the mysteries of its charming world on a handheld console is a true delight.

HOB: The Definitive Edition made a good jump to the Nintendo Switch, a system that needs more than first-party titles to make it a legitimate contender late in this generation. HOB is a cornucopia of genres in one title that focuses heavily on action-RPG than puzzles, which means you will be moving and shaking more often than stopping and thinking. It is entertaining, engaging, motivating with its intentions, while slightly flawed in its design. It’s definitely worth looking into, though, if you’re looking for something to fall into without a huge commitment needed.

Although it has a slow start, Hob: The Definitive Edition opens up into a fruitful and unforgettable journey with solid gameplay.

Hob: The Definitive Edition on Switch doesn't fully get it to the peak of where it could have been, but it's much closer than before. An overall better experience awaits new or returning players, with just some minor visual downgrades as the tradeoff. If you've been looking for a unique and atmospheric puzzle platformer, then you won't be disappointed with Hob: The Definitive Edition.

We've been stung before with ports of console and PC games - especially those lauded for the size and intricacy of their worlds - but Panic Button has proved, once again, that it really does know how to do the right games justice within the constraints of Switch's hardware design. Hob: The Definitive Edition retains all the qualities of the original, with only a reasonable downgrade in its visuals serving as a caveat. With a cel-shaded art style helping negate the effect of this aesthetic sacrifice and all the improvements genuinely helping elevate Hob's overall quality, Hob becomes the latest 3D platformer to secure a well-earned place among Switch's most exciting new additions.