Harold Halibut is a very technically impressive (when its not bugging out or dropping frames) feat, which unfortunately puts its gorgeous claymation style and cinematography in service of an overwritten, overindulgent miserable slog which might have been refreshing were it a fifth of its length instead of the overbearing wank we got instead.
Wank is the operative word here, the game is spiritually similar to jerking off. It takes inspiration from various sources, wes anderson films chief among them, but from what few films I have seen of those, they were much more entertaining and well written. The sheer nothingness of the gameplay even for narrative focused adventure games and amount of dialogue that was 3 lines too long for what it needed to be really fits together when you learn about the game's 10 year development time. This is someone's baby, presumably a labour of love, but thats the thing, sometimes you need to detach yourself emotionally from your work and cut things when they don't actually add anything. The most damning thing of all, after all that, 8 goddamned hours (it felt twice that) I feel nothing. The game is nothing. I am nothing. We're all nothing. And I have 8 fewer hours now before I return to the nothingness of oblivion with little to show for it.
Wank is the operative word here, the game is spiritually similar to jerking off. It takes inspiration from various sources, wes anderson films chief among them, but from what few films I have seen of those, they were much more entertaining and well written. The sheer nothingness of the gameplay even for narrative focused adventure games and amount of dialogue that was 3 lines too long for what it needed to be really fits together when you learn about the game's 10 year development time. This is someone's baby, presumably a labour of love, but thats the thing, sometimes you need to detach yourself emotionally from your work and cut things when they don't actually add anything. The most damning thing of all, after all that, 8 goddamned hours (it felt twice that) I feel nothing. The game is nothing. I am nothing. We're all nothing. And I have 8 fewer hours now before I return to the nothingness of oblivion with little to show for it.
A person's tolerance for Harold Halibut is going to depend on how much mileage they get out of slower games where inhabiting the space and conversations are the key focus, rather than anything resembling moment to moment gameplay.
I don't blame anyone who doesn't get on with that or think that any single approach is objectively better or worse, but I was drawn in by the game's beautiful handcrafted aesthetic and its hold on me never really faltered throughout the runtime. The ship you live on is full of memorable characters with their own unique idiosyncrasies, all helped along by a strong voice work - for Harold specifically there's a great balance between goofy ignorance and sentimentality, and that personality is probably one of the major factors that kept me going.
But I must emphasise again that this is a very slow game and there are quirks that come with that - sometimes your movement speed is slowed to a crawl as you'e made to follow another character, sometimes the dialogue goes on a little longer than expected, and this will put some people off. Thankfully for me, I used that time to take in the absolutely gorgeous world, animation and the small details dotted around all the locations you visit.
I don't blame anyone who doesn't get on with that or think that any single approach is objectively better or worse, but I was drawn in by the game's beautiful handcrafted aesthetic and its hold on me never really faltered throughout the runtime. The ship you live on is full of memorable characters with their own unique idiosyncrasies, all helped along by a strong voice work - for Harold specifically there's a great balance between goofy ignorance and sentimentality, and that personality is probably one of the major factors that kept me going.
But I must emphasise again that this is a very slow game and there are quirks that come with that - sometimes your movement speed is slowed to a crawl as you'e made to follow another character, sometimes the dialogue goes on a little longer than expected, and this will put some people off. Thankfully for me, I used that time to take in the absolutely gorgeous world, animation and the small details dotted around all the locations you visit.
I really, really wanted to enjoy Harold Halibut more than I did. Harold, our protagonist, is a fish out of water: an autistic-coded janitor slash jack-of-all-trades, whose daily grind involves doing various tasks for the mostly warm but slightly stuck up crew of scientists and venture capitalists aboard the marooned spaceship, The Fedora. The game is underwater, so there's the expected Bioshock-esque critique of capitalism run riot, presented with a more dry, wry sense of humor. The game makes a strong first impression, with several mysteries piling up alongside the slow reveal of this artful, beautiful world. I particularly loved how you get around on The Fedora via a salmon cannon that shoots the people from hub to hub (for a nominal fee).
And, c'mon, the art! I know it's not the most technical game running under the hood, but this game is a sight to behold. Each interior is handcrafted and rich with detail, but then digitalized and animated so that the puppetry has no strings. Even though the gameplay is light, I found myself mashing the trigger on the controller to zoom into each interior and soak in as much of the ambiance as I could. The soundtrack, too, is subtle but evocative, fading in and out when the player enters certain locations. Tremendous stuff.
During its introductory moments, I thought this game might be another Night in the Woods-esque narrative game, one that took a story and set it across many days so that you could build relationships and be rewarded for meandering from the main task routes at every turn. And, for a while, it was. I would get invited to dinner by the former pilot, or pore over love letters from decades past with the postman. And each character, lovingly designed and voice acted, always had something to say about life's meaning, or the dulling effect of daily jobs (and the threat of debtor's prison) in an alien, water-logged world.
But my return visits to the various wings of The Fedora yielded less and less surprise, or even change, as the days went on. By midgame, Harold had stumbled upon a seemingly huge reveal, with widespread implications for him, his shipmates--maybe even the human race--yet our daily tasks consisted of slow runs to the pharmacy with almost no diversity of content. It felt like we were being forced to play out an extended montage, a pain that only sharpened once the weeklong scenario ended with a literal montage.
Repetition in videogames is part of the act, of course. It can be gameplay, the ritualistic dance of combat that break up FPS campaigns, or the return trips of roguelites that build repetitiveness into their DNA as a means of player progression. But Harold Halibut seems to say: God, isn't capitalist bureaucracy boring and awful?" Yes, it is. And it's especially boring and awful when it's hammered home in a world as lush and gorgeous as Harold Halibut.
There is a payoff, and the narrative eventually does get going. But the jarring pace and tonal shifts never really go away.
I'm glad this game exists. And it's clear that there's a huge amount of work that's gone into this game and realizing its vision. Unfortunately, Harold Halibut isn't able to successfully navigate the choppy waters separating sincerity and comedy, and ends up splitting the two in a way that challenged me to go on.
In the end, Harold Halibut is way more niche than you might expect. Its messages on capitalism, and humanity's tendency toward resource drain even in the face of calamity, are all vital and integrated well into the story. I just wish the game, like its main character, was a little more self-assured.
And, c'mon, the art! I know it's not the most technical game running under the hood, but this game is a sight to behold. Each interior is handcrafted and rich with detail, but then digitalized and animated so that the puppetry has no strings. Even though the gameplay is light, I found myself mashing the trigger on the controller to zoom into each interior and soak in as much of the ambiance as I could. The soundtrack, too, is subtle but evocative, fading in and out when the player enters certain locations. Tremendous stuff.
During its introductory moments, I thought this game might be another Night in the Woods-esque narrative game, one that took a story and set it across many days so that you could build relationships and be rewarded for meandering from the main task routes at every turn. And, for a while, it was. I would get invited to dinner by the former pilot, or pore over love letters from decades past with the postman. And each character, lovingly designed and voice acted, always had something to say about life's meaning, or the dulling effect of daily jobs (and the threat of debtor's prison) in an alien, water-logged world.
But my return visits to the various wings of The Fedora yielded less and less surprise, or even change, as the days went on. By midgame, Harold had stumbled upon a seemingly huge reveal, with widespread implications for him, his shipmates--maybe even the human race--yet our daily tasks consisted of slow runs to the pharmacy with almost no diversity of content. It felt like we were being forced to play out an extended montage, a pain that only sharpened once the weeklong scenario ended with a literal montage.
Repetition in videogames is part of the act, of course. It can be gameplay, the ritualistic dance of combat that break up FPS campaigns, or the return trips of roguelites that build repetitiveness into their DNA as a means of player progression. But Harold Halibut seems to say: God, isn't capitalist bureaucracy boring and awful?" Yes, it is. And it's especially boring and awful when it's hammered home in a world as lush and gorgeous as Harold Halibut.
There is a payoff, and the narrative eventually does get going. But the jarring pace and tonal shifts never really go away.
I'm glad this game exists. And it's clear that there's a huge amount of work that's gone into this game and realizing its vision. Unfortunately, Harold Halibut isn't able to successfully navigate the choppy waters separating sincerity and comedy, and ends up splitting the two in a way that challenged me to go on.
In the end, Harold Halibut is way more niche than you might expect. Its messages on capitalism, and humanity's tendency toward resource drain even in the face of calamity, are all vital and integrated well into the story. I just wish the game, like its main character, was a little more self-assured.
As a fan of stop-animation, it pains me to say this game is a narrative and gameplay mess. Beyond its aesthetic, the interactions and movements are noticeably slow that impact backtracking and pacing significantly. This game has an unnecessary amount of backtracking due to the lack of fast travel, slow area transitions and repetitive fetch quest design which greatly impacts the pacing and character moments. I do wonder if this had fast travel then it would have been better as a visual novel to focus on its story than awkward traversal
Strange enough, I think this game added some strange sequences and mechanics to justify its aesthetic. First, it has follow the NPC segments that prevents sprinting but they tend to go way ahead because running is disabled making it a slower experience. Perhaps an auto-walk feature would alleviate this or take control away altogether as a cutscene. Second, it has a timed response mechanic that is used only once but makes players needlessly require attention on succeeding dialogue. Third, the mini-games and interactions are not really interesting like the rock scanning or flight sequences near the end of the game being more interactive videos. No strong puzzles or mechanics, I wonder why include them at all if they brought down the experience.
Being foremost an adventure game, I feel the story fails to be truly engaging or meaningful from its setting, character and theme. Fundamentally, I feel it lacks strong dialogue and character moments to make players more invested in their plight and developments. It specially feels missing during the numerous montage sequences where it could have been great moments but I feel were made understandibly due to budget constraints. Most of the plot threads also resolve weakly or poorly. Specially with the countdown pressure since the player has no direct control over it and how it closes out. Even the decision in the end, just feels so bland at the end of it all.
To be fair, let me mention what I did like. The letters were really nice despite the backtracking. I like the setting where capitalism still exist where money does not make sense anymore contrasted by how aliens live on a communal or non-capitalist system which is a political theme that I want to see more of. No major romantic subplot for the protagonist is appreciated. The notebook drawings are charming as a task reward. It is not much but there is something to love about it.
Do understand I wanted to like this game with its creative risk and effort here but I just cannot recommend due to its numerous shortcomings.
Strange enough, I think this game added some strange sequences and mechanics to justify its aesthetic. First, it has follow the NPC segments that prevents sprinting but they tend to go way ahead because running is disabled making it a slower experience. Perhaps an auto-walk feature would alleviate this or take control away altogether as a cutscene. Second, it has a timed response mechanic that is used only once but makes players needlessly require attention on succeeding dialogue. Third, the mini-games and interactions are not really interesting like the rock scanning or flight sequences near the end of the game being more interactive videos. No strong puzzles or mechanics, I wonder why include them at all if they brought down the experience.
Being foremost an adventure game, I feel the story fails to be truly engaging or meaningful from its setting, character and theme. Fundamentally, I feel it lacks strong dialogue and character moments to make players more invested in their plight and developments. It specially feels missing during the numerous montage sequences where it could have been great moments but I feel were made understandibly due to budget constraints. Most of the plot threads also resolve weakly or poorly. Specially with the countdown pressure since the player has no direct control over it and how it closes out. Even the decision in the end, just feels so bland at the end of it all.
To be fair, let me mention what I did like. The letters were really nice despite the backtracking. I like the setting where capitalism still exist where money does not make sense anymore contrasted by how aliens live on a communal or non-capitalist system which is a political theme that I want to see more of. No major romantic subplot for the protagonist is appreciated. The notebook drawings are charming as a task reward. It is not much but there is something to love about it.
Do understand I wanted to like this game with its creative risk and effort here but I just cannot recommend due to its numerous shortcomings.
The artistic value of this one is undeniable. This is one of the most unique games I’ve ever played, and it’s incredible how much work and love the developers put into all the handcrafted assets, with all the characters, props and sets genuinely sculpted and painted. Seriously, they have my deepest respect. But is it fun playing it?
Well… I definitely wouldn’t call this the revival of LucasArts-like adventure games, no matter how much charm it has. It’s more like a really long, interactive stop-motion movie, with only some minimal gameplay elements, like “go there, talk to this person, then come back here”, stuff like that, so expect lots and lots of running around and, of course, even more talking. There aren’t even any puzzles to solve, someone always points you in the right direction. The story is interesting, though, and so are all the eccentric characters the protagonist meets during his journey of self-discovery. Even though there are some really funny moments, I wouldn’t call this a comedy… Let’s go with dramedy, I’d say, with a heavier emphasis on drama.
Harold has quite a lot of psychological issues he has to work through, like how he feels detached from society, his inferiority complex, his recent break-up, and that, in general, he can’t find his place and purpose anywhere. He’s not just physically trapped in a spaceship, but also metaphorically, and thus, a kind of melancholic, bittersweet, sometimes even depressing mood hangs over the plot all the time. The underwater setting and the strange atmosphere reminded me of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, if you’re familiar with it, you can expect something like that with a bit less humour.
Anyway, if you don’t mind that you get hardly any gameplay beyond running around, and watching many, many lengthy cutscenes, give this one a try. As I mentioned, it’s a delight to look at it, no question about that.
Well… I definitely wouldn’t call this the revival of LucasArts-like adventure games, no matter how much charm it has. It’s more like a really long, interactive stop-motion movie, with only some minimal gameplay elements, like “go there, talk to this person, then come back here”, stuff like that, so expect lots and lots of running around and, of course, even more talking. There aren’t even any puzzles to solve, someone always points you in the right direction. The story is interesting, though, and so are all the eccentric characters the protagonist meets during his journey of self-discovery. Even though there are some really funny moments, I wouldn’t call this a comedy… Let’s go with dramedy, I’d say, with a heavier emphasis on drama.
Harold has quite a lot of psychological issues he has to work through, like how he feels detached from society, his inferiority complex, his recent break-up, and that, in general, he can’t find his place and purpose anywhere. He’s not just physically trapped in a spaceship, but also metaphorically, and thus, a kind of melancholic, bittersweet, sometimes even depressing mood hangs over the plot all the time. The underwater setting and the strange atmosphere reminded me of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, if you’re familiar with it, you can expect something like that with a bit less humour.
Anyway, if you don’t mind that you get hardly any gameplay beyond running around, and watching many, many lengthy cutscenes, give this one a try. As I mentioned, it’s a delight to look at it, no question about that.
I love how this game looks. Stop animation being able to replicated this accurately through computer graphics is so great. The game looks goddamn beautiful. The plot setup is funny and so goddamn Wes Anderson-y but less obnoxious and not as in love with itself. I didn't mind the lack of gameplay either as I was sucked into the world.
Now having completed it, my question to the developer is WHY is this a game? This could have been a two and a half hour movie or a miniseries. Is it more profitable to make an 8 hour game for $40 on Steam than sign a deal with a movie studio? Actually don't answer that, because it probably totally is.
I was disappointed at the conclusion of this game, but I enjoyed the ride. I think this game will be remembered by film students trying to show how cool and deep they are by knowing this exists.
Seriously, you should support this when it's on sale because I want to see more from these guys, the Slow Bros. If you can't, just watch someone stream it. You'll get just as much out of it.
Now having completed it, my question to the developer is WHY is this a game? This could have been a two and a half hour movie or a miniseries. Is it more profitable to make an 8 hour game for $40 on Steam than sign a deal with a movie studio? Actually don't answer that, because it probably totally is.
I was disappointed at the conclusion of this game, but I enjoyed the ride. I think this game will be remembered by film students trying to show how cool and deep they are by knowing this exists.
Seriously, you should support this when it's on sale because I want to see more from these guys, the Slow Bros. If you can't, just watch someone stream it. You'll get just as much out of it.
Harold Halibut is an outstanding technical achievement. It's not, however, a compelling game.
Harold Halibut is an adventure game that looks just like a stop motion movie. And my god do they ever do a great job at that. The game is downright gorgeous and the stop motion continuously impressed me. I really wish this tech was used in service of a better narrative.
I found it very difficult to care about the characters and plot in this world. The voice acting is excellent but the dialogue is so dull. Very rarely do characters have anything remotely interesting to say. And although some personalities shine through (namely Harold and his surrogate mother Mareaux), most of it is forgettable. This is especially true in the first 10 hours of the game which is very slice of life. The plot gets a bit more interesting by the end, but it's too late by then.
I appreciate the themes they're going for. I really like how they approached an autistic coded main character with Harold for instance. There's something so pure about how he deals with problems. I'm sure this game is for someone. Just not for me.
Harold Halibut is an adventure game that looks just like a stop motion movie. And my god do they ever do a great job at that. The game is downright gorgeous and the stop motion continuously impressed me. I really wish this tech was used in service of a better narrative.
I found it very difficult to care about the characters and plot in this world. The voice acting is excellent but the dialogue is so dull. Very rarely do characters have anything remotely interesting to say. And although some personalities shine through (namely Harold and his surrogate mother Mareaux), most of it is forgettable. This is especially true in the first 10 hours of the game which is very slice of life. The plot gets a bit more interesting by the end, but it's too late by then.
I appreciate the themes they're going for. I really like how they approached an autistic coded main character with Harold for instance. There's something so pure about how he deals with problems. I'm sure this game is for someone. Just not for me.
A fantastical story of a handyman on a crashed spaceship trying to escape an alien planet with his fellow shipmates. Stranded in an ocean based planet, Harold must assist with the relaunch plan while also befriending those around him and moving around government bureaucracy. The story is one of exploration and learning of the unknown.
The entire game is made of stop motion puppets and craft materials and is a beauty to witness. Every scene is detailed and awesome.
The story is extremely well written and has humor, sadness, and action throughout making this a great title that I hope gets awards.
I finished in 17 hours and missed only 2 achievements due to glitches, but will return later when they have been patched.
The entire game is made of stop motion puppets and craft materials and is a beauty to witness. Every scene is detailed and awesome.
The story is extremely well written and has humor, sadness, and action throughout making this a great title that I hope gets awards.
I finished in 17 hours and missed only 2 achievements due to glitches, but will return later when they have been patched.
Sinceramente, eu tentei bastante jogar esse game, porém não me pegou mesmo. Visualmente, eu achei ele lindo, mas, infelizmente, acho que esqueceram que isso é um jogo. Obviamente, que quando eu falo dessa maneira, estou falando da minha experiência pessoal. Afinal, logo no início do jogo, eu já estava mega entediado, nada conseguiu me prender no jogo. Obviamente, que como um jogo de exploração, ele tá com uma vibe bem legal e ok, principalmente com o seu visual. Porém, do jeito que o jogo é e com minha experiência que tive com ele, acredito que não seja um game para qualquer um e principalmente não é um game que eu, Markin, recomendaria.
Why did they give him the No Country For Old Men haircut
After seeing the reveal of Harold Halibut a couple of years back at a showcase, I was absolutely floored by how phenomenal the art style was -- and all these years later, now that the game's finally in my hands, I'm still just as wowed. Some of the visuals in this game were masterful, especially as the game ramps up and you get a chance to see more than just the same 7 floors in the Fedora.
Art & visuals aside, though, the characters are where this story shines. So many of them are quirky (and a little off-putting), but it works so well with the setting -- I mean, most of them were raised on a ship in the middle of an alien ocean, so their weirdness checks out. The writing got more than a few good chuckles out of me, too, as the comparison to old British TV shows are accurate. The titular character Harold is a lovable, strange maintenance man with a big heart and a serious lack of self-purpose, and getting to see his journey all the way through was a real treat.
I do have issues with the game though, as the gameplay could sometimes get a little slow & boring since running around the Fedora wasn't always seamless. There also seemed to be this unnecessary desire for the developers to force sections where you need to control Harold's hands to complete a task -- like "fixing" a 3D printer or plugging in electrical cords -- and none of it added to the experience and, instead, just made it feel more tedious. I also have some gripes with the story's direction at-large, but given I wanna make this a spoiler-free review, I won't mention those here.
All-in-all, I loved my time spent with Harold, Weeoo, and the rest of the crew and I'm happy I finally got to experience the Fedora I in all its glory after such a long wait.
Art & visuals aside, though, the characters are where this story shines. So many of them are quirky (and a little off-putting), but it works so well with the setting -- I mean, most of them were raised on a ship in the middle of an alien ocean, so their weirdness checks out. The writing got more than a few good chuckles out of me, too, as the comparison to old British TV shows are accurate. The titular character Harold is a lovable, strange maintenance man with a big heart and a serious lack of self-purpose, and getting to see his journey all the way through was a real treat.
I do have issues with the game though, as the gameplay could sometimes get a little slow & boring since running around the Fedora wasn't always seamless. There also seemed to be this unnecessary desire for the developers to force sections where you need to control Harold's hands to complete a task -- like "fixing" a 3D printer or plugging in electrical cords -- and none of it added to the experience and, instead, just made it feel more tedious. I also have some gripes with the story's direction at-large, but given I wanna make this a spoiler-free review, I won't mention those here.
All-in-all, I loved my time spent with Harold, Weeoo, and the rest of the crew and I'm happy I finally got to experience the Fedora I in all its glory after such a long wait.
I really loved the way this looked - beautifully crafted stop-motion environments and characters and the whole game had a very strong Wes Anderson-influence that I found very appealing and Harold is a very likeable and sweet protagonist.
However, as someone who enjoys slower-paced games, I found Harold Halibut to be too slow-paced even for me, and found myself really struggling with whether I wanted to continue. Gameplay boils down to slowly running between locations and watching cutscenes, which are nicely performed and animated, but I did not find the story engaging enough to keep me interested in completing this.
However, as someone who enjoys slower-paced games, I found Harold Halibut to be too slow-paced even for me, and found myself really struggling with whether I wanted to continue. Gameplay boils down to slowly running between locations and watching cutscenes, which are nicely performed and animated, but I did not find the story engaging enough to keep me interested in completing this.
One very shiny star for the beautiful visual style.
Why do people struggle so much to write dialogue that isn't terrible?
Why do people struggle so much to write dialogue that isn't terrible?
There are two angles for me to go about in trying to sum up my time with Harold Halibut.
On one side, this is a walking simulator at its core with glacial pacing and frequent bugs. It’s a chore to play and not always an enjoyable experience. At any moment you can go from sitting through overly long conversations to literally just holding a direction as you slowly crawl through a vent for five minutes.
On the other side, this game has a beautiful world, a fantastic narrative, and wears its heart on its sleeve at all times. You can tell the love and passion put behind this game.
Unlike many of the other reviews I’ve read on this site, I found the story to absolutely resonate with me and every time I felt bored out of my mind wandering the same halls listening to the same over the loudspeaker dialogue as I entered a tube system for the hundredth time, some beautifully shot cutscene would pull me back in. It brilliantly uses lighting, camera angles, and music to create some uniquely directed scenes. Not every scene hits, but the ones that do make up for any rough ones. It’s unfortunate that this game really shines in its final act that most players will not make it far enough to see.
If you can get past its many shortcomings, I think this game is totally worth playing through to its conclusion for what is likely to be one of the most unique games of 2024.
On one side, this is a walking simulator at its core with glacial pacing and frequent bugs. It’s a chore to play and not always an enjoyable experience. At any moment you can go from sitting through overly long conversations to literally just holding a direction as you slowly crawl through a vent for five minutes.
On the other side, this game has a beautiful world, a fantastic narrative, and wears its heart on its sleeve at all times. You can tell the love and passion put behind this game.
Unlike many of the other reviews I’ve read on this site, I found the story to absolutely resonate with me and every time I felt bored out of my mind wandering the same halls listening to the same over the loudspeaker dialogue as I entered a tube system for the hundredth time, some beautifully shot cutscene would pull me back in. It brilliantly uses lighting, camera angles, and music to create some uniquely directed scenes. Not every scene hits, but the ones that do make up for any rough ones. It’s unfortunate that this game really shines in its final act that most players will not make it far enough to see.
If you can get past its many shortcomings, I think this game is totally worth playing through to its conclusion for what is likely to be one of the most unique games of 2024.
Esse jogo é lindo, claramente o maior destaque dele pra mim é o seu visual, quando eu vi o trailer de um jogo em stop motion eu pirei muito forte, e nisso o jogo NUNCA decepciona, cenários lindos e muito detalhados.
É um game gostosinho de jogar, mas o problema é o quanto ele é lento, talvez se ele fosse mais curto essa sensação seria menos presente, mas ainda sim eu gostei muito porque me sentia cativado pelos personagens e pelo objetivo principal da história. Mais pro final vem uns questionamentos filosóficos do protagonista que eu curti bastante, mas de resto o jogo é só um vai pra lá e pra cá e conversa com personagem, os personagens são legais mas não tem nenhum exatamente memorável, foi uma historia gostosinha de viver.
É um game gostosinho de jogar, mas o problema é o quanto ele é lento, talvez se ele fosse mais curto essa sensação seria menos presente, mas ainda sim eu gostei muito porque me sentia cativado pelos personagens e pelo objetivo principal da história. Mais pro final vem uns questionamentos filosóficos do protagonista que eu curti bastante, mas de resto o jogo é só um vai pra lá e pra cá e conversa com personagem, os personagens são legais mas não tem nenhum exatamente memorável, foi uma historia gostosinha de viver.
"𝑯𝒆𝒚..”
"𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅?"
"𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒖𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒚..."
"𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 🫂... 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌..."
Eu não sei se esse texto ficou bom... (Escrevi aqui depois de terminar)... Acho que ele ficou muito sentimental 😅
Mas por favor, eu estava tentando passar uma mensagem de carinho, mesmo não achando que fui o melhor que pude então...
Não estranhe por favor...
Harold Halibut: A Beleza no Carinho Sútil...
Gostaria de dizer que entendo as pessoas que não gostaram desse jogo... Harold é um Point and Click adaptado para os consoles, com um foco enorme em narrativa...
E esse gênero não é muito agradável pra muita gente... Mas eu gosto de aprecia-lo as vezes.
De Whispers of a Machine a Harold Halibut eu devo dizer que de fato não joguei muitos desses jogos, mas quando a história me abraça eu não consigo me desapegar deles...
Harold Halibut é simples, embora sua arte seja extremamente complexa, por ser de, nada mais nada menos, do que massinha, sim, massinha, sua modelagem é delicada e linda...
O jogo por si decide abraçar uma simplicidade com objetivo de trazer uma boa história.
E sinceramente, eu derramei boas lágrimas ao seu final... Não é um jogo complexo ou gigantesco, mas me fez lembrar o quanto um abraço é importante pra muitos momentos...
As vezes nos vemos no escuro, sozinhos, solitários, achando que não há nada que podemos fazer...
Mas eu devo dizer... Você não está sozinho... Não posso negar minha crença religiosa nesse momento, embora de fato fale pouca dela aqui, nesse site me específico, devo dizer que mesmo diante das dificuldades, o Senhor, Cristo... Está com você meu amigo, conosco o tempo todo...
Sei que nos sentimos sozinhos quando passamos por momentos em que nem amizades temos para nos dar um abraço... Mas meu amigo, minha querida, eu queria dizer que.
Você é forte... Mas do que imagina.
Eu não sei como descrever em palavras, mas já senti muitas dores com relação a solidão, então, mesmo que agora estejamos distante, e na verdade nem nos conhecemos, bom
Toma aqui um abraço virtual 🫂...
Harold Halibut me vez pensar sobre como a empatia e uma boa amizade podem nos salvar muitas vezes, e nos tirar de momentos difíceis... Talvez eu não devesse escrever um texto dessa forma, mas eu queria falar sobre como esse jogo me deixou feliz em pensar que algumas pessoas ainda pensam em ajudar e abraçar quando precisam....
O amor está esfriando de fato....
Mas sempre existiram aqueles que estão dispostos a amar...
Até o Retorno de Cristo onde a solidão não mais existirá...
Pra Harold Halibut um 9.5/10 ou um 5/5... Chorei jogando...
"𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅?"
"𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒖𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒚..."
"𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 🫂... 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌..."
Eu não sei se esse texto ficou bom... (Escrevi aqui depois de terminar)... Acho que ele ficou muito sentimental 😅
Mas por favor, eu estava tentando passar uma mensagem de carinho, mesmo não achando que fui o melhor que pude então...
Não estranhe por favor...
Harold Halibut: A Beleza no Carinho Sútil...
Gostaria de dizer que entendo as pessoas que não gostaram desse jogo... Harold é um Point and Click adaptado para os consoles, com um foco enorme em narrativa...
E esse gênero não é muito agradável pra muita gente... Mas eu gosto de aprecia-lo as vezes.
De Whispers of a Machine a Harold Halibut eu devo dizer que de fato não joguei muitos desses jogos, mas quando a história me abraça eu não consigo me desapegar deles...
Harold Halibut é simples, embora sua arte seja extremamente complexa, por ser de, nada mais nada menos, do que massinha, sim, massinha, sua modelagem é delicada e linda...
O jogo por si decide abraçar uma simplicidade com objetivo de trazer uma boa história.
E sinceramente, eu derramei boas lágrimas ao seu final... Não é um jogo complexo ou gigantesco, mas me fez lembrar o quanto um abraço é importante pra muitos momentos...
As vezes nos vemos no escuro, sozinhos, solitários, achando que não há nada que podemos fazer...
Mas eu devo dizer... Você não está sozinho... Não posso negar minha crença religiosa nesse momento, embora de fato fale pouca dela aqui, nesse site me específico, devo dizer que mesmo diante das dificuldades, o Senhor, Cristo... Está com você meu amigo, conosco o tempo todo...
Sei que nos sentimos sozinhos quando passamos por momentos em que nem amizades temos para nos dar um abraço... Mas meu amigo, minha querida, eu queria dizer que.
Você é forte... Mas do que imagina.
Eu não sei como descrever em palavras, mas já senti muitas dores com relação a solidão, então, mesmo que agora estejamos distante, e na verdade nem nos conhecemos, bom
Toma aqui um abraço virtual 🫂...
Harold Halibut me vez pensar sobre como a empatia e uma boa amizade podem nos salvar muitas vezes, e nos tirar de momentos difíceis... Talvez eu não devesse escrever um texto dessa forma, mas eu queria falar sobre como esse jogo me deixou feliz em pensar que algumas pessoas ainda pensam em ajudar e abraçar quando precisam....
O amor está esfriando de fato....
Mas sempre existiram aqueles que estão dispostos a amar...
Até o Retorno de Cristo onde a solidão não mais existirá...
Pra Harold Halibut um 9.5/10 ou um 5/5... Chorei jogando...
Eu entendo q muitos vão odiar e dropar esse jogo pois quase não existe gameplay, Tu passa o jogo inteiro andando de um lado pro outro conversando com personagens então se não curte Walking Simulator passem longe
Dito isso eu tenho q parabenizar o estúdio pelo trabalho fantástico q fizeram com Stop Motion, Esse jogo é lindo de doer, A historia e os personagens são tão carismáticos, vc se sente imersivo em Fedora e sente q cada personagem tem sua personalidade e vida
O jogo cansa as vezes pois ficar andando de um lado pro outro cansa mesmo e por isso eu jogo com mais calma e esse talvez seja o segredo de eu gostar tanto desse gênero, Harold Halibut é uma obra q todos q curtem WS ira amar.
Dito isso eu tenho q parabenizar o estúdio pelo trabalho fantástico q fizeram com Stop Motion, Esse jogo é lindo de doer, A historia e os personagens são tão carismáticos, vc se sente imersivo em Fedora e sente q cada personagem tem sua personalidade e vida
O jogo cansa as vezes pois ficar andando de um lado pro outro cansa mesmo e por isso eu jogo com mais calma e esse talvez seja o segredo de eu gostar tanto desse gênero, Harold Halibut é uma obra q todos q curtem WS ira amar.
Opening showed me where capitalism is taking this country and I was too depressed to want to play more. I will give yelling/crying into a pillow and emotional eating 5 stars though.
Se o que você curte é apertar botão, esse jogo não é pra você. Antes de baixar o game, tenha em mente que Harold Halibut é basicamente um walking simulator onde vc vai curtir a atmosfera e interagir com os personagens. A história é muito boa e emocionante em certas partes, recomendo pra quem curte jogos do gênero.
great game
includes almost no enjoyable gameplay to speak of, pads its excruciating run time with brain dead fetch quest after brain dead fetch quest, meanders in its narrative and execution, sports a cast of quirky, memorable, and truly original characters, contains a literal truck load of beautiful hand crafted art, is scored by a haunting soundtrack that continues to stick with you after you've finished playing, and boasts some of the most dizzying, effective, and downright moving sequences i've seen in a game in a very long time. it's ok. three stars.
Well, I've been waiting for this game for what feels like AGES. Me and my friend anxiously awaited updates and talked about this game for actual years, ever since we first saw the reveal. And somehow, through all that hype, this exceeded my expectations.
I knew that, at the very least, the game would be artistically stunning, and boy was I right. If ever you hear someone doubting video games as an art form, this completely undoes that argument. Truly sensational art direction here. And that art is accompanied by an awesome score.
The story here is gonna lose some people, 100%. The comparisons to a Wes Anderson film are very much valid, and whether that's good or bad will depend on your taste as an individual. For me, it really worked, because it's not something I encounter in video games very often at all. And while the gameplay is far from exciting, it moves along the plot fine enough. It definitely feels like an interactive movie more than anything, which is something I've always loved.
The characters are also super well voice acted and interesting. There were several plot threads that I found intriguing and worth being invested in, and a lot of that is thanks to the characters and the job the actors did portraying them. Harold himself is such an endearing guy and it resulted in so many great moments, both funny and a little more serious.
Overall, this game was beautiful, unique, weird (in the best way) and captivating. I can't believe this game finally came out and I played it. It's been great following along over the years and the end result was more than worth the wait
I knew that, at the very least, the game would be artistically stunning, and boy was I right. If ever you hear someone doubting video games as an art form, this completely undoes that argument. Truly sensational art direction here. And that art is accompanied by an awesome score.
The story here is gonna lose some people, 100%. The comparisons to a Wes Anderson film are very much valid, and whether that's good or bad will depend on your taste as an individual. For me, it really worked, because it's not something I encounter in video games very often at all. And while the gameplay is far from exciting, it moves along the plot fine enough. It definitely feels like an interactive movie more than anything, which is something I've always loved.
The characters are also super well voice acted and interesting. There were several plot threads that I found intriguing and worth being invested in, and a lot of that is thanks to the characters and the job the actors did portraying them. Harold himself is such an endearing guy and it resulted in so many great moments, both funny and a little more serious.
Overall, this game was beautiful, unique, weird (in the best way) and captivating. I can't believe this game finally came out and I played it. It's been great following along over the years and the end result was more than worth the wait
First and foremost: what a visually stunning game Harold Halibut is. Everything is made out of clay models, from characters to backgrounds and props. The game's worth for its visuals alone.
Another big positive is its story. Not narrative, might I say. I'll get in the "howevers" in a while. Its universe feels fresh and thought of, especially the Flumylyn society, language and customs. Harold Halibut is also very wholesome, cozy, optimistic and soulful - it's refreshing to play a game that doesn't use violence, conflict or attrition as its basis. It's a joy to find out more and get yourself acquainted with each of the many intresting characters you'll encounter. Some people had qualms with the protagonist himself, but I didn't mind - his character arc is pretty consistent and defined. Because, while it might not seem at a first glance, it's a game about people, relationships and their sense of belonging.
However, it pains me to say Harold Halibut suffers heavily from pacing issues. I have no problems with slow games, but it is painfully, glacially slow. It has too much backtracking, too much redundant dialogue, too much downtime... which makes it even more puzzling because the good sections are really good (shout-out to the downright genial "Exchange" segment that looks something straight out of Evangelion), but you have to bear through hours of busywork and walking to get there. It's a 5h game stretched into a 14h body. That's the main reason why my score isn't higher.
Still, some story beats - especially its overarching message - are very beautiful and I surprisingly got emotional by the end. As much as Harold Halibut is a terribly bloated experience, you can't help but feel sad when the adventure eventually ends. It has a lingering charm not everyone will appreciate, but for those who do it's great.
Another big positive is its story. Not narrative, might I say. I'll get in the "howevers" in a while. Its universe feels fresh and thought of, especially the Flumylyn society, language and customs. Harold Halibut is also very wholesome, cozy, optimistic and soulful - it's refreshing to play a game that doesn't use violence, conflict or attrition as its basis. It's a joy to find out more and get yourself acquainted with each of the many intresting characters you'll encounter. Some people had qualms with the protagonist himself, but I didn't mind - his character arc is pretty consistent and defined. Because, while it might not seem at a first glance, it's a game about people, relationships and their sense of belonging.
However, it pains me to say Harold Halibut suffers heavily from pacing issues. I have no problems with slow games, but it is painfully, glacially slow. It has too much backtracking, too much redundant dialogue, too much downtime... which makes it even more puzzling because the good sections are really good (shout-out to the downright genial "Exchange" segment that looks something straight out of Evangelion), but you have to bear through hours of busywork and walking to get there. It's a 5h game stretched into a 14h body. That's the main reason why my score isn't higher.
Still, some story beats - especially its overarching message - are very beautiful and I surprisingly got emotional by the end. As much as Harold Halibut is a terribly bloated experience, you can't help but feel sad when the adventure eventually ends. It has a lingering charm not everyone will appreciate, but for those who do it's great.
I adore Harold Halibut for its thoughtful story and earnest characters, but holy moly was I ready for it to be done by the 10-hour mark. And the thing is, I don't really know how you compress the semi-puzzler, mostly-walking-around gameplay without compromising the story. I'm not a game designer, after all. But still, just a lot of traveling to places, doing a conversation/menial task, going to other places, and repeating ad nausem until it's time to go to sleep. Much like real life, I suppose.
As soon as a game starts to feel like a chore to finish, I'm out...
I still really appreciate the hard work and love that was put in here because that cannot go overlooked but, Harold Halibut felt more like a "errand running" simulator than what it was actually aiming for...
I still really appreciate the hard work and love that was put in here because that cannot go overlooked but, Harold Halibut felt more like a "errand running" simulator than what it was actually aiming for...
Harold Halibut is a strange, unique, and also heart-warming experience that unfortunately isn't going to be everyone's flavor. "Game" might even be a strong word for Harold Halibut -- there's very little in the way of mechanical friction for the player; no real puzzles, challenges, or other elements you might expect from an "adventure game". Instead, Harold Halibut presents a quirky cast of characters living aboard a crashed, underwater spaceship-city and invites you to intimately get to know their lives, their routines, their thoughts, fears, and everything in between. If you give this one a shot and aren't intrigued by the world within the first hour, I'll be honest: bounce off it. You're not likely to find much to love here.
That IS Harold Halibut, though. The game revolves entirely around running here and there, helping neighbors and friends by doing odd-jobs or delivering messages, and getting to build up relationships with the cast. Sometimes, that's enjoyable enough. The art direction of the game frankly incredible, the soundtrack is great, the animations and acting are solid and feels like you're watching a real claymation film -- most of the time I was fully engaged. Sometimes it drags, though. The titular Harold, being a quite plain guy, often does plain, boring things; understandable that the player will too, to better understand him and the grievances he comes to express in the story. However, when you're nearing double-digits in play time and still running back-and-forth, back-and-forth to initiate a chat with a character 3 loading screens away, it starts getting old. Not to mention there are multiple instances where the game forcibly takes away your ability to run, or even in one scene towards the end, makes you move in slow motion, which only compounds how slow things feel sometimes.
All-in-all I liked Harold Halibut quite a bit, and even had a melancholy feeling when it ended, having to say goodbye to a cast of characters I felt like I had grown to know personally. It's hard to shake the feeling, however, that there could have been more use of the video game medium here, and a bit less of the running around the game has you do most of the time.
That IS Harold Halibut, though. The game revolves entirely around running here and there, helping neighbors and friends by doing odd-jobs or delivering messages, and getting to build up relationships with the cast. Sometimes, that's enjoyable enough. The art direction of the game frankly incredible, the soundtrack is great, the animations and acting are solid and feels like you're watching a real claymation film -- most of the time I was fully engaged. Sometimes it drags, though. The titular Harold, being a quite plain guy, often does plain, boring things; understandable that the player will too, to better understand him and the grievances he comes to express in the story. However, when you're nearing double-digits in play time and still running back-and-forth, back-and-forth to initiate a chat with a character 3 loading screens away, it starts getting old. Not to mention there are multiple instances where the game forcibly takes away your ability to run, or even in one scene towards the end, makes you move in slow motion, which only compounds how slow things feel sometimes.
All-in-all I liked Harold Halibut quite a bit, and even had a melancholy feeling when it ended, having to say goodbye to a cast of characters I felt like I had grown to know personally. It's hard to shake the feeling, however, that there could have been more use of the video game medium here, and a bit less of the running around the game has you do most of the time.
Harold Halibut has been a long-time coming. The first game from developer Slow Bros. took 14 years to develop, owed entirely to its handcrafted claymation art style. It’s a striking visual style, but the characters that inhabit the claymation world are never given as much care as the painstaking manner in which they’re rendered.
This review contains spoilers
Charming game that fails to deliver on the story it tries to tell.
Harold represents how a lot people feel in life. Just going with the tide, stays away from trouble, stuck in the monotony of everyday life. That's what attracted me to this game.
The games main message was finding a place to call home and not being so quick to judge people because they all have their own problems.
Sadly, we spend the whole game chatting with characters that are all passive aggressive with no character development until half way through the game, you deliver old letters to them, then, suddenly, they have a new perspective on life. It seems all very elementary and had me cringing a lot of times. The only character development Harold has is when he helps the Lightkeepers and then when the alien arrives. I would much rather the characters start off passive aggressive then the more you talk to them, the more you learn and found out their going through a lot as they open up to you.
I was hoping the game would pick up steam after the Alien arrived but it's more of the same boring running back and forth. Hardly any puzzles.
Ultimately, the game tries to come off as deep by using big words. But, it's very much a surface level story and gets very cheesy at times.
Harold represents how a lot people feel in life. Just going with the tide, stays away from trouble, stuck in the monotony of everyday life. That's what attracted me to this game.
The games main message was finding a place to call home and not being so quick to judge people because they all have their own problems.
Sadly, we spend the whole game chatting with characters that are all passive aggressive with no character development until half way through the game, you deliver old letters to them, then, suddenly, they have a new perspective on life. It seems all very elementary and had me cringing a lot of times. The only character development Harold has is when he helps the Lightkeepers and then when the alien arrives. I would much rather the characters start off passive aggressive then the more you talk to them, the more you learn and found out their going through a lot as they open up to you.
I was hoping the game would pick up steam after the Alien arrived but it's more of the same boring running back and forth. Hardly any puzzles.
Ultimately, the game tries to come off as deep by using big words. But, it's very much a surface level story and gets very cheesy at times.
Harold is slow as hell and i loved it. Some of the most fun writing and and acting I've seen in a game in a long time. Light but not throw away and always entertaining. Harold is a great character and refreshing for a main character in this medium. I never tired of zooming in on the sets and characters to soak in the detail in the art.
Esse jogo me fez ter vontade de abraçar um homem aparentemente hétero, de massinha e que mora no fundo do mar de um planeta qualquer do universo.