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Game Information

Game Title: Hauntii

Platforms:

• PC (May 23, 2024)
• Nintendo Switch (May 23, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (May 23, 2024)
• Xbox Series X/S (May 23, 2024)
• PlayStation 4 (May 23, 2024)
• Xbox One (May 23, 2024)

Trailer:

• Hauntii | Release Date Trailer
• Hauntii | Official Announce Trailer

Developer: Moonloop Games

Publisher: Firestoke

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 80 average - 85% recommended

Critic Reviews


Checkpoint Gaming - Tom Quirk - 7.5 / 10

Despite some very minor bugbears holding back the experience, it's hard to come away from Hauntii without feeling thoroughly delighted. The game is a testament to how much fluid and detailed art and animation and a great soundtrack can carry an experience. The game's central haunting mechanic is enjoyable to experiment with, and has plenty of clever implementations as you scour Eternity searching for hidden stars. If you're seeking a more chill collectathon with gorgeous artwork and musical score, Hauntii is certainly worth seeking out.

Digital Chumps - Ben Sheene - 8.5 / 10

Hauntii is absolutely one of a kind, despite the familiarity players may latch on to. Moonloop Games creates a title focused on exploration that is visually riveting and packed with attention to detail. Incorporating puzzles both obtuse and clever, frustration and satisfaction may go hand in hand. But enough narrative heft and creative depth mean Hauntii is no mere specter that will fade into memory.

GAMES.CH - Fabrice Henz - German - 79%

Hauntii is certainly stunningly gorgeous and can make you feel incredibly smart whenever you find and solve one of its many puzzles. Unfortunately the game demands you to find and solve almost all of those puzzles which isn’t always easy to do. The map doesn’t offer a lot of help and it can lead to pointless and frustrating roaming around. The slower Twinstick-Shooter gameplay on the other hand is not too challenging but offers somewhat relaxing action moments.

GameBlast - Farley Santos - Portuguese - 8 / 10

Hauntii is an indie title that goes beyond a simple twin-stick shooter, offering a rich experience of exploration and puzzle solving in an immersive world. The little ghost's unique ability to possess objects and creatures brings creativity to challenges, instilling curiosity in uncovering all the secrets. The minimalist visuals and soothing soundtrack complement the game's meditative atmosphere, making the journey both a visual and an emotional adventure. However, the experience is marked by a rhythm that can be frustrating due to the slow movement and difficulty in navigating between areas. Despite these points, Hauntii captivates with its melancholic narrative and charismatic characters in a journey that balances challenge and contemplation, offering a unique and beautiful experience.

GameLuster - Nairon Santos de Morais - 7 / 10

While hauntingly beautiful and fun for a good while, your time at Eternity unfortunately overstays its welcome eventually.

Hardcore Gamer - Jordan Helm - 3.5 / 5

While its lacking narrative and world-building comes off a missed opportunity that, despite momentary hints, never properly materializes, Hauntii and Moonloop Games' admiration and understanding of collectathon-styled adventures is what keeps this latest journey through the afterlife feeling anything but lifeless. The two-tone aesthetic and use of light-and-dark contrast, specifically in the context of level design, is where the game is at its most cleverly-orchestrated. Despite its minimalist appearance, this is a game whose subtle suggestions to maybe venture off the beaten path now and again is never too far away. Complimented along the way by a possession-based mechanic that plays host to challenges, mini-games and even a couple of set-pieces providing just the right amount of variety. It may not go down as the most memorable or indeed the most fulfilling example of its genre or indeed this style of game, but Hauntii still proves that even flawed creations can still bear a welcome level of enjoyment.

Kakuchopurei - Alleef Ashaari - 80 / 100

Pairing the bullet hell twin-stick shooting with a slow contemplative story and emphasis on puzzles is a strange combination, but Hauntii makes it work. It has its flaws, but the hauntingly beautiful visuals make the Hauntii a game that is worth experiencing to the end.

Nindie Spotlight - Justin Nation - 8.4 / 10

An undeniably unique adventure that mixes together some unexpected elements and just hits differently

One More Game - Vincent Ternida - 8 / 10

Hauntii is a short and sweet unique indie experience that provides a decent outing with its presentation, creepy cute visual style, and heartfelt story. It provides a decent enough challenge to explore and traverse its ethereal world. While collecting its stars to form constellations to tell the protagonist's visual tale is enticing, I wish it was done a little bit more organically.

Overall, its brief original experience really is something to be experienced to be believed. I enjoyed solving puzzles and interacting with the creepy cute world, and it's a decent indie to pick up in between the larger titles this year to spend the time.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Ed Thorn - Unscored

A puzzler and twinstick shooter that's just as pretty to discover as it is to look at. There's a hint of Super Mario Odyssey in there, too, if you're into that.

The Games Machine - Daniele Cucchiarelli - Italian - 8.3 / 10

A uniquely styled adventure, with game mechanics that are not new but used in a constructive and entertaining way. Narration, direction and soundtrack contribute to a rich experience that will steal your heart away.

The Punished Backlog - Clint Morrison, Jr. - 8 / 10

Hauntii is a beautiful game that often gets in the way of its own contemplated brilliance. It is the game’s quieter moments that will stick with me long after the credits have rolled. At its best, the game presents an interesting, meditative alternative to the usually chaotic twin-stick shooter and challenging puzzle genres.

Use a Potion - 8 / 10

Hauntii offers a wonderful collectathon escapade that’ll keep players hooked in as they seek out the many stars hidden across the world to reunite with their newfound friend. The emotional storytelling is touching, the world design is creative and beautiful, it’s a ton of fun hunting down all of the stars scattered across the land, whilst the twin-stick shooting adds a fun little twist to exploration.

It does have some imperfections with its tedious boss fights and uneven difficulty balancing, but Hauntii still stands out as an enjoyable adventure that I certainly won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

VGChartz - Mark Nielsen - 8.5 / 10

The creative fun of Super Mario Odyssey blends with the beauty of Ori to create one of this year’s indie gems.

 

[Punished Miku]

A puzzle twin-stick shooter collect-a-thon with a story? I think I might play this next. Wasn't sure what it was from the pictures. 6-8 hours sounds good.