Giulianosse
Bio
My rough rating guidelines:
★★★★★ - Exceptional experiences that are guaranteed to stay in my thoughts for quite some time;
★★★★☆ - Great games I thoroughly enjoyed my time with;
★★★☆☆ - Underwhelming but entertaining;
★★☆☆☆ - Bad. Would recommend avoiding;
★☆☆☆☆ - Terrible. Probably only finished it out of spite.
I like to do short form reviews mostly on indie games! My Xbox handle is the same as my Backloggd username. 🇧🇷
My rough rating guidelines:
★★★★★ - Exceptional experiences that are guaranteed to stay in my thoughts for quite some time;
★★★★☆ - Great games I thoroughly enjoyed my time with;
★★★☆☆ - Underwhelming but entertaining;
★★☆☆☆ - Bad. Would recommend avoiding;
★☆☆☆☆ - Terrible. Probably only finished it out of spite.
I like to do short form reviews mostly on indie games! My Xbox handle is the same as my Backloggd username. 🇧🇷
Badges
Gone Gold
Received 5+ likes on a review while featured on the front page
Liked
Gained 10+ total review likes
Donor
Liked 50+ reviews / lists
Pinged
Mentioned by another user
Best Friends
Become mutual friends with at least 3 others
Noticed
Gained 3+ followers
Roadtrip
Voted for at least 3 features on the roadmap
1 Years of Service
Being part of the Backloggd community for 1 year
GOTY '22
Participated in the 2022 Game of the Year Event
Favorite Games
019
Total Games Played
018
Played in 2024
000
Games Backloggd
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First and foremost: what a visually stunning game Harold Halibut is. Everything is made out of clay models, from characters to backgrounds and props. The game's worth for its visuals alone.
Another big positive is its story. Not narrative, might I say. I'll get in the "howevers" in a while. Its universe feels fresh and thought of, especially the Flumylyn society, language and customs. Harold Halibut is also very wholesome, cozy, optimistic and soulful - it's refreshing to play a game that doesn't use violence, conflict or attrition as its basis. It's a joy to find out more and get yourself acquainted with each of the many intresting characters you'll encounter. Some people had qualms with the protagonist himself, but I didn't mind - his character arc is pretty consistent and defined.
However, it pains me to say Harold Halibut suffers heavily from pacing issues. I have no problems with slow games, but it is painfully, glacially slow. It has too much backtracking, too much redundant dialogue, too much downtime... which makes it even more puzzling because the good sections are really good (shout-out to the downright genial "Exchange" segment that looks something straight out of Evangelion), but you have to bear through hours of busywork and walking to get there. It's a 5h game stretched into a 14h body. That's the main reason why my score isn't higher.
Still, some story beats - especially its overarching message - are very beautiful and I surprisingly got emotional by the end. As much as Harold Halibut is a terribly bloated experience, you can't help but feel sad when the adventure eventually ends. It has a lingering charm not everyone will appreciate, but for those who do it's great.
Another big positive is its story. Not narrative, might I say. I'll get in the "howevers" in a while. Its universe feels fresh and thought of, especially the Flumylyn society, language and customs. Harold Halibut is also very wholesome, cozy, optimistic and soulful - it's refreshing to play a game that doesn't use violence, conflict or attrition as its basis. It's a joy to find out more and get yourself acquainted with each of the many intresting characters you'll encounter. Some people had qualms with the protagonist himself, but I didn't mind - his character arc is pretty consistent and defined.
However, it pains me to say Harold Halibut suffers heavily from pacing issues. I have no problems with slow games, but it is painfully, glacially slow. It has too much backtracking, too much redundant dialogue, too much downtime... which makes it even more puzzling because the good sections are really good (shout-out to the downright genial "Exchange" segment that looks something straight out of Evangelion), but you have to bear through hours of busywork and walking to get there. It's a 5h game stretched into a 14h body. That's the main reason why my score isn't higher.
Still, some story beats - especially its overarching message - are very beautiful and I surprisingly got emotional by the end. As much as Harold Halibut is a terribly bloated experience, you can't help but feel sad when the adventure eventually ends. It has a lingering charm not everyone will appreciate, but for those who do it's great.
Markets itself as a cozy, zen organization game and is everything but. Some puzzles are extremely arbitrary to the point I found myself getting frustrated after having my answers get rejected without any indication whether I was close to the intended solution. The tips are terrible.
If you are looking for an actual relaxing game, steer clear of this one and go play Unpacking or Assemble With Care instead.
If you are looking for an actual relaxing game, steer clear of this one and go play Unpacking or Assemble With Care instead.
A short, straightforward and bitersweet story about a real incident that took place in the USSR during the 1970's.
Very low budget, limited interactivity, repetitive, spotty translation and okay-wish graphics. Where the game really shines, though, is in its ambiance. Bright Lights at Svetlov takes place mostly inside an apartment and it's evident the developer took great care into building an accurate depiction of a 1980's Soviet household. It feels like peeking through a window to the past.
Very low budget, limited interactivity, repetitive, spotty translation and okay-wish graphics. Where the game really shines, though, is in its ambiance. Bright Lights at Svetlov takes place mostly inside an apartment and it's evident the developer took great care into building an accurate depiction of a 1980's Soviet household. It feels like peeking through a window to the past.