Hollowbody review

Hollowbody review

As a seasoned gamer with a lifelong love for horror games that began during the golden age of PS2, I must say Hollowbody has stirred up some long-buried memories and emotions. The eerie atmosphere, the suspense, the relentless pursuit by grotesque creatures – it’s all there, making me feel right at home in this chilling adventure.


Currently, an abundance of captivating and spine-tingling horror games exist in today’s market. However, for numerous individuals, the golden era of horror gaming occurred over twenty years ago on the PS2. Whether you adored lesser-known titles like outrunning sinister figures in Haunting Ground or invested countless hours navigating through the ominous fog in Silent Hill, if you enjoyed being on edge and feeling threatened, it was an exceptional period to be a gamer. Hollowbody harks back to this golden age of horror gaming, and although it’s not flawless, it offers a delightful dose of nostalgia and might even keep you restless at night.

In a not-too-far future, our heroine Mica earns her living as an illicit transporter in the world of Hollowbody. Alongside partner Sasha, she braves treacherous landscapes. However, when Sasha ventures into the restricted zone without you, she disappears. After a nerve-wracking twelve days, you embark on a search for her within this lifeless, enclosed realm. It’s not long before you find yourself stranded in spooky remains of human settlements. Surprisingly, though, you’re far from being the only presence in this eerie place.

If you’ve experienced an old-style horror game previously, Hollowbody will seem familiar, albeit without the need for tank controls in this chilling journey. Mica is armed with a gun and melee weapon as backup during her rescue operation, which she can employ against menacing creatures if necessary. However, be warned that using melee weapons can be quite uncomfortable due to their slow pace and limited reach. Guns, on the other hand, are easier to handle, especially with a lock-on feature, but overusing them will quickly deplete your ammo, leaving you in a difficult predicament for the remainder of this harrowing experience.

Hollowbody review

In the restricted area, Mica’s primary objective is clearly to locate Sasha. However, to achieve this efficiently, she must ascend to a suitable vantage point to utilize her radio properly. This requires navigating an apartment building teeming with danger and entities intent on causing harm, essentially embarking on her first Silent Hill-like labyrinth (for lack of a better term). To progress, you’ll need to search for keys, gather essential items, and figure out how to solve a few puzzles. It won’t be simple, but with some strategic thinking and quick maneuvers, you may manage to stay alive for a brief period.

Intriguing puzzles in this game are reminiscent of classic horror genre titles from the past. Instead of offering straightforward solutions to problems, you’ll need to decipher clues and perform calculations (such as figuring out someone’s birth year) on your own. This isn’t a walk in the park; it challenges players rather than spoon-feeding them answers. Some may find this style challenging, but I personally found it invigorating not to have solutions handed to me upon entering a room.

Exceptional instances in Hollowbody will make your heart race and cause a cold sweat, even though they don’t occur often, when they do, they pack a punch. Disturbing melodies, gruesome visuals, and swarms of mutated creatures intent on devouring you culminate into a terrifying scenario. frankly, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Hollowbody review

Despite offering an entertaining horror experience in 2002, Hollowbody’s flaws, such as the erratic camera movement during attacks and insufficient save points, may not hold up well in 2024. The unruly camera swings can be irritating at best, and the absence of regular save points could lead to significant progress loss, potentially causing players to abandon their playtime for other activities due to frustration.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect among these problems might be the difficult-to-navigate map, which is often illegible and lacking in certain areas. When trapped within intricate mazes filled with identical-looking corridors and rooms, this predicament can become incredibly frustrating, especially when you have limited options for saving your progress. Consequently, you may find yourself unwillingly revisiting these dismal locations multiple times during your terrifying adventure.

Hollowbody harks back to the chilling era of horror games from the PS2, with its pros and cons. Navigating eerie settings reminiscent of Silent Hill leaves you on edge and captivated, but the game’s issues such as a poorly designed map, scarcity of save points, and challenging combat can dampen the experience. If you’re yearning for a nostalgic fright, Hollowbody delivers, but if your gaming preferences lean towards more contemporary titles, you might find the gameplay less appealing than the monsters. However, given that it was developed by a single person, this project is nothing short of remarkable.

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2024-09-12 17:16