Harold Halibut Review

Harold Halibut reviewed by Tristan Ogilvie on PC. Also available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
"It may take place at the bottom of the ocean on a distant alien planet, but Harold Halibut’s story is an entirely human one, both in terms of its carefully handmade environments and its strong emphasis on empathy towards its eccentric cast of characters. While I wish that there was a little more interactivity to be found throughout its subaquatic setting, and Harold’s shuffling run could have been boosted to a sprint to reduce the time spent repeatedly schlepping from one end of its levels to the other, I nonetheless remained captivated by his whimsical quest to unite his community and explore the spectacular surroundings of his sunken home. Consistently funny and full of surprises, Harold Halibut is a wholesome, handcrafted adventure with plenty of heart."

[@gringote1783]

finally an Adrien Brody simulator

[@FF-ch9nr]

a BRODYQUEST, if you will.

[@paulv9833]

more like Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men. lol

[@Rhade15]

Wes Anderson’s Bioshock

[@Philosophical24]

We were supposed to get Guillermo del Toro’s Bioshock but I’ll settle for Wes Anderson 😂

[@synthetiCore]

Nailed it.

[@ajdnitro123]

The reviewer mentions that. Definitely gives Fantastic Mr Fox vibes

[@rhinocort1184]

Wow, that’s like, exactly what the reviewer says. What a coincidence!

[@julesy6922]

the bioshock movie adaptation has been drafted up and then put back on ice several times over the past decade or more but honestly this is the secret ingredient to get the ball rolling into production, attach wes anderson to direct the bioshock movie

[@techwizard9699]

This game just made it to my list of ever increasing backlogs.

[@user-lm3nr1yc2t]

Same buddy same

[@michaelschneider1365]

me to and case if benedict fox

[@robertwatson5104]

Same here. I’m a collector more than a player 😊

[@michaelschneider1365]

@@robertwatson5104 what does that mean

[@BarsMar]

Please share said list. 🙏 I'd like to start mine over it 😊

[@YoshMaster]

Not sure I’ll ever play it but I’ll buy it just for the principle of encouraging such an amazing art style!!

[@Phil_Official]

I´m buying Stellar Blade for the exact same reason lol

[@thelemon5069]

​@@Phil_Officialstellar blade looks samey to me

[@ItsameMatt]

It's on GamePass today, just FYI

[@the15thprofessor]

I'd also give Truberbrook a try. It didn't get a lot of media attention but it did this art style years before this game.

[@NoHateLikeChristianLove]

@@the15thprofessorWhat kinda game is it, and what’s it for? Got XB1, Switch, and a laptop that can only run things like Total Warhammer 2 passably.

[@RexMckinnis]

I've been waiting YEARS for this! I'm excited!

[@arkadiuszmazur5386]

Same!

[@jjw4646]

lol really? I’ve 100% it and it’s a very average game

[@arkadiuszmazur5386]

​@@jjw4646 And even though it's average, you wanted to go through it 100%. Yes, it makes sense........😁

[@jjw4646]

@@arkadiuszmazur5386 Considering it’s been in development for years.. yes it’s average lol.

[@ttghhgg1918]

@@jjw4646it’s a masterpiece

[@scott_itall8638]

A horror survival in this format would be great.

[@zanerinsane1574]

I’ve been saying this. People are sleeping on the potential.

[@c.a.6636]

Little nightmares is prob the closest we have to it currently

[@chrismcpherson7582]

Barotrauma

[@scott_itall8638]

@@chrismcpherson7582 Tried that on PC, just didnt click with me.

[@guidorussoheck2100]

too expensive. This game was made by stop motion technique and then 3D scanned.

[@rogerpiero]

Am feeding my eyes with this visual delicacy

[@Mektek19]

Now this is next gen.

[@conkerlive101]

More creative games like this please!

[@gleekthemonkey4570]

Yeah, I’m buying this just because of the art style alone. Lol

[@OnlyMyOpinionMatters]

Sheep

[@adiddy911]

@@OnlyMyOpinionMattersall of your comments are so negative.. stay miserable 💀💀💀

[@darron13]

What a beautiful and standout art style

[@Otis151]

Looks gorgeous. Thanks for the review!

[@hyiping5926]

If anyone were this dedicated to what they do, we would have flying cars, teleportation machines and what not, incredible work and incredible dedication.

[@nuclearbeeberman]

looks great :)

[@flavbo5899]

Definitely on my list!

[@Thomasw04]

Lovely characters, smart worldbuilding, touches you in the feel. Beautiful made game with lots of attention to details. Walking sim though.

[@Bionicbeat84]

The Life Aquatic with Harold Halibut

[@BitBlink]

This is incredible

[@PotatoJonson]

Can’t wait to speedrun this.

[@rcmatheus02]

They gave it a 8.

[@nooneeey]

Loved the demo, will absolutely enjoy this gem of a game

[@AmaymonF]

Narrator, have you ever noticed that you change your pitch (or intonation, idk what it is called) at the end of every sentence.

[@RCqe76]

It’s hard for me to listen to his reviews.

[@SENATORPAIN1]

It’s because he is Australian.

[@keithws2779]

If a sentence has two parts the end of the first goes UP, and then the following part will end by going down.

[@jerodsrivera]

THIS

[@jstratus4]

This game looks absolutely beautiful

[@randomatorPHD]

From what I’m seeing in the b roll here, this is motion captured, not stop motion. Not saying either is better than the other, just that there is a difference.

[@Ellzyboy]

You are correct

[@SENATORPAIN1]

What is the difference?

[@Ellzyboy]

@@SENATORPAIN1 the difference is motion capture a living actor is filmed moving and then put onto the character in game. Stop motion is when a character is moved a tiny bit and then a still image is taken (frame) for example 1 second of movement is roughly 25 separate images put together so it looks like its moving.

[@DaBuffNerd]

This is on Gamepass too.

[@sligacheese6470]

It’s worth playing

[@AndrewWms]

Harold looks like anton chigurh in no country for old men.

[@leeviheiskanen1271]

Kinda unique art style for a game

[@taskintaskiran2806]

It has a very unique art style and great music. However, the game side of it is too slim, you only go from point 1 to point 2 and push A and watch what happens. Maybe it should have been produced as TV series rather than a video game?

[@johnlawful2272]

It's a visual novel

[@007ptb007]

So true really wish there was more of a broken sword style system

[@007ptb007]

​@@johnlawful2272should have been a point and click, it would have been amazing

[@RyanRakowski]

This game was so close to being full on stop motion.

[@amirhm6459]

Super cool!!!

[@user-po4kb2lw5t]

8/10 = Great.

[@sappfire6086]

Would love horror coraline style game like this

[@Thomasw04]

yeah like little nightmare but then with stop motion.

[@notanothercomedian]

So glad it's on the the switch. Next payday is gonna be lit.

[@leebarbs7176]

- me, two days after payday

[@user-ih6oe9ny3j]

Who lied to you? It's certainly not on the Switch.

[@SpartX7]

@@user-ih6oe9ny3j It's mentioned in the video description. Although it's not on the eShop.

[@user-ih6oe9ny3j]

@@SpartX7 don't trust IGN bud. you won't find it on the switch, nor does their website show mention a switch version

[@XWXS2]

Playing it on gamepass great game people should buy it.

[@joji105]

You buy it 😂

[@endrosaprian1761]

The npc has no manners 4:01

[@heavyrain4485]

Would it have physical version in someday?

[@coletrainhetrick]

No. Because the vast majority of video games do not. You even have games pretending to be physical release when you still have to install it all on the console just for people like you so desperate to pretend physical media still exists.

[@FirebreathXIII]

I'm getting so many Neverhood vibes, and that's an amazing thing!!

[@Ellzyboy]

Only the Neverhood was actually stopmotion unlike this.

[@triple_thrice]

Anyone who digs this look should watch the short Madame Tutli-Putli

[@yuyutubee8435]

Sounds like it needs some environmental interactivity DLC.

[@minbari73]

Hope it has framegen

[@taskintaskiran2806]

It sure does

[@yd2468]

Whimsical

[@TheTopazChannel]

YOU CAN RUN!?!?!?

[@MASTERCRAFT938]

Hello there,. :D

[@LinuxIsBeter]

Amazing game ! So original 👍👍👍

[@SpartX7]

Why can't I find it on Nintendo Switch anywhere?

[@sindelmybelle2215]

The video shows thats its pc, xbox, ps. Dang.

[@LuciusAugustusRex]

This is also on Game Pass btw.

[@Ennarmreal]

In my opinion, the motion capture animation makes it look crazy cheap and undoes the handcrafted feel for me.

[@onespeedbicycles]

Reminds me of the neverhood.

[@elidagdagan2780]

Stop Motion has certainly come a long way.

[@Ellzyboy]

This isnt stopmotion

[@arisozerah]

So unique 🎉🎉🎉

[@KoalaMarch77]

Can't wait to watch the game :]

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Krikey the model environments are gorgeous.

[@kswooper]

This game is great

[@idealmodernsystems]

This is not stop motion, this is CGI. It was made in a computer. The character models were scanned and animated in a computer. *Not* stop motion.

[@HighLanderPonyYT]

Should've been a movie or series.

[@IamKnucks]

Spoiler shield

[@BucklingSwashes]

This baby is on Game Pass! Absolutely starting this today.

[@paulmenzie4177]

Well it comes out tomorrow though

[@BucklingSwashes]

@@paulmenzie4177 Dammit.

[@jeremychong8541]

It's on game pass! Yaaaaaasss!

[@123adamhewitt]

Before you see the whimsical new animated feature from your barista's favorite director,, revisit all his meticulously crafted awkward family fables that make you kinda happy, kinda sad and kinda unsure when you're supposed to laugh or not.

[@Buckdawg]

There's no way this was all handmade. Maybe a few models and movements, but those are CLEARLY computer animated models. Either way, it looks gorgeous, and has been on my radar for YEARS. Absolutely gobsmacked it's now free on Gamepass 😮

[@pramanabudiman9761]

No they handmaded the models with clay and then scanned it to the computer. It's just the motion capture of the characters' movement that put you off.

[@michaelhergenreter2752]

You can run?!

[@innocentrage1]

Looks like robot chicken but elon musk just bought it.

[@beetknot]

Is the archer?

[@apimb1396]

Welcome to my library of "I'll get to it " Harold. ....super cool ....thanks Game Pass !🔥

[@CreedM8]

It looks as though there’s a lack of actual playing and just walking and talking… art style is cool though

[@Thomasw04]

its a walking sim / interactive movie.

[@Memelord2020]

8/10

[@saturknight]

They gave it an 8

[@lankymario7189]

sounds like it will be better served as a tv series than a game

[@beazyb]

This looks so amazing I'm going to buy it just from the love that's been put into it

[@IamKnucks]

Why?

[@kotor610]

​@@IamKnucksyou're mainly walking from interaction to interaction.

[@_Cetarial]

⁠@@kotor610So, like most walking simulators.

[@mikeuk666]

​@kotor610 welcome to point and click adventures kid

[@Ellzyboy]

No. This isnt literally stop motion. Why say it is when it isnt?

[@gameon71]

This probably could've just been a movie instead of a game.

[@Y0uTubeCommentPoster]

you could've been an ejaculation instead of a person, but you don't hear us complaining about it.

[@XWXS2]

Well if you understand the Process of this game it was 14 years in work and was a side project of passionate that worked properly in that industry everything you see is handmade crafted and scanned in with motion capture in that game it's a great game with passion and love behind it.

[@neilmallick20]

@@XWXS2 what does that have to do with what he said?

[@Vurt72]

The first trailers they had for this were really cool, but the stop motion it had was either fake or they removed it, i'm guessing it was faked because it looked exactly like real stop motion which kind of amazed me, really looked like it was filmed. now it just looks like a generic computer game.

[@BigWrangler]

Love the art. But this looks pretty boring and tedious. Artstyle alone wont carry a dull game.

[@Ahmed_Masroor_Zaman]

Chigurh??????

[@paultheviewer]

......call it.

[@leebarbs7176]

His afterlife went in an unexpected direction after the events of NCfOM

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

This isn't technically stop motion as it was animated in a computer.

[@coreycasciano3255]

☝️🤓

[@MaxxKoggen]

The review reads like a 7. Maybe it's coz people now assume a 7 is not worth their time.

[@codycarter9906]

played the demo, found the game painfully boring even for a walking sim. there's literally no gameplay besides slowly meandering from one dialogue to another and on a RARE occasion a tedious "minigame" with no way to lose, like literally just "unscrew these 10 screws slowly". some writing is great, some is so-so. very inconsistent. be prepared if you're looking for this: its basically a poorly paced movie with inconsistent writing. when a game brags about how long it took to make (13 years) thats always a read flag for me

[@superrazor7617]

Its a great 8 :)

[@optimalsettings]

Running form A to B listen to Dialogue. Vice Versa

[@leftovernoise]

Woah you mean like... It's using an interactive medium to tell a story? That's crazy dawg.

[@optimalsettings]

@@leftovernoise 😀. ok you are right. but 50% of walking is useless for the story

[@himmelektronik]

@@optimalsettings you'd prefer it if Harold just fast-travelled around for every story beat?

[@optimalsettings]

@@himmelektronik no butv50% of gameplay could be enough.

[@tripleL78]

It’s an 8. There saved you some time

[@matthewhayes5909]

It’s an 8.

[@aidarisrodriguez2507]

Jijuh

[@EVERYDAYGames00]

His he a fish or can he talk to fish which one is it😂

[@emelkeskin5127]

🍀🧿🎬👏🏼🎉

[@benw3029]

Wish it was horror

[@Hyp3MAnn]

It’s a 8

[@flipadoodles8677]

IGN reviewers are so afraid of anything original they say some nonsense like at 2:21 which makes no sense to someone who hasnt played bioshock, hasnt watched a wes anderson movie in ages, and no bloody idea who ken levin is.

[@brojoe130]

If you have lots of time on your hands maybe give a go but it is as boring as it looks lol

[@nikkoflo23]

8

[@virtuallypresent9918]

they gave it an 8

[@greenhowie]

Imagine working on this, knowing that everyone's going to bring up Neverhood.

[@ShrugWheresEveryoneGoingBingo]

So?

[@bjedo3]

Damn. Spoiler Alert for the story lol

[@samuelloveless4637]

Could be something but now it's just the frame

[@sturdyblock]

Initially visually intriguing. 15 minutes of gameplay mechanics nulls further investigation. Great premise, dated interaction, slow & clunky 'on rails' story development.

[@mikeuk666]

Just finished it after 13.5hrs and enjoyed it

[@sturdyblock]

@@mikeuk666 13.5 actual hours?

[@CHICKENSANDWHICH781]

⁠@@sturdyblockas opposed to fictional hours?

[@sturdyblock]

@@CHICKENSANDWHICH781 Don't know which is worse.

[@mr.k6148]

So its 7/10 as a stop motion animated movie, but 3/10 in terms of a video game

[@mikeuk666]

8/10

[@deanwhite1972]

THAT IS NOT STOP MOTION

[@7heOriginalBoss]

*This game was a disappointment unfortunately.*

[@autofocus4556]

In other words, all style, no substance.

[@Happy-295]

Harold Halitosis

[@thomaswillians5714]

Hope that it comes to Nintendo Switch

[@richardmcdaniel4467]

Cool movie! They should make it into a game.

[@slothsarecool]

go play your generic GTA garbage

[@mikeuk666]

Cool story you should make into a comment

[@Elibbb-sx3kg]

The score is 8

[@philrichjr]

Thanks

[@dennisveneman9469]

And you a 4

[@Shade7x]

Alternatively, 6:46 for the verdict.

[@pauls9034]

Everyone who does this is lame.