Haimrik review

Haimrik does a lot of things right, and not a lot of wrong. It's short but focused and one of my favorite games. Below The Game in Colombia developed Haimrik. It takes the unusual, awkward, and milquetoast protagonist, Haimrik, and places him in the middle of a medieval rebellion. How does a weak, shy and scrawny man become the leader for a revolution? It all comes down to a magic book, and a little bit of his blood.

Haimrik's main hook is the use of words. Haimrik discovers that words are power after a nightmare in which he is forced to enter the mysterious world of a book. He learns how to bend words to his will to survive. This becomes the main theme of the story. Beautiful artwork and storybook sentences display this. Haimrik stands above certain words, usually nouns like sword, torch crossbow, arrows and crossbow. He holds triangle, and voila! the word is realized. Haimrik can fight guards and solve puzzles with this power.

Haimrik is a very unique game. It has an extremely unique mechanic and knows how to use it. The puzzles can be found on one screen with three floors. You will need to read the rest of the text to find out which words will lead you to the exit. One item can be held at a given time. For example, summoning a torch to replace your sword will require you to think ahead. However, you can combine certain items. Sometimes you will only learn by trial and error. Other times, you may have to go back to the top to find the correct item.

You find a rhythm and you can read what's on the screen while solving puzzles. This makes you feel like you are moving forward. This is a clever way to keep the pace going, and it made it difficult for me to put down the controller. It felt almost like you were reading a page-turner.

Haimrik Review

The writing in these puzzle sections is not perfect, I will be honest. It would be very chaotic and childish to read the story as a whole. There are also some grammar errors that will make it difficult to follow along. However, the cutscenes are well-written and tell a satisfying story. It's so good that I wonder if the puzzle structure was too difficult for the in-level writing. Maybe it was just a matter of better copy editing.

The story is enhanced by beautiful art. You can still control Haimrik even during cutscenes. He squeamishly races from left to right through a tapestry full of hand-drawn artwork that highlights important events. These scenes often involve a lot of blood. You'll learn about Haimrik's life in his village. He's both a trusted friend and an object of contempt.

Haimrik Review

This life changes quickly, and the story begins. It cleverly blends bloody revolution, black comedy and political backstabbery to create a creative and brilliant final act. The end is a bit rushed, though it is easy to overlook. It's not bad to think that there's more to a game than you have.

The boss fights are one of Haimrik's most memorable parts. The boss fights are fast-paced and require you to react quickly. Some fights can be frustrating and require trial and error. However, death doesn't mean you are punished and it isn't difficult to figure out what to do. You have it right in front. It could be argued that the player is left with very little to do but 'press the button on right words'. However, that's too simplistic. A late-game section in which you can switch between characters refreshes the puzzle solving just when it's necessary. As I mentioned, the pace is very well managed throughout.

Haimrik Review

Haimrik's lack of replayability is the only negative. Although I would love to be able to jump back into Haimrik's tale, it is impossible to do so once the book has closed. You could earn all the achievements or trophies, but only having one save file means you have to start over. It would be great to have a chapter select.

Haimrik is a delightful little game that is well worth your time. The story is strong and entertaining. It also features an original mechanic that I would like to see expanded upon in the future. The art is beautiful, despite the fact that most levels are palette swaps instead of new level structures. The PS15.99 price tag for this game is a bit high (I would have taken a fiver off it), but it's certainly worth it for anyone looking for a unique take on the 2D puzzle style.