Hohokum

Hohokum is a reimagining of what it means to be a game; it's a colorful romp through fairy tale-esque setting framed out by a clever and relaxing narrative.

Hohokum is the latest title in a long lineage of artistically inclined, thoroughly unique PlayStation exclusives. From Vib Ribbon through to LocoRoco, Flower, Tokyo Jungle, Sound Shapes and more, it’s in good company, and deserves to be uttered in the same breath as those much-loved cult classics.

Easily the best aspect of this game 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. That said, the lack of narrative can leave you feeling aimless after some time, which may be disconcerting for players that love earning trophies and working towards clear objectives.

When it comes to entertainment — whether movie, TV, book or videogame — there’s room at the table for everyone and everything. Not every game needs to be an action blockbuster, serious drama, open-world masterpiece or platforming extravaganza. Sometimes, just being chill and colorful is enough. That’s certainly true of Hohokum, which was released on last-gen consoles in 2014. Eight years later, th...

When games like BioShock Infinite and The Last of Us are also forcing the player to confront questions and issues they may have never dreamed of considering prior to playing the game, it just doesn’t seem like enough yet, or that games aren’t quite there yet in the grand history of the medium, or that it’s not fair, to rob the player of nearly all the context of their actions. On the other hand, r...

Hohokum’s worth greatly depends on one’s ability to revel in simple, charming discoveries. There’s no lasting impact, meaningful message, or even resolution to its shallow core mechanics, but a playful aesthetic and relaxing music make being in its spaces enjoyable for a time.

Whenever we played British developer Honeyslug’s latest game Hohokum at conventions and the like, our biggest issue was quite simply explaining the experience to others. What exactly is the vibrant title starring a multicoloured worm all about? Is it art? How do you play it? Heck, what do you even do? Having spent significant time with the release, we’re still not convinced that we can accurately ...

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.

As I said before this is an art game, a differing experience for each individual some may appreciate it and others wont. The story isn’t fleshed out but that is part of the fun of Hohokum, and the whole point of creating your own experience. Throughout my time with this game I kept getting the feeling that this game would be perfect for a form of co op – whether it be couch based or online, someth...