This narrated gameplay video for Hoa, a chill-out-in-nature platformer adventure, is soothing beyond words. It's the brain-massaging tranquility I needed to cap off the week. It's seven minutes well-spent. You know that feeling you get when you think about HOAs as, like, a concept? Think the exact opposite.
You might recognize Hoa from the Nintendo Indie World presentation late last year, but if not, no worries – art director and Skrollcat Studio co-founder Son Tra is here to calmly bring us up to speed.
Not that much actually happens on-screen in this early portion of the game – it's a lot of bopping around from leaf to leaf – but the lush forest backgrounds, the big-eyed insect companions, and the sweeping soundtrack sure paint a charming picture. Things don't always have to be complex when coziness will more than suffice. I can see this clicking with families and younger players, especially.
In a word, it's cute! Hoa is coming to Steam and Nintendo Switch in April 2021.
