Harold Halibut

Claymation-like appearance looks nice but then everything has standard framerate animations which makes it NOT look like claymation. Also yes, the tag "Walking Simulator" really really really fits this game. You just walk, then get some pointless AI-like dialogue that barely makes any sense and wastes your time while not being fun or interesting and then you keep walking around. I kept my eye on the playtime just to be sure I can refund it because the experience I've had with it was stupidly unfun. I'm pretty sure it thinks it's fun though.

Harol halibut is a very chill "story and fetch" game. It is not for those who want an really fun and engaging game, nor is the story the greatest story ever. However this game is truly beautiful in graphics and story, it is though provoking and for lack of a better word very "human". It reminds me of looking at people on another platform at the station, so close yet so far. I had a wonderful experience!

This game doesn't work on ANY iGPU. So if you're using one, including steam deck, ally, legion etc.. don't bother.
The devs don't seem interested in fixing the bug either.

Harold Halibut" is a visually stunning and immersive experience that captivates players from the moment they dive into its unique world. The game combines a distinctive handcrafted aesthetic with a rich, atmospheric soundtrack that perfectly complements its quirky charm.

The character design and environments are meticulously crafted, giving the game a warm, inviting feel that draws you in. The use of stop-motion animation adds a layer of creativity that sets it apart from other titles, making every scene feel like a work of art.

Gameplay-wise, "Harold Halibut" offers a blend of exploration and puzzle-solving that keeps you engaged without feeling overwhelming. The interactions with various characters are delightful, filled with humor and heart, which adds depth to the overall experience.

The narrative unfolds in a way that encourages curiosity, allowing players to uncover the world at their own pace. The writing is clever and often whimsical, making for memorable dialogue that enhances the game's charm.

Overall, "Harold Halibut" is a delightful journey that showcases the beauty of indie game development. It's a must-play for those who appreciate artistic storytelling and a unique visual style. Whether you're a fan of adventure games or simply looking for something fresh and engaging, this title is sure to leave a lasting impression.
---{ Graphics }---
☑ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
☐ Good
☐ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☑ Very good
☐ Good
☐ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☑ Eargasm
☐ Very good
☐ Good
☐ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☑ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☑ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☐ Check if you can run paint
☐ Potato
☑ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }---
☐ Floppy Disk
☐ Old Fashioned
☐ Workable
☑ Big
☐ Will eat 10% of your 1TB hard drive
☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it
☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }---
☐ Just press 'W'
☑ Easy
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---
☐ Nothing to grind
☑ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
☐ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☐ Average
☐ Good
☐ Lovely
☑ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
☐ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☑ Worth the price
☐ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☑ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☐ 7
☐ 8
☐ 9
☑ 10

---{ Author }---
☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template

I thoroughly enjoyed playing Harold Halibut, mainly because of the excellent story line and the wide variety of characters that you meet along the way. Even though the visual style of the human characters is based on real sculpted models that you might see in a stop motion action film, it somehow works really well and helps bring these otherwise unrealistic looking people to life. The developers did a really good job with making the game world look and feel like a believable place, and the 3D modellers/animators/visual artists should get a medal for how well it all looks.

The voice acting is superb (for the English version anyway that I played) and as for the voice of the main man Harold, it matched perfectly to his appearance and character.

Having to travel about the world can be a little tiresome sometimes, going back and forth to complete the tasks, but it does represent a realistic timescale for travelling between each area of the game world, and the wait isn't very long at all.

There's some brilliant philosophies on life that younger audiences could learn from whilst playing this game. The story in many ways tells how any individual from any background can accomplish great things with the right attitude on life.

The puzzles are minimal and quite varied and they shouldn't be too difficult to complete by most players of the game. There is quite a lot of dialogue to listen/read, but luckily most of this can be skipped/fast forwarded. If you're not a fan of listening to lots of talking then I would perhaps suggest this game might not be for you, but if you enjoy a rather quirky and comical science fiction story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then you'll love this.

I loved Harold Halibut. If you look at the reviews you will see a lot of people criticizing it's slow pace, it's lengthy dialog cut scenes, and it's seemingly endless fetch quests. All of these things are there for certain, but I have to defend the game and say that all of those elements are what makes Harold Halibut so special. I have never seen a game that challenges it's players to fully immerse themselves in their world like Harold Halibut does, in order you enjoy the game you have to take it slow and embrace your place in the world. You have to enjoy walking around the space ship a million times, doing odd jobs, and helping the same people again and again, because that's what Harold has done for his entire life. There is even an achievement for taking 15+ hours to complete the game (an achievement I regrettably missed out on.) If that's not an indication of the type of player this game is for, then I don't know what else to tell you.

Harold Halibut is a reminder that there truly are no rules as to what can make a game great. For me, this felt like a once in a lifetime gaming experience and I will forever look back on it fondly. It's easily my game of the year for 2024 and has become one of my favorite games ever. Thank you, Slow Bros for making this.

What? No! This is an interactive story and not a game. I was sold by several reviewers who compared this to an old point and click adventure called "The Neverhood." I love puzzle adventures, but Harold Halibut is not that. With all this said, the "game" does have a great story, good voicework, and creative art style, but couldn't this just have been an animated limited series instead?

With all this said, I would still have given this a positive score, but my major gripe is that this game is not completely compatible with the Steam Deck as it is claimed to be. For the first half of the game, I kept getting an odd screen at times that showed color bars, but I could still hear sounds or conversations. I initially thought this was some odd art style, but after many of these odd sessions, I looked this up online and found that I had to download an unofficial version of Proton on the backend of the Deck. This game was released in April '24, so not having an official patch for this issue by Jan '25 is insanity. I also encountered many bugs during gameplay, both with verified Proton and GE. My main lock-ups usually occurred during loading screens, which became increasingly annoying.

I really want to like this game. The art style is unique and the story is intriguing, but the moment to moment game play is incredibly boring, repetitive, and dull. There's no real gameplay and your character doesn't seem to have any agency, so it's really just dragging out a graphic novel with load screens and running (slowly) through the same 7 hallways. I'm sure you could watch the story online and get all of the good with none of the tedium.

great easy going adventure

Harold Halibut nicely combines a nostalgic puppet look with a sci-fi story. It's definitely not an action game. On the contrary, it is one of the slowest games I've played. In the beginning I was frustrated by the slow pace. After a while, though, I got sucked into the story. I got to know the Fedora and the characters and enjoyed watching them. This slower pace allows the game to tell a very human story. It doesn't focus much on big spectacle, more on the small relationships, the feelings and the relationships between the characters, incorporating many philosophical questions. It's a wholesome experience. And no, not as spiritual as I make it sound, hahahaha.

I decided to write a review on the game only after 4 hours of playing (of potentially 12 hours). Before, I have never written reviews sooner than I have ended up playing the game. This game was in my wishlist for the past 4 years or so. Like always, I never buy games straight after the release. I wait until the players' reviews, potential bug fixes, and, most importantly, a discount. I must confess I was reluctant to buy the game after a number of reviews saying "it is just a walking simulator, fetch this or that across the map, there is nothing to do". Some people even said the game is full the "leftist garbage".

With reluctance, I bought the game at a 30% off sale. To my satisfaction, the story appeared to be tight, and I never felt bored. The main gameplay element was not solving the puzzles -- this would frustrate me and make me bored at some stage. The game was introducing some situation, and it kept me wondering what would happen next and who was the culprit.

Most importantly, the NPCs showed their characters, and all of them had problems which they tried to solve. This made me feel relatable to them. The game's world was made out of photographed carefully-crafted sculptures. This kept me looking with wonder at the world, and enjoying the art quality of the world. It seemed that developers were able to put their best creativity into the project. This put them apart from the soul-less creations of the big corporate publishers.

The "LGBTQI" stuff was subtle, after 11 hours of playing the game (as of writing the review at the moment). The inconspicuousness of it would not make Putin blink. The corporate world was depicted eerily correctly -- I could grossly relate to it, too.

I would be hesitant to pay the full price for it, but at a 30% discount, it was the right price for me.

Oh, Hawool (o´▽`o) Halibut. Where do I even begin? This game holds a special place in my heart. A handcrafted love letter to storytelling, community, and introspection. From the moment you begin you're introduced to the underwater world of the Fedora, you dive into a community that is very vibrant, quirky, and dare I say beautifully flawed in a world equal parts strange and relatable.

You step into the shoes of Harold, a middle aged man who works as a repairman aboard the Fedora. Harold is a helper in every sense of the word. He fixes everything that's broken and does everything in his power to support those around him, often at the cost of his own well being. It's heartbreakingly relatable. There's a purity in his interactions, a strength in his willingness to listen, and a vulnerability that makes him so easy to root for.

Harold shares a home with Professor Mareuax, a scientist whose tough no non-sense exterior masks a deeply caring almost motherly presence. Together, they navigate this world that often doesn't make sense, with Harold questioning his purpose and searching for meaning. His journey becomes as much about self discovery as it is about repairing the fragile lives of those around him and we get to follow along for the ride.

I love the claymation in this game. It's nothing short of stunning. It has a tactile handmade quality that feels alive. I can't get enough of the textures, expressions, and beautiful imperfections. Even the warm lighting creates an atmosphere that feels both intimate and magical. It's the kind of art that makes you stop and simply admire the beauty in front of you.

I'll admit, this game won't be for everyone. This gameplay is straightforward. It's point and click system where you complete tasks to progress the narrative. It's much easier (and I'd argue better) with a controller. Yes, the gameplay can feel repetitive and task heavy but it does not detract from the immersion. If anything, the rhythm mirrors the mundanity of Harold's life which I find adds a unique layer to the storytelling. Despite the simplicity, I found myself falling deeply in love with Harold's world.

The heart of this game I do find is in its characters. The ship is filled with personalities that feel so real, its impossible not to fall in love with them. Some more than others ;) … And then there's Buddy, my personal favorite. Buddy's endless optimism and ability to see the glass half full even when the cracks start to show brought such a light. Reading the letters with Buddy reminded me of something so universal: despite our differences, we're all craving the same things — community, love, and a sense of belonging. Rest easy Buddy(ಥ﹏ಥ)
If you're looking for game that speaks to the heart and not just the senses, Harold Halibut is an absolute gem. To me, it's a beautiful reflection on life and the people who make it worth living. It's wholesome, pure, and heartfelt. Every character, every moment, every detail sticks with you long after the credits roll, leaving with a grin you can't shake.

There's just something timeless about this game. The kind of story you return to when you need comfort or inspiration. I know I'll find myself playing it again in the years to come. Harold Halibut is a beautiful reminder that in life's quietest moments, there's magic to be found.

Harold's world isn't perfect but that's what makes it so human. It's a story about people, imperfections, and the small ways we make each other's lives better.

Soundtrack is also banger

With all that said,
Thanks Slow Bros (°▽°)/

Fun narrative based adventure game with not a lot of game play.

If you love stories and character development, this is for you.

Absolutely Stunning Game.
A change of pace in so many ways, not only in the literal sense.
I really enjoyed it. Not much more i can say.

And video games aren't art?

Incredible story, art and music

Charming, laid back game

Stunningly beautiful & unique style. Captivating story. Refreshingly relatable artistic skills from the main character. A fantastic experience overall.

This is a game about a bloke with ADHD and dyslexia getting yelled at and ignored by all his friends. It has little to no actual gameplay but makes for a fantastic interactive movie. I would strongly suggest buying this game if you value and want to encourage creativity within the video game industry.

Visuals - 10/10
Audio - 8/10
Game play - 4/10
Story 9/10

It's so, so, so, so incredibly BORING

great art and a compelling story

5 minutes into the game I was like meh, but then couldn't stop playing. Wonderful game.

a really unique and beautiful game, the art style is amazing, gotta appreciate that everything was handmade before rebuilding them as 3D models, thats some passion and dedication right there, storywise, overall its pretty wholesome, we follow our MC Harold who eventually finds a place of belonging, the story is a bit slow at first but really picks up at the last 2 to 3 chapters, and even though it was tedious constantly using the tube and walking from A to B to complete a task or to talk to a character, the goood voice acting and different mo caps for each dialogue scene made it worth it imo

love the art style and the way people converse. beautiful game

I am so glad I played this game.

Don’t expect challenging gameplay.

Expect really good story with excellent visual style.

15 hours with this game is just right. Thank you to everyone who made this game!

What a ride!
I like adventure games, found the graphics interesting and bought it - but what awaited me, I wouldn't have expected.
It's like reading a book! It's slow with a wonderful story.
Thank you for this experience - i enjoyed every minute!

One of the best Wes Anderson movies I have seen.

4 hours in I can say this is a must play if you love arthouse movies and ambitious indie game projects.

Harold Halibut nearly isn't a game as it almost is a movie that you play through. You will grow to understand, love and perhaps even loathe the characters. You will most definitely enjoy their spaceship the Fedora which is beautifully crafted. Like any great story it is told in a way that makes it relatable and moving.

Harold Halibut is not a perfect game but it's a perfect example of how different arts can collide into creating something beautiful.

This game is quite a unique experience, it's a visual feast with a nice storyline. The first part of the game can feel a bit repetitive, I do understand the meaning behind it. Or at least that's how I interpret it.
Generally speaking it's a slow-burner, so if you're in here for fast paced action, you'll better look elsewhere. But if you want to sit back and relax and enjoy this mild comedy. Go for it!

On terms of control and general gameplay: Since you often have to go from one place to another, you'll end up getting a lot of loading times, which makes me wonder if they could've programmed the game a bit more efficient. Sometimes changing locations get funny voiceovers. but as funny as they are, get repetitive after a while. The character movement also feels a bit woody and somewhat unrefined. Like in the older console days. But you somehow get used to it.

Not so much a "game" as a constant stream of subtly subversive characters and situations. Harold Halibut rewards players who take it extra slow with humorous, clever, and sweet details in every moment. You can hold X to run, but I wouldn't recommend it (because that doesn't really seem like something Harold would do).

This game genuinely changed my life and how I view existence. It is a beautiful tale of friendship, family, finding a place to call home, connection, growth, everything. Considering it is entirely handmade and animated from clay, the visuals, the evokative nature of each character and the storytelling is so immersive, genuine, human, whole. You will cry your eyes out in the best way possible, it will change how you exist in life, and it is just. I have not ever played a game like this before. Do yourself a favor, and download it. This is an amazing piece of art, an amazing creation that I feel so fortunate to have played, to even have witnessed. I hope the creators know my eternal gratitude, and I hope you all chose to play. It is truly, absolutely, life-changing.

I know I'm only 3.6 hours in at the time of writing but this game is great.
The graphics are amazing and to story is brilliant.
I need to find more time to carry on with this game.

Great story. Had a lot of fun. Would recommend if you like story heavy games.

It's official. Video games are now art.

Nice soundtrack, Great graphics. The game does not have much to offer gameplay wise. Mostly its go from a to b and then do it again. Wish the whole game would have been more like the last quarter of the game. Overall a decent 7/10

This game has a very unique art direction that i love. The characters are fun and quirky. I look forward to completing the story and learning more about this strange world they have painstakingly crafted.

Great game. Its a nice relaxing adventure, you get to know somewhere around 30 unique people who all have unique personalities. Its enough of a detour from normal life that you will find it interesting. It does move a bit slow at times. I liked the art style.

Harold Halibut is a lovely walking sim, I get so swept up talking to the characters that time just flies by, I didn't want it to end!

Harold Halibut - это уникальная игра, которая сочетает в себе необычный визуальный стиль с интригующим и добрым сюжетом. Графика в Harold Halibut по-настоящему впечатляющая — разработчики создали целый подводный мир, который выполнен вручную из скульптурных объектов и моделей. Этот визуальный подход создает совершенно особую атмосферу, наполняя игру теплотой и детальностью. Каждый элемент окружения, персонажи и взаимодействия выглядят невероятно реалистично благодаря сочетанию традиционных материалов и современных технологий.

Тем не менее, стоит отметить, что игре Harold Halibut много воды)) Игра изобилует долгими сценами, которые иногда могут казаться избыточными и затягивать атмосферу. Несмотря на это, Harold Halibut — прекрасный выбор для тихого вечера, когда хочется расслабиться и насладиться медитативной атмосферой и мудрым повествованием. Также в игре замечательная приятная музыка. Персонажи очень запоминающиеся, у каждого из них своя история, к которой мы можем прикоснуться вместе с главным героем. Сюжет игры в равной степени наполнен жизненными мыслями и забавными моментами, что делает Harold Halibut отличным вариантом для тех, кто ищет необычное игровое переживание в расслабляющем темпе.

A very slow, boring, and uninteresting game, but the rating will be good because it seems that's exactly how it was intended

This game is a true work of art that immerses you in a cozy, meticulously crafted world. It's a slow-paced adventure designed for you to relax, enjoy its unique atmosphere, and take part in an unusual, almost detective-like storyline.

The visual style is its greatest strength. Every element, from the characters to the tiniest details of the environment, was handmade with clay and then masterfully digitized. The spaceship where the story unfolds feels like a blend of retro-futurism and homely comfort. This style evokes the charm of old movies, where sci-fi was combined with the warmth of tangible materials.

This is not just a game, but an experience—a cozy journey you’ll happily explore at your own pace. Its unique claymation visuals, delightful mini-games, and tranquil atmosphere make it the perfect choice for those seeking something warm, heartfelt, and unhurried.

It has that offbeat, independent kind of cool injected into an adventure with lively, quirky characters that make you feel like a part of their community and do a decent job of connecting to the player emotionally.

It is an interesting take on science fiction, creating a hand-crafted world experience that is fantastical, artistic and work-a-day at the same time.

It does require some patience due to being heavy with routine activity and extended dialogue--best experienced as a relaxed, casual play, but the payoff is fun and worth it. Take your time. Live in the game world.

I enjoyed it and recommend it.

Harold Halibut is a beautiful game, stunning visually and the story, while slow, is amazing as it unfolds. I loved all the characters with their own distinct personalities especially Harold who seems at first to be dull and uninteresting finds joy in unexpected places. I will just note though that the game play is mostly fetch quests, and while I personally don't mind that as it gives me a chance to explore the environment, I know it's not for everyone. This game touched my heart and I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

This game is so enjoyable and unique. 100% worth it.

Look I like everything except one thing in this game so I will give it a thumb-up.
And that one thing I dislike is: it has been really annoying and not enjoyable to have to tolerate the autistic and non-intelligent dialogues for a protagonist such as Harold Halibut himself.

Unique world. Fleshed out characters. Gorgeous art style. Best taken at your own pace. The whole game feels like a really good book and plays like one too.

The only game I can think of that I would describe as Kaufmanesque, with a visual style that resembles Anomalisa. Loved it.

Charming Art and Soundtrack, but Long Tasks

TLDR; A unique, slow-paced, story based game set in an aesthetic world. If you are looking for game play over story, either pick it up on sale or skip.

I could go on and on about the amazing art style and the work put into it, but it speaks for itself, so I won't. Basically, if you like Wes Anderson, you will like this.

I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories, and I liked how there wasn't too many people to focus on. The choice to limit the number of interact-able characters on board really lets you focus on building a relationship with them and caring about the story, and it's impressive how quickly you do care. It helps keep the world small for what is overall a shorter game.

The story is very slow paced with a lot of cut scenes and that will kill the game for some people. It didn't for me, but that doesn't mean that I loved every turn the story takes. Certain acts of the game will drag on and that was hard considering how much I loved other parts. It was frustrating when the story didn't take the turns I was expecting, and I wish they dug deeper into the larger themes, such as what it would usually mean to have a large corporation on board who doesn't seem to have the residents best interest in mind. I wish that they cut down on making certain ideas so large only for them to burn out quick. The story is good for what it is, but it's not going to be elaborated on like it starts to make you believe at certain points. If you can deal with taking the story at face value and enjoy this as a "cozy" game, you will still enjoy it.

There is also some monotony with the travel system and quests, which can make you want to put the game down for a bit... and so I did. And that's partially why I still recommend this game even though it can make you feel like that sometimes. Yet again, if you look at this game as a "cozy" game to unwind with, you will enjoy it.

I am excited to see what Slow Bros does next, especially if they pick up where this game ends and take some of what the reviews say into consideration.

If you are having doubts from reading these reviews like I did, pick the game up on sale. It's worth a play through, just understand it will be slow going.

i loved every byte of this beautifully made game! thanks slow bros!