Initial release date: September 12, 2024
Platform:Â Microsoft Windows
Engine:Â Unity
Genres: Indie game, Adventure game, Adventure
Developer:Â Headware Games
Publisher:Â Headware Games
While there are plenty of intriguing and spine-chilling horror games on the market now, for many, the golden age of horror was over twenty years ago on the PlayStation 2. Whether you preferred something more obscure, such as being followed around Haunting Ground by numerous creeps, or spending many hours walking through the deep fog of Silent Hill, if you like feeling spooked and in danger, it was a great time to be alive. Hollowbody is a throwback to the golden age of horror, and while it isn’t flawless, it’ll provide a pleasant dose of nostalgia and may even keep you up at night.
In the not-too-distant future planet of Hollowbody, our protagonist Mica works as a black market shipper, traveling through dangerous regions with her accomplice Sasha. Sasha has vanished after electing to explore the exclusion zone without you, and after twelve days of fretting, you decide to search for her in this walled-off world devoid of life. It doesn’t take long for you to become trapped in the creepy ruins where humans once lived, but it turns out you’re far from alone in this location.
If you’ve ever played an old-school horror game, you’ll feel right at home in Hollowbody, though tank controls aren’t necessary for this eerie adventure. Mica is prepared with a rifle and a melee weapon in case something goes wrong during her rescue operation, and she can use both to cope with monstrous dangers if the need arises. I won’t pretend that utilizing melee weapons isn’t difficult, but I can’t deny that you’ll feel a little more powerless due to the slow speed and limited range of your assaults. Guns are considerably easier to use with a lock on function, but if you go too far with them, you’ll run out of ammo and be screwed for the rest of this awful trip.
Mica’s main aim in the exclusion zone is obviously to find Sasha, but in order to do so, she must first ascend to a high enough altitude to efficiently utilize her radio. This includes climbing an apartment building full of death and monsters that want to slice you into convenient sized parts, as well as overcoming your first Silent Hill-style dungeon (for lack of a better term). To get through, you’ll need to look for keys, hunt for important items, and figure out how to solve a few puzzles. It won’t be easy, but with a little intellectual power and some quick dodging and weaving, you might be able to survive for a time.
The riddles, in particular, will appeal to long-time aficionados of the old-school horror game genre. Trying to figure out the year someone was born using math and hints in someone’s flat is done with nothing like handholding, and this is only one of several brain puzzles that will stymie your progress. This may not appeal to everyone, but I must confess that it was nice to be challenged rather than told the solution to a riddle the instant I walked into a room.
The best moments in Hollowbody will leave you terrified and sweating, and while they aren’t frequent, when they do happen, they hit hard. Discordant music, terrible images, and waves of deformed beasts eager to munch on you combine to create a nightmare scenario, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As much as Hollowbody is a fun horror film, it contains a number of flaws that, although acceptable in 2002, are not so much in 2024. Battling an unwieldy camera swinging around while under attack is a pain at best, and a distinct lack of save points means you’ll most likely lose a lot of progress at least a couple of times during Hollowbody’s brief runtime – which could be frustrating enough to cause players to put the controller down and do something else.
Perhaps worse than all of these difficulties is the map, which is difficult to read and, in some cases, non-existent. When trapped in labyrinthine locations full of corridors and rooms that all seem the same, this problem becomes very frustrating, and with virtually no way out, you’ll be forced to press through unwillingly more than once on your terror journey.
Hollowbody is a throwback to the eerie period of PS2 horror, for better or worse. Wandering through strongly Silent Hill-inspired locales with little possibility of survival is as terrifying and captivating as ever, but coping with a lousy map, a lack of save points, and difficult gameplay is less so. Those searching for a spooky nostalgia trip may enjoy Hollowbody, but if you’re used to more current experiences, the gameplay may turn you off more than the creatures. Nonetheless, for a one-person developer, this is a tremendous accomplishment.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 78%
Controls: 80%
Aesthetics: 85%
Content: 82%
Accessibility: 76%
Value: 79%
Overall: 80%
GOOD
Summary: Hollowbody’s spooky atmosphere and engaging narrative make for a captivating experience. The gameplay has solid mechanics and enough depth to keep players interested, however some sections may seem tedious. The controls are snappy and easy, making it accessible to the majority of players, while the aesthetics add to the game’s immersive and disturbing sense with detailed environments and a gloomy aura. The content is well-balanced, with an enjoyable blend of exploration and story progression. Accessibility features are available, however they might be enhanced further. Hollowbody provides a memorable and well-rounded experience for fans of atmospheric adventures.