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REVIEW

Hue Review

by Rob Pritchard, September 7th, 2016
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When it comes to video games, many of the titles that are most fondly remembered have a simple premise combined with addictive game play. Multiple indie games have fallen under this category, in particular titles such as Thomas Was Alone and Fez, which have won critical acclaim as well as a cult following. Developed by newcomers Fiddlesticks, Hue hopes to follow in their footsteps, and by all accounts, it certainly succeeds in doing so.

Hue is a puzzle platformer that follows the story of a young boy, who is given the task of restoring colour to the world after a freak accident causes it to disappear, trapping his mother in an unreachable dimension. The only way to complete this task is to use an artefact known as the Colour Ring, which has the ability to alter the colour of the world depending on the choice that is made by the player. In order to restore balance to the world and rescue Hue’s mother, you will need to find the missing colours from the Colour Ring, which were scattered across the world when the accident occurred, and pursue a mysterious shadow which seems to be watching your every move.

At its core, the main aim of Hue is to get from one side of the level to the other, through a mixture of jumps, pushing and pulling blocks and manipulating the world around you by changing the background colour. As you recover more of the scattered colours, the player will be able to travel to new areas in locations that you have previously visited by changing the world colour to the one that bars their way. The Colour Wheel is mapped to the right analog stick, which makes it incredibly easy to invert the environment on the go. You will need to tread carefully when faced with a number of coloured objects, as you won’t be able to switch to another dimension if an object exists where you are currently placed. For example, if you are stood in the yellow world, and a box exists in the blue world, you will need to move to empty space in order to proceed with the switch.

What makes this mechanic feel organic is that while using it can help you to solve the brain bending puzzles, it can also leave you vulnerable to hazards in the environment. Whether you have to dodge falling boulders or spikes, coming into contact with these will result in instant death and being sent back to the beginning of the current area.

One of the best elements of the game are the letters that you find scattered across the world during the adventure. Read by Hue’s mother, these short writings paint a picture of her journey to create the Colour Ring, as well as the relationship she builds with a man who shares her passion for colours. The game could have worked perfectly well without these letters, but their inclusion creates an emotional drive for you to reunite Hue with his mother, and sets it apart from many of the puzzle platformers which rely on gameplay alone to create a compelling experience.

The graphical art style for Hue is truly exceptional, representing the sketches in an art book, which works well in combination with the colours motif.  While there aren’t many musical tracks that play throughout the adventure, there is a constant piano piece in the background as you wander through the levels. It does get slightly repetitive after a few minutes, but you will barely notice after a while as your focus will be solely on the puzzles on offer. The only voice acting in the game comes from Hue’s mother during her letter monologues, and while some may find her lack of panic regarding her situation unrealistic, her wistful reminiscence of the past is the perfect accompaniment to the adventure you are undertaking to find her whereabouts.

Overall, Hue is one the best examples of a simple concept turned into a video game.  The colour changing mechanic adds just the right amount of difficulty, and the story, in combination with professional voice work keeps you driving forward when the going gets tough. For the price you are paying, Hue is one puzzle platformer that you can’t afford to miss.

9
If you are looking for a puzzle platformer to test your wits and touch your heart, Hue is one of the best choices you can make. It's colour changing mechanic, endearing narrative and challenging puzzles make it an essential addition to your PS4 library.

Filed under: Hue Indie Kids

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