Five stars if you don't count the Black & White DLC, even if it's supposed to give a definitive ending to the game. I 100%ed all the maps other than the DLC one and beat Chuka in the DLC, couldn't figure out how to progress and peaced out on it with 80% map completion.

I think it's my kind of platforming and exploration-based Metroidvania and I appreciate the potential levels of nonlinearity in it that are tied specifically to your ability to understand your mechanics fully (some of these skill sets can be learned via found notes in some areas).

There were a few minor issues, such as the camera not going back to center when doing the down-dash ability and the lack of ability to have quest markers in case you're looking for someone or something in particular -- this is especially a pain in the case of finding all the robots (which I had already found before I got the quest started, so I just skipped that whole deal), as well as the Subway Depot quest and a generator quest for a particular region -- it asks you to turn on generators and you can 100% the map without finding all of the generators if you're like me and simply didn't look in a particular direction in one room.

I think my only other gripe was very minor and involved a particular ability you eventually get that is really fun, but can make some of your other abilities become a bit more finicky, without going into spoiler territory for some of the cool stuff you get.

Ended up dropping 24 hours on it for 100% map completion for everywhere other than the DLC and gathered all relevant items in the game but didn't finish a couple side quests. Absolutely worth it at full price and I'd say it's worth a look for any Metroidvania player -- if you see a sale, snatch it up!

Also, shout-outs to the dev for being cool in the Steam discussions when a Dutch person called his game "cringe" because in Dutch, "haak" means "hook" and you have a hook weapon, even though the dev speaks Cantonese and "haak" means "black" because your brother (the main quest point of the game has you seeking him out) is "baak", which means "white". The very polite correction followed by dead silence from the Dutch user was golden.

Haak cements itself firmly in the upper echelon of metroidvanias. The level design may seem uninspired visually, but the absolute confidence and fluidity with which the gameplay is executed lends well to the simple 2D world. It just feels good to play, with snappy mechanics and movement, both of which are so important in a 2D platformer of this scale, as you'll be spending close to 25 hours to achieve 100%.

There's a stellar map system, progressive upgrades, and a proper teleport system that leave you with close to zero secrets left to find after the final boss, which is a massive plus in my book. The game respects your time, and by the last leg of it you have and are able to utilize Haak's entire toolkit to its fullest, rather than snagging the final upgrade or two when there's nothing left to do. Bosses, enemy variety, and combat in general aren't particularly satisfying, nor where the game shines. Enemies are to be looked at more as platforming obstacles, and there isn't a single difficult fight to be found. The exploration, platforming, and engagement with the tools provided to you are where Haak really shows its prowess.

The UI is entirely readable and follows general common sense design, and there are close to zero bugs. There is a story here and it's not uninteresting, but the translation is incredibly stifled, which ended up being the only other detractor in my experience; there is no word of mouth at all in English for Haak. It's readable, but you're almost better off skipping the text unless it's improved; just let the gameplay speak for itself. Some may not be able to overlook this but the atmosphere, world building, and superb execution of mechanics are more than enough to wash down the lackluster translation.

I am still trying to finish this game. I first played the game on android before but ended up deleting it due to boredom. 5hen a few years later, I came back to this game, but this time I played it on my laptop. It's good, I still don't get much of the story though, but the whole Metroidvania thing is just great. I've played a few games that fell into the same genre and this game is overall giving me both Dandara and Hollow Knight moveset somehow. Anyways, still finishing the game. Might log again soon.

Platforming and fights
were well done pieces, and yet
pacing holds this back.

This is my HAiKU