Hollowbody

Hollowbody is a testament to the work of Hamley, and is phenomenal within its own right, but the dedication to various cult classic horror and sci-fi games only adds to how enamored I was with the game; this is how you make a game heavily inspired by other media while making a whole new experience entirely, in a nutshell. But don’t get me wrong, Hollowbody is so much more than its inspirations, made up of multiple moving parts that provide fans of the survival horror genre with something new and refreshing.

As a complete work, Hollowbody elevates video game horror by making players afraid of its world in a way that’s far more effective than many others, and its creepy atmosphere and oppressive gloom made me feel tense at all times. It’s a scary-as-hell love letter to fans of the genre, and I can only hope that horror devs out there take some inspiration from Nathan Hamley’s frightening work.

Hollobody is a tribute to the survival horror era with ideas from PS1 and PS2, but with a slight twist and its own setting and aesthetics that results in a tremendously interesting experience, even if it is not always consistent in its approach.

The gameplay is hindered by basic mechanics and somewhat awkward melee combat, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. However, the game excels in creating a compelling atmosphere, and the gameplay maintains a smooth flow. In the end, Hollowbody provides a nostalgic experience for fans of British survival horror at the price of a large takeaway pizza (£14.20), encapsulating both the triumphs and shortcomings of the genre, making it a worthwhile choice for an engaging evening for fans of horror games that like them with a sprinkle of nostalgia.

Hollowbody excels in some key areas, like its sound design, though it also comes up way short in others, like with its level design. Regardless, it's a serviceable survival-horror game that does everything one would expect. Nothing it does is new, but it does everything well enough to make it an easy recommendation to fans of survival horror games from the 2000s.

Hollowbody has a pretty fascinating atmosphere and really strong vibes, but fails to deliver a fleshed-out survival horror experience. The game is clearly inspired by classic PS2 titles in the genre, but this comes at the expense of the game offering unique mechanics or a thoughtful narrative. And while I have pretty strong feelings about Hollowbody, I still want to jump back into New Game+ and try to get other endings and find answers to the mystery, no matter how vague they might be.

Hollowbody tries hard to reach the heights of the Silent Hill series but several issues holds it back. Its eccentric camera use only often leads to frustration, the visuals are lackluster and the combat system is highly derivative. While a few scenes effectively capture the game's horror aesthetic, they are not enough to create a memorable experience.

Its a **** Silent Hill knock off, but its 2024 so that counts as above average.

Horror devs, here is my advice to you. To all of you: If you don't have a good story to tell, then don't make a horror game. Full stop. Your loving homage to "insert legacy horror franchise here" is not enough. This game is just junk. Thoughtless, meandering, soulless junk.