Hoa
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About Hoa
Skrollcat Studio released this indie title in August 2021 under PM Studios publishing rights. You can play it on almost every major system including PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Mac, and PC. It is a single-player experience that blends adventure, platforming, and puzzle mechanics into one package. The story follows Hoa as she travels through a magical world to find her way home. The visual style stands out because every frame looks like a hand-painted watercolor painting. There are no enemies or combat systems here. Instead you focus on exploration and solving environmental puzzles to unlock new areas. It feels like walking through an interactive art gallery where the background changes as you move forward.
Gameplay
Sessions involve navigating a 2D side-scrolling world where your main goal is movement and interaction. You control Hoa directly by running, jumping, and climbing on various surfaces. The core loop requires you to restore color to the grayscale environment using specific tools like leaves or petals. These items act as keys to unlock platforms or reveal hidden paths. Puzzle elements often involve timing jumps correctly or arranging objects to create bridges. The game does not use a traditional health bar so failure is rare and usually just means restarting a short segment. Controls are tight enough to handle precise platforming sections without feeling floaty. You will spend most of your time looking for collectibles and finding the right route through level geometry. There is no combat or resource management to stress over during play.
What Players Think
Players on PlayPile have tracked this title closely since launch. Metacritic holds a score of 70 out of 100 while IGDB lists it at 68.9 based on eighteen ratings. The average completion rate sits at 60.4 percent for the sixteen total achievements available in the game. Most users report finishing the main story within four to six hours depending on puzzle solving speed. Community moods lean heavily toward calm and appreciative rather than excited or frustrated. Review snippets frequently mention the art style as a highlight while some critics note the short length as a downside. The low achievement unlock rate suggests many players stop after beating the game without hunting for 100 percent completion. Overall sentiment remains positive with a focus on aesthetic appreciation over mechanical depth.
PlayPile's Take
This title works best if you want a short break from high-stress games or competitive shooters. The price point is generally low which fits the modest runtime well. You get eighteen achievements to chase but only about sixty percent of players finish them all. Skrollcat Studio made something beautiful here that does not waste your time with filler content. It lacks the challenge needed for hardcore gamers but offers a nice change of pace for casuals. Avoid this if you need hours of gameplay or complex combat systems. The hand-painted visuals carry the entire experience so do not expect deep mechanics. Play it once and appreciate the art before moving on to your next long-term project.
Game Modes
Single player
IGDB Rating
68.9
RAWG Rating
3.6
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