Title: Hue
Platform: PC | Xbox One |PS4 (reviewed)
Developer: Fiddlesticks
Publisher: Curve Digital
Release date: Out Now
tl;dr: Change the colour palette to work your way through this Puzzle/Platformer
Price: £16 / $15 / €13
Family Focus: Click here for more information.

Hue is a strikingly beautiful platformer, that from first glance looks as though it’s inspired by such titles as Limbo, Braid, and Thomas Was Alone. Refreshingly, Hue manages to pull off something new in a genre that is littered with titles; The mesmerising colour shifting mechanics with impressive level design ensure that this is an original idea is a somewhat flooded area of the gaming populous.

When I first started Hue, I thought it would be a quick and simple game where I would go between the levels switching the colour of the background to progress to the next stage. While this is the basic premise of the game, it actually is a lot more deeper and in the later parts can get very confusing and the puzzle elements really start to show. There were times where I found myself completely perplexed by some of the puzzles, yet the game bursts with so much charm that I couldn’t help but power through some of the more frustrating rooms to get to the next colour swatch.

Speaking of the colours, when starting up the game you have access to blue, which opens up a few paths and allow you to grab some of the early collectibles. As you progress through each of levels, finding more of the letters littered about the place; which act as the story aspect of the game, you gain access to more colours and even more intricate puzzles.

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One of the few drawbacks I have for the game is the very vague sense of narrative. From the beginning of each new colour level, there are letters on the floor these serve as the story and give a brief voice over of whats going on. At times, I found myself completely spacing out from what was being said and was thinking of how to overcome the puzzle ahead of me. 

Changing colours in platforming sections doesn’t always work as intended; you’ll often find yourself inadvertently switching to the wrong colours. The wheel has eight individual colours, so you need to be incredibly precise with your analogue stick movement, or you’ll find yourself falling to your death.

All in all it will take about half a dozen hours to get through Hue in it’s entirety. A little more if you go back and clean up all the collectibles with the newly acquired colours that are needed in the older areas. Throughout the experience, the puzzles never become repetitive though; they are constantly being changed up and new obstacles are always introduced right up to the final level. This keeps Hue from ever becoming stale, and ensures the playthroughs are good from start to finish.

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Hue is a charming puzzle platformer that with the colour wheel mechanic, has a completely original feel for how to overcome the puzzles and challenges laid before you. It manages to accommodate the hardcore puzzle fan as well as those who are completely casual with the genre. Though the story is somewhat vague, and could do with having a bit more depth to allow the player to become completely immersed in the game’s charm. Overall, though, Hue has colour me impressed.

 

The Good

  • Great concept.
  • Colour wheel mechanic.
  • Puzzles accommodate the casual and hardcore fans.

The Bad

  • Vague storyline
  • Fiddly controls at times

Family Focus

The game has a PEGI 3 rating due to the animated and friendly nature of the game.

Disclaimer: This review is based on digital code for PlayStation 4. The code was supplied by the developer for review purposes.