Hollowbody Reviews
Hollowbody's puzzles are generally simple, many enemies can be avoided entirely, and experienced horror fans may find the challenge level fairly forgiving even on the higher difficulty. Some story developments may also prove divisive depending on what you're hoping to get from the narrative. However, its strengths ultimately outweigh its weaknesses, with its focused design, atmospheric world, engaging mystery, and clear appreciation for classic survival horror coming together to create a game that remains enjoyable from beginning to end. It feels like a genuine love letter to the genre while still feeling distinct thanks to its tech-noir setting and British dystopian backdrop. For horror fans, especially those who miss the style and structure of early 2000s survival horror, Hollowbody is an easy recommendation and a memorable indie effort that makes the most of its compact runtime.
I hate how harsh this sounds because the truth is Hollowbody is a labor of love. Developer Headware Games seems to be a mostly solo affair and the parts of Hollowbody that work are incredibly impressive. The fact a one man team cannot only produce something so close in tone and intensity to the peaks of the genre and even get it published on console is frankly inspiring. But it just has too many hiccups to come together the way it wants to.
Hollowbody is a solid survival-horror experience that takes clear inspiration from the genre's early 2000s offerings.
Hollowbody straddles the line between Silent Hill homage and clone, but more often than not, it's a nostalgic and creepy success.
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.
Hollowbody is a classic survival horror experience which will delight fans of those PS2-era frights, but some of the dated elements will frustrate.
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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
At a glance, it’s clear that Silent Hill and Resident Evil were major influences on indie horror game Hollowbody. While its retro PS2-style visuals are what initially drew me toward the game, inside of that is a competent survival horror experience that, while not doing too many things different from its predecessors, establishes a world and setting that’s worth exploring. If you’re looking for a game to scratch the itch of those classic survival horror experiences, Hollowbody is definitely worth your time.
Hollowbody does a great job of capturing the mood and feel of survival horror classics whilst removing some of the genre's more annoying aspects and sits at the very top of the indie horror tree alongside the likes of Crow Country and Signalis.
There are two ways of looking at Hollowbody. As an homage to a bygone gaming era, a conceptual love letter to an influential time, it succeeds pretty well. Without the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia, Hollowbody is a pretty unsatisfying experience.
I’d say Hollowbody was disappointing but everything it gets wrong about the horror genre is so common it's practically expected at this point.
Hollowbody stands as a commendable project from a solo developer, effectively channelling the essence of classic PlayStation 2 horror titles, with a particular nod to Silent Hill 2.
Fun game that pays homage to the survival horror classics of the PS2 era
Hollowbody turns survival horror into a harmless ride: a tribute to the past without its own identity, lacking any sense of danger, and wasting great voice acting on a weak and confusing script.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Hollowbody is an impressive horror game that reminded me of what I loved and hated about the iconic games of the past. It combines elements of the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series. It is not very extensive, but the story is retold in an interesting way.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
In many aspects, Hollowbody can be considered a tribute to the past games of the horror genre, and as a title that takes its example from those games, it offers a satisfying experience,
Review in Persian | Read full review
Overall, Hollowbody continues the tradition of Headway games, a survival horror game that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You are given the direction of the story at the start, then it is up to you to write the remainder with minimal input or prompts from the developers. If survival horror is your genre, jump in and support this indie dev. While you won’t have days of enjoyment, there are still a good few hours you can sink into this title.
Hollowbody runs the line between “inspired by” and “clone of” survival horror games of the late 90s and early 2000s. Overall, it’s a very effective game with a simple story and gameplay that anyone can pick up. With a few issues here and there, Hollowbody transitions from PC to console effectively. If you’re a fan of this genre, you’ll get a great few hours of what you like. Can you ask for more?
There is a real game here, and there is a clear vision behind it. For fans of old-school survival horror who are hungry for fixed cameras, oppressive silence, and lonely exploration, Hollowbody is worth checking out, especially on sale. Just go in expecting a strong mood piece more than a fully satisfying horror story.
By pushing itself into the same room as the classics and deliberately evoking them, Hollowbody does itself a disservice.