Harold Halibut

Rock Paper Shotgun

Alice Bell·Apr 30, 2024

Critic—

Agreement—

A lovely looking game with a sweet, restrained story, Harold Halibut is probably a too long for its own good.

GameSpot

Kurt Indovina·Apr 16, 2024

Critic70/100

Agreement—

Harold Halibut is a triumph in its characters and visuals but struggles to stay afloat under its own scope and ambitions.

PC Gamer

Joshua Wolens·Apr 15, 2024

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Things aren't necessarily better down where it's wetter.

IGN

Tristan Ogilvie·Apr 15, 2024

Critic80/100

Agreement—

It may take place at the bottom of the ocean on a distant alien planet, but Harold Halibut’s story is an entirely human one, both in terms of its carefully handmade environments and its strong emphasis on empathy towards its eccentric cast of characters. While I wish that there was a little more interactivity to be found throughout its subaquatic setting, and Harold’s shuffling run could have been boosted to a sprint to reduce the time spent repeatedly schlepping from one end of its levels to the other, I nonetheless remained captivated by his whimsical quest to unite his community and explore the spectacular surroundings of his sunken home. Consistently funny and full of surprises, Harold Halibut is a wholesome, handcrafted adventure with plenty of heart.

Push Square

Stephen Tailby·Apr 15, 2024

Critic50/100

Agreement—

We really wanted to love Harold Halibut, and there are some redeeming qualities. Its wonderful aesthetic is unique and detailed, it has a great sci-fi hook, and there are some good moments throughout the story. Unfortunately, these aspects depreciate due to a prolonged runtime, most of which is filled with slow, repetitive treks from one scene to the next. The narrative is left to hold everything together, but it sadly doesn't quite stick the landing thanks to pacing issues and some iffy writing. This is one fish you might want to let get away.

Pure Xbox

Craig Reid·Apr 15, 2024

Critic80/100

Agreement—

Harold Halibut is a heartfelt and handcrafted tale of human existence, delivering charming, profound, and deeply funny writing guaranteed to put a smile on your face. What Slow Bros has managed to achieve with its visual style is masterful and, for our money, it's now one of the best looking games on Xbox. The gameplay can feel repetitive at times, and the writing can drag in places, but ultimately we had a great experience seeing it through to the end. If you've got a Game Pass subscription, it's worth checking the game out for its aesthetic alone. Harold Halibut won't be for everybody, but for those that resonate with its story, it's sure to stick with you for a long time.

GamesRadar+

Rollin Bishop·Apr 15, 2024

Critic80/100

Agreement—

"The handcrafted, stop-motion look and feel to this world makes every imperfection just another lovely detail"

Eurogamer

Chris Tapsell·Apr 15, 2024

Critic60/100

Agreement—

Eurogamer's review of Harold Halibut, a visually arresting, warm-hearted tale of a gofer searching for his purpose that flounders amongst endless fet