Hob: The Definitive Edition

 Switch
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 43 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 43
  3. Negative: 8 out of 43

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  1. dugan
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    I do not give a ten lightly. But aside from a couple glitches when I jumped where I should not have (thank you respawn button), this game is a masterpiece. The sense of adventure, the surprise of the unknown, the story--compelling even without words, makes this game better than the rest.

    I simply could not stop playing until I looked in every hiding space, fought every enemy and    I do not give a ten lightly. But aside from a couple glitches when I jumped where I should not have (thank you respawn button), this game is a masterpiece. The sense of adventure, the surprise of the unknown, the story--compelling even without words, makes this game better than the rest.

    I simply could not stop playing until I looked in every hiding space, fought every enemy and finished the story. On normal mode, the fighting is not very challenging. But the challenge is in travelling the world, understanding what to do, where to go next. The map is a great help.

    I took many pictures of the beautiful world, and my ears delighted in the wonderful sounds.

    (Admittedly, I never played in handheld mode, so I can't address those criticisms.)

    If you like what you see in trailers and snapshots, then jump in, this game is fantastic!    … Expand
  2. greengrapejelly
    May 1, 2019
    7
    This game is very solid. It certainly reminds me of Breath of the Wild in that it has a very natural feeling of exploration, but with of course that overhead world view. There are occasionally times where I feel like the game makes mistakes with my inputs, but so far it has never seemed to be much of an issue. For $19.99 (or $17.99 if you got it on sale like me), I would certainlyThis game is very solid. It certainly reminds me of Breath of the Wild in that it has a very natural feeling of exploration, but with of course that overhead world view. There are occasionally times where I feel like the game makes mistakes with my inputs, but so far it has never seemed to be much of an issue. For $19.99 (or $17.99 if you got it on sale like me), I would certainly recommend this game for anyone looking for another 3d puzzle platformer without a great deal of guidance.… Expand
  3. lowey
    Oct 24, 2021
    9
    Simply put, this is the most amazing game you've never heard of. I don't understand how this game isn't renowned and seen as one of the great classic games that everyone knows and has played. I found it entirely by accident during a Nintendo eStore sale, and so tried the demo. At the end of the demo I immediately purchased the game and had zero regrets. This game boasts great graphics,Simply put, this is the most amazing game you've never heard of. I don't understand how this game isn't renowned and seen as one of the great classic games that everyone knows and has played. I found it entirely by accident during a Nintendo eStore sale, and so tried the demo. At the end of the demo I immediately purchased the game and had zero regrets. This game boasts great graphics, sound design, world/level design, animation, controls, and non-verbal story.

    Hob lives in a stunning world of mystery, danger, and adventure. Initially the world is relatively small, but as the game progresses you will help rebuild the world, rid it of its pestilence, unlock secrets, collect items and level up your character to better fight the world's many enemies. The combat difficulty, in my opinion, is perfect for a game of this ilk. But if you want an easier or harder game there are difficulty settings in the options.

    Death in this game usually means simply going back to the last waypoint shrine, so it's not too punishing. This is the kind of game I can happily play for hours at a time without feeling burnt out by the experience. Perfect for unwinding after a long day.

    Most of the difficulty comes from trying to work out what to do next, or how to achieve the thing you need to do next. The game doesn't have any human dialogue at all, so you will have to guess from character animations what's required. And there are "quests" marked on your world map which can help to nudge you in the right direction, but they serve as little more than hints. Expect to spend a lot of time looking around for the switch, door or ladder you missed. It gets easier as the game goes on and you become more familiar with the world design.

    One or two people have remarked that the Switch lacks sufficient grunt to play this game. This may very well be true, there were places where the console was struggling. But those moments weren't regular and I never felt like it impacted on my enjoyment of the game. So if you happen to have a device with more power then you might prefer to play this game on that instead. But if you, like me, use your Switch as your primary gaming device then this game is a fantastic addition to your collection.    … Expand
  4. PinkLady
    Jul 17, 2022
    9
    A fantastic game that trapped me for a long time. One of the few games that I've completed in my life. Yes I tend to disperse myself. But this game is so magical, beautiful, kind and cozy than I had no option but gone to the end.

    The graphic design is a dream and it have the precise amount of difficulty to don't despere me but keep my attention. I'm not a good gamer, I need to say too.    A fantastic game that trapped me for a long time. One of the few games that I've completed in my life. Yes I tend to disperse myself. But this game is so magical, beautiful, kind and cozy than I had no option but gone to the end.

    The graphic design is a dream and it have the precise amount of difficulty to don't despere me but keep my attention. I'm not a good gamer, I need to say too. But it have a little bit of action, and amazing world to explore, accessible puzzles and the whole content keep you wanting play 10 more minutes every time you discover a new zone until the end    … Expand
  5. janhovden
    Apr 6, 2019
    9
    Very nice, relaxing game. Beautiful world, technically impressive. Highly recommended.
  6. sarisa
    Sep 27, 2019
    6
    HOB tries to be Zelda-like game that takes place on quite different universe.

    What I liked here was game aesthetics, interesting world design and way the story is being told. However storywise I had the impression that there is something missing here. I don't know what exactly, wheter it's no emotional attachment to "issues of this world". Maybe too generic approach or something else?    HOB tries to be Zelda-like game that takes place on quite different universe.

    What I liked here was game aesthetics, interesting world design and way the story is being told.
    However storywise I had the impression that there is something missing here. I don't know what exactly, wheter it's no emotional attachment to "issues of this world". Maybe too generic approach or something else?
    I also didn't like the way this story ends. In game like these you shouldnt allow players to "choose" the ending. I know its fashionable nowadays, but this simply doesn't suit and make sense here. Considering so many "good" things you had to do to get into final lair I really don't see the reason choosing side of "baddies". There is something artificial here.
    There is nothing bad in games being linear.

    In terms of gameplay and game design you can clearly see few shortcomings: controls lack polishing, few glitches, framerate issues or no real reward in finding secrets. Combat aspect also is disappointing in many ways.

    Recap: It's this type of game that you like in the beginning, but offers you nothing more the more you progress. You just want to explore and open all areas. That's all unfortunately. In this sense it is really more similar to Zelda BoTW rather than good old Zeldas with intricate dungeons.

    It's not masterpiece, but still good game worth spending several hours with. Especially if you expect more exploration rather than adventure.    … Expand
  7. BitKit
    Dec 20, 2021
    1
    Столько лет прошло с момента релиза, а болячки так и остались нетронуты.
    Камера. Она постоянно будет поворачиваться под крайне неудобным ракурсом в самый неподходящий момент. Ракурс будет выбираться так, чтобы персонаж перекрывался каким либо объектом.
    Перемещение. Персонаж будет хвататься за уступы и ... падать, потому что "иди нахер", вот почему. Игра беспощадна к промахам: недолеты в    Столько лет прошло с момента релиза, а болячки так и остались нетронуты.
    Камера. Она постоянно будет поворачиваться под крайне неудобным ракурсом в самый неподходящий момент. Ракурс будет выбираться так, чтобы персонаж перекрывался каким либо объектом.
    Перемещение. Персонаж будет хвататься за уступы и ... падать, потому что "иди нахер", вот почему. Игра беспощадна к промахам: недолеты в один пиксель тут норма.
    Прибавте у этому всему неотзывчивое управление, и получится пустая трата денег, времени и нервных клеток.    … Expand
  8. DreamDevil
    Apr 8, 2019
    3
    В портативном режиме игра выглядит просто ужасно, в док станции игра выглядит нормально. Геймплейно игра интересная, головоломки не очень сложные, но подумать приходится иногда.
  9. bhappenstance
    Apr 12, 2022
    5
    There are many lovely aspects of Hob, including a world design reminiscent of Zelda: Link to the Past. Combat is relatively basic (and never evolves much, despite power-ups), but solving puzzles throughout the world -- solving puzzles that *change* the world -- is satisfying. This is one of those games that trusts the player to figure things out without too many signposts. TheThere are many lovely aspects of Hob, including a world design reminiscent of Zelda: Link to the Past. Combat is relatively basic (and never evolves much, despite power-ups), but solving puzzles throughout the world -- solving puzzles that *change* the world -- is satisfying. This is one of those games that trusts the player to figure things out without too many signposts. The controls/inputs, however, are very lacking. You will end up accidentally leaping/falling to your death, and struggle to grasp/climb ladders, excessively. The grappling hook is especially broken (on Switch at least). A couple of extra layers of polish would have allowed Hob to coalesce into something greater than the sum of its parts, however great those parts are. As it stands, Hob is worth playing, but comes complete with a ton of unnecessary frustration -- to the extent that I nearly quit the game several time because the controls/inputs are so poorly done.… Expand
  10. ProfPlum
    Apr 11, 2019
    9
    A mixture between Zelda and Rime. A little buggy, but a fun 10 hours of game play.
  11. btmgov
    Dec 3, 2022
    8
    A very odd world to explore. Looks really good in docked mode. Fun adventure. If you are on the fence because the screen shots look a little "out there," give it go. You might just get a good surprised.
  12. Alex-Rainx
    May 2, 2019
    9
    EDIT: Thank God that they have done it at last. I was waiting for days for this optimization 1.1.1 in portable mode. It was time!!!! I have not played the game at all expecting this............
  13. tarant75
    Nov 3, 2019
    9
    One of the best games for Switch and enjoyable 20 to 30 hours gameplay! Nice puzzles, good to solve. Phantastic story with charm.
  14. Corificness
    Apr 28, 2019
    9
    A relaxing dungeon crawler with some complicated puzzle solving and tons of exploration in a beautiful world. I played primarily in handheld mode and still loved the way the game looked, often playing until the system was running out of battery. The game gives you very little direction, letting the player decide where to go and which area to tackle first. The first bit of the game is aA relaxing dungeon crawler with some complicated puzzle solving and tons of exploration in a beautiful world. I played primarily in handheld mode and still loved the way the game looked, often playing until the system was running out of battery. The game gives you very little direction, letting the player decide where to go and which area to tackle first. The first bit of the game is a little less open but as you go further, you can tackle different areas first if you can't quite figure out what you need to do where you currently are. Overall a great game! My only complaint was that the game crashed once for me in a transition between sections of the game.… Expand
  15. Lazarus-Rex
    Jun 18, 2019
    10
    I won’t spoil anything. I’ll just say that even though HOB is decently long, I wish it were even longer. When I finished it, I looked to see if a sequel was in the works. Unfortunately, the game studio that made HOB has shut down. If you like adventure, atmosphere, puzzles, and technology, this game will win you over. Just don’t expect a tutorial or dialogue—the game trusts you to figureI won’t spoil anything. I’ll just say that even though HOB is decently long, I wish it were even longer. When I finished it, I looked to see if a sequel was in the works. Unfortunately, the game studio that made HOB has shut down. If you like adventure, atmosphere, puzzles, and technology, this game will win you over. Just don’t expect a tutorial or dialogue—the game trusts you to figure things out right up until the final moment.… Expand
  16. Battlements
    Jul 12, 2019
    10
    Very well made game with great map development! The game is worth its price and features many different aspects of game play. All in all fun experience for all ages.
  17. Bhairava
    Oct 20, 2020
    8
    Un juegazo. La estética es preciosa. Un mundo abierto lleno de cosas para hacer. ¡Me encanta!.
  18. abrus
    Oct 23, 2021
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing through Hob. The graphics are beautiful, the atmosphere is lovely and the scale of the world they have created here is breath-taking! Most of the puzzles are simple enough to work through and you are rewarded for thorough exploration with lots of cleverly hidden secrets. The strangeness of the Hob Universe is definitely one of it's biggest draws. BeI thoroughly enjoyed my time playing through Hob. The graphics are beautiful, the atmosphere is lovely and the scale of the world they have created here is breath-taking! Most of the puzzles are simple enough to work through and you are rewarded for thorough exploration with lots of cleverly hidden secrets. The strangeness of the Hob Universe is definitely one of it's biggest draws. Be warned though: there is really nothing in the way of a tutorial to guide you through this game. I nearly gave up 2 hours in before I found a YouTube walkthrough to guide me through some of the more obscure bits. The game is not difficult, but you often get a bit stuck working out what you need to do next. In the end, I'm glad I persisted because this was a memorable and enjoyable playthrough.… Expand
  19. JAG7
    May 4, 2021
    9
    Wonderful game!! Had a blast playing it. Beautiful world , great adventure. This game was a work of love by Panic Room. Only little problem was when jumping (controls). But besides that minuscule problem , i had an amazing time. Totally recommend it.
  20. LazyWolf0
    Jan 20, 2022
    9
    Great 3D metroidvania, certainly one of the best I played. Great sense of exploration, interesting world to explore and good puzzles. Combat is also quite fun.

    As an experience it’s extremely solid and polished, with all elements well balanced and combining into a very good game. The way the world transforms and expands following your actions is very cool. For me, the story was the    Great 3D metroidvania, certainly one of the best I played. Great sense of exploration, interesting world to explore and good puzzles. Combat is also quite fun.

    As an experience it’s extremely solid and polished, with all elements well balanced and combining into a very good game. The way the world transforms and expands following your actions is very cool.

    For me, the story was the weakest part. Wordless narrative simply didn’t work. I played because of the exploration and gameplay, not because of the story, and was generally disappointed with the ending.

    Nevertheless it’s a great game that I can highly recommend.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
56
#56 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Gaming Age
    Sep 20, 2019
    100
    However you want to describe it, though, there’s no denying Hob is great. It’s an action-adventure game that has an abundance of both of those things, and if you want some Zelda-adjacent action on your Switch, you’ll find plenty to love here.
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  2. Pure Nintendo
    May 10, 2019
    75
    Hob is still a solid title with a good amount of content. You’re looking at 10 hours easily with even more if you’re going for 100% completion. While certainly not of the same quality of a Legend of Zelda or even Hyper Light Drifter, Hob still has some great entertainment value if you’re looking for a good adventure/exploration game.
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  3. DarkStation
    May 1, 2019
    70
    Fortunately for me, I happened to be in just that frame of mind after playing through the amazing and absolutely brutal Cuphead. The last thing I wanted to do after that was play another stressful and nail-biting experience. So, HOB just so happened to scratch the opposite itch I was craving. Had I played it under a different mindset, it’s hard to tell what my reaction might have been. If you’re in that sort of mood, I think HOB might hit the spot. If not, well then, maybe HOB isn't the game for you. But if that is the case, I would encourage you to play it when you are feeling inquisitive.
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