Hohokum (2014)

Hohokum’s developers intentionally created a game that was more about vibe than content. It prioritizes meandering and discovery over logic and progress. Some players will connect with Hohokum’s relaxed approach to game design, but others will wish for more direction and sense of accomplishment or mastery. The PC release doesn’t add or subtract anything from the original, but it gives a new audience the chance to experience a unique and sometimes fascinating game.

Today, as in the past, Hohokum remains an experience not accessible to everyone. The choice of its creator is obvious: to give a few hours of serenity to those who live this adventure. Between puzzles and interactive elements with which to compose your melody, in an explosion of colors and visionariness, Hohokum is a break from the typified world of video games, and undoubtedly deserves an opportunity from anyone who loves to peep into the artistic expressions of the interactive medium.

Easily the best aspect of Hohokum is the euphoric joy you feel when you find something new, whether it's a kaleidoscope-style colour show, a gateway to a different dimension or simply a funny sound

Hohokum tries to be all things to all gamers, attempting to fit inside both the 'game' camp and the interactive art collective. That it succeeds, somewhat, is a compliment to the developers and the artist, but this attempt is also what holds Hohokum back from real greatness in either distinction. It could have been a piece of moving art, an emotive experience based on experimental exploration supported by an immersive soundtrack. It could have been an innovative puzzle game, requiring interlinked stages of thought based on the results of trial and error, free to transform game mechanics on the fly to support the overall quality of game. What it is, is an attempt at both, and it comes very close to nailing those genres. There's no cigar to hand out here, but Hohokum is still worthy of your time and a firm handshake.

There isn't much to the bottom line here. Hohokum is a great art project, but taken as a game it falls seriously flat. For the right price and mindset, possibly enjoyable, I just got very little out of it.