Hollow Home is an isometric narrative RPG about the russian invasion of Ukraine, told from the perspective of a teenager trapped inside an occupied city. Learn survival skills, build relationships and face tough choices as each passing day brings new tragedies and destruction to your childhood home.
RPG Gamers summaryHollow Home is an isometric narrative RPG that plunges players into the harsh realities of war through the perspective of a 14-year-old Ukrainian teenager named Maksym. Set against the backdrop of the Russian invasion, Hollow Home dramatically paints the end of Maksym’s innocent childhood, starting just 24 hours before the full-scale invasion and the ensuing fight for survival in a city ravaged by relentless warfare.
Unlike traditional war games, Hollow Home does not focus on combat or graphic depictions of violence, instead choosing to emphasize on the impact of war, exploring its devastating aftermath. The gameplay is heavily influenced by dialogue and branching questlines, endeavoring to narrate the poignant story of a besieged city fighting for its very existence.
Players can explore the war-torn city, which is divided into three distinct districts. However, the city dynamically changes over time, with areas getting destroyed due to war or falling under enemy occupation. The fate of the characters met during exploration hanging by a thread, giving the city an eerie, ghostly feel from one day to the next.
A unique feature of Hollow Home is its emphasis on the gravity of choices. Quests are survival-oriented, either directly involving the player or aiding others to survive. However, a limited number of action points each day brings into play the harsh realities of war, forcing the players to make difficult decisions as resources dwindle.
Survival skills play a crucial role in Hollow Home, such as cooking and crafting, which can be learned by interacting with other characters and completing certain quests. Medical skills, too, are an invaluable asset for maintaining one’s health amidst an environment rife with hazards.
Hollow Home offers a revealing look at the nightmare of war, adeptly tackling heavy themes of horror, despair, and the unbeatable human spirit to survive, making it a significant addition to the gaming world and an emotional, immersive experience for players.
