Hands-On with Hoa

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A big thank you to Numskull Games for sending us the physical edition of Hoa for review purposes.

Last October, we published our review of Hoa: a puzzle platformer which our reviewer praised for its visuals and soundtrack despite wanting a little more challenge. Now, in March 2022, Numskull Games have released the physical edition of Hoa, available to purchase on the Switch, PS4 and PS5 in the UK and EU.

Before I share my thoughts on the physical edition, let’s hear what Numskull Games has to say about the game:

Hoa is a beautiful puzzle-platforming game that features breathtaking hand-painted art, lovely music, and a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. Experience the magic of nature and imagination as you play the main character, Hoa, on her journey through breathtaking environments back to where it all began.

When I first got hold of the physical version of the game, I was immediately impressed with the cover art with a gorgeous design featuring Hoa herself being held up by a robot hand, surrounded by the lush greenness around her. With the art instantly reminding me of the Studio Ghibli art style, I would proudly display an enlarged poster of this cover design.

Looking at the back of the case, I was greeted with the usual PEGI rating, single-player overview and technical information. The back also featured two screenshots and gameplay details, written in English, Spanish and French as part of the multinational physical release. The inside cover also featured a wonderful design of Hoa meeting one of the game’s many ‘lovely creatures’! I spent some time with the game and loved the laid back approach to puzzle-solving; the perfect relaxing antidote to often stress-inducing games such as the recently-released Elden Ring!

Ultimately, the physical edition of Hoa is a simple but well put together package. If you’re looking for a relaxed short-and-sweet puzzler that comes with that instantly-recognisable new Switch game smell then Hoa could be the perfect option for you! To hear more detailed thoughts about the gameplay, you can read our existing review here.

You can purchase Hoa on PS5, PS4 and Switch from a variety of retailers. Click here to see where.