A Hat In Time Review

At first glance the game has the feel of a little kid title, you know the cartoony ones ( ff7 comes to my mind or maybe even the stick of truth). Starting out as a little girl in space is hard, especially when you’re asked to pay a toll by the damn mafia town! The encounter with (every) mafia town inhabitant seems to set the tone for the rest of the game. Nothing that I came across is original, but it is well thought out. This 3D platformer is just that, a platformer. The story seems to unfold, slowly at first, but rushed at the end. But the biggest problem in my eyes, is the way the levels are laid out. Looking through a telescope is one thing, but visiting them without a rhyme or reason is another. Of course you pick up upon you are actually visiting these places you’re looking upon in your telescopes. But it would be nice to have an explanation or at very least an animation showing you traveling to these different destinations.

The frustration I encountered came mostly from the camera controls. Countless times I had a hard time recalling the actual story after a run of frustrating “Platformer”. Many times the camera is forced, as in you can’t move it whatsoever. And this hurts the game. This is a platformer , based may of time upon, finding a key to progress further to in stage. The lack of camera control made it, much, MUCH more frustrating than it needed to complete this task.

The dialogue in the story is great. At first I chalked it up to a children’s game. But the way the characters interacts with the environment, and themselves, makes this much less of a children’s game (think Conker Bad Fur day). The game play is simple, when it wants to be. The level layout, I believe is made to challenge you, but in many cases flat out just frustrates you. Chapter one I felt like a god, but chapter 2 act 4, all I wanted to do make as big a hole as I could in my new 55 inch. Long story short, the level progression seems to have the biggest curve in the history of curves.

Right off the bat the controllers are very straightforward and easy. Even as you progress into the game the controls are not an issue, as any great platformer should copy. You have chances to grab rare material (yarn) to which I could not see a benefit to. If you skipped every yarn (hat) crafting, I see no disability. Hats are awesome and add a fun factor to the game, but they do not add a necessity to the game, only a convenience.

Sound in the game is spot on. It’s a game made in 2017, what do you expect? It’s not an anime games, but the talking is just fine. Controls in the game (Xbox one) were alright. Aside from the wonky camera doing its own thing kids say it’s a b+ effort. Multiple times I was launched off ( because of a jump I believed was post on) into an abyss. Is this a control or camera issue? Maybe. the camera can have an issue where it rotates too quickly at times, causing you to miss a jump or a platform…there for resulting in complete rage. But over all the controls were pretty good. Only at times was I tempted to make a new hole in my wall.

A hat in time is a very well make game. Not an AAA title a pretty great game nonetheless. The replay value of the game is less the great, unless you are the type to set world records of speed running. The banter and dialogue is amazing and witty. The controls, although could be improved, are miles ahead of other games if that the misfortune of playing. If you’re an old time like me and remember Mario 64, these games may just be the one to ground you, with its games play. Its dialogue and actual platformer routines are much different, but it was a fun title to play to remind me of our platform gamer roots.

Game 2 Gamer’s Final Score: 3/5

Replay Value: Mid

Frustration Level: