Hoa | Switch Review

As soon as I heard Hoa from Skrollcat Studio described as “a warm bubble bath for your brain,” I knew I had to play it. The last year has been particularly trying on myself personally, and I needed a bit of a respite from the violence that plagues my favorite hobby. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy shooters and brawlers a great deal; I really do. But I needed a palate cleanser, and this truly was exactly what I needed.

Relax

You play as Hoa, a small fairy who has no memory of herself. She travels back to her homeland after years of being away to learn about her past. During her travels, her magical powers reignite the land, and she comes across several whimsical creatures who help her piece together her lost memories.

As simple as the story is, I found myself captivated by its beauty. Each character treats Hoa like a long lost friend or family member. She’s seemingly very missed in this magical land, and watching her story unfold is peaceful and heartwarming. It’s nothing completely cerebral or mind-blowing, but not everything needs to be. The pleasant tale matches perfectly with the serene nature of the game’s tone.

Unwind

At its core, Hoa is a 2D platformer that takes minimal skill to overcome. This game is clearly meant to be an experience and not a test of your reflexes. Although labeled as containing exploration-based puzzles, that’s a bit of a stretch. Hoa collects a certain number of items in each world and brings them back to a central location in order to access the next area. There’s no tricky platforming, no mind-numbing puzzles to complete, and no boss battles. You can’t even “die” in this one.

The rudimentary gameplay might be a turnoff for some, but I found it completely refreshing. I’ve never labeled myself as a high-skilled gamer, but I have completed hardcore platformers like Celeste with sweaty palms. I found myself enraptured by the ease it took to work my way through Hoa’s prior home. It reminded me that not all games have to be difficult to be satisfying. By the time the credits rolled, I felt warm and fuzzy inside instead of relieved that I overcame adversity. We need more experiences like this.

Rejuvenate

What made this title truly special is every piece of art associated with it. The hand-painted art is beautiful and dreamlike. Even the enemies (if you want to call them that), feel nonthreatening. It’s almost like they’re a necessary part of a beautiful world. Each area feels unique and vastly different from the previous one. It felt exciting to see what landscape I would experience next.

And the soundtrack. Wow. Simply astounding. If there ever was a game that needed to played with headphones this year, this would be it. I’d be hard-pressed to come up with another title that gave me a sense of peace like Hoa does. Quite simply put, the piano arrangements with light, ambient orchestration is a delightful experience from start to finish. Johannes Johannson deserves all the credit in the world for this masterpiece of serenity. It’s amongst the easiest additions to my collection of soundtracks to listen to when I need a moment to recharge my batteries or focus.

Hoa Final Verdict

I fully understand that this game isn’t for everyone. Challenge is essential for a lot of people, and you won’t get one here. I still urge you to give Hoa a shot, if you (like me) need a break from the ugliness of the world. I felt completely refreshed after finishing this title, and consider it to be the best form of therapy I’ve experienced in video games. It cements the fact that this medium truly should be considered art. Give yourself a break, and just soak up the experience. You won’t be disappointed.

To hear me talk more about Hoa, be sure to listen to Episode 365 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 55:32 time stamp.

This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Hoa provided by PM Studios for coverage purposes. It is also available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC via GOG and Steam.