Hue Review

An intelligent puzzle platformer with heart

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

Reviewed on PlayStation 4

A vivid platformer, “Hue” uses color as both a puzzle-solving technique and a factor of storytelling.

I knew nothing more of “Hue” than the fact that it looked like some sort of platformer; I got it for free with PlayStation Plus and gave it a whirl. To my utmost pleasure, this game kept me playing and engaged thanks to a delightful story and interesting gameplay. With both calming music and clever level design from beginning to end, this puzzle platformer was a joy to play through and ultimately made me wish there was more color-altering puzzles to partake in.

Story
“Hue’s” story is simple but beautiful in execution. You’re playing a young boy named Hue. The titular character is on a quest to find his mother. She speaks to Hue through voice-overs you will stumble upon at pivotal moments in the game, often through letters. The game’s clever use of colors in its puzzles complements the story and frequently uses that to progress ideas Hue’s mother gives him. It is all subtle and very sweet.

Gameplay
“Hue” takes colors and uses them to change the world around you. You can, on the fly, switch between multiple colors in which you unlock access to as you progress. For example, switching to blue will make the blue crate in front of you disappear but the pink crate will suddenly be visible. That is just a mere sample of the concepts “Hue” tackles. The game gets more and more challenging with time. Eventually, you will find yourself running from a boulder and having to change colors on the fly or standing in a room full of multi-colored obstacles leaving you more than a little confused. Nailing the right color in situations like such are exhilarating and timing matters. “Hue” has plenty of varied puzzles for you to conquer, many of which will undoubtedly test your mind. I ultimately adore the challenging and thought-provoking puzzles the game includes with the incredibly clever use of color.

Graphics
The graphics in “Hue” are by no means revolutionary, but the simple artwork and color implementation are nothing short of special in their own way. The games’ first grayscale background gets filled with colors as they are unlocked, making a vivid and unique appearance overall, one that is always changing. With every instant color change and dynamic nature of it all, “Hue” is surprisingly delightful to look at.

Sound
A generally soothing and mellow tone complements the gameplay and story of “Hue.” At times however, a hyper and peppy track will be used, which is usually incorporated into the levels that call for speed. Overall, the soundtrack works perfectly for the tone of “Hue.”

There are also mellow voiceovers from Hue’s mother; these sooth you and evoke plentiful emotion to the story of “Hue.”

Content
Unfortunately, “Hue” doesn’t give you any incentive to come back once the credits roll. There are 28 beakers to find but these hidden collectibles are by no means interesting. With such clever puzzles and level design, I would have loved for some reason to play more.

Conclusion

By the end of “Hue,” I ultimately wanted more. Thanks to intuitive level design and intelligent puzzles that challenged my thinking process, “Hue” is a wonderful puzzle platformer. The game comes with such a unique concept to work with and executes it delightfully. “Hue” left me feeling relaxed many times but also gave me a feeling of being on top of the world when conquering even the most challenging puzzles. I truly think any platforming fan or those with appreciation of clever puzzle design, “Hue” is more than worth your time.

Have you played “Hue?” Did you enjoy the use of color for puzzle solving? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.