Review for Drake hollow. Game for PC and Xbox One, the video game was released on 31/12/2020 The version for PC came out on 17/07/2020
You know My Time at Portia? In that game the player's actions directly affect the city and its inhabitants, not only from a plot point of view but also from a point of view of the city itself, which changes through the construction of new buildings and structures.
Drake Hollow takes up this concept in a more elementary way about being a sort of builder in a land he doesn't initially belong to., and at the same time places the story in a much more fairytale game world. Unlike My Time at Portia, however, there is no lack of greater exploration possibilities and a feeling of lack of resources, all combined with a multiplayer component.
After making a simple and minimal character creation, the player finds himself catapulted into a parallel world called The Hollow. It is a place infested with aether, a kind of harmful substance that also gives rise to evil creatures.
In the product published and developed by The Molasses Flood at the beginning you are helped by a wise crow, who will provide the basics through very easy tutorial missions to be able to understand the few game mechanics to perfection. After all, the played character is - as reported in a letter - "sensitive to animals", in the sense that he is able to understand them and have interactions with them without any problem.
As regards the gameplay the goal is to help the Drakes regain their lands, fighting side by side with the other three possible players against the enemies generated by the aether. Drakes are small creatures with a totally peaceful character. To get them it is first necessary to identify them in the various islands of the biome, then you have to wake them from their state of hibernation. Once this is done, each awakened Drake will return alone to base camp and will independently carry out his duties, assuming that the improvements present in the field allow it.
But it does not end there, because it is necessary to satisfy the four needs of hunger, thirst, fun and sleep of our little friends by building specific structures. For example, owning a greenhouse and planting carrot or cabbage seeds inside it will allow you to feed them, while building a well will provide them with water to hydrate. Finally, each Drake can have a different skill, and by making it evolve through the use of gems obtained by defeating enemies, the various skills will be improved by providing increasingly greater bonuses.
It is also necessary to build appropriate upgrades in order to defend the camp and its inhabitants from hostile creatures during raids, which will occur from time to time over time and at the end of which you are always rewarded with various useful items.
The fights take place in a similar way to those of typical RPGs, but in a much more minimal version. There is no character level-up system, but with the passage of time and the change of biome the monsters generated by the aether will become stronger, as well as the weapons found. Drake Hollow's arsenal mostly includes makeshift weapons such as candlesticks, a wooden table leg, a broom, a coat hanger and more. But unlike the varied amount of white and ranged weapons, the monsters that the player is called to face are basically only four.
Resources are limited, but once a region has been drained of its materials, it is possible to switch biomes and thus take advantage of additional materials. In particular, the base built by the players, the structures contained in it and, finally, the drakes found are also transported in the process.
Il graphic sector is made through the Unreal Engine. The creatures mentioned above were created using the color red and black, colors suitable to represent their hostility and which contrast with the clearest and sweetest contrasts of the environment not contaminated by aether. The few elements of the scenario present in each island are sufficiently detailed in such a way as to make the view of the game world pleasant, but at the same time their simplicity makes the load on the CPU very light.
Drake Hollow is a very easy game and therefore not really suitable for those looking for a title that offers a certain challenge. However, this does not detract from the fact that it is a very fun and much more than well made product to play especially in the company of your friends. The graphic compartment created in cartoon style fits perfectly with the game concept, together with sweet and relaxing background music.
► Drake Hollow is an Adventure-indie game developed and published by The Molasses Flood for PC and Xbox One, the video game was released on 31/12/2020 The version for PC came out on 17/07/2020
