Heave Ho

Genre: Platformer / Party Game

Players: 1-4 Co-Op (Local)

.

Review:

Heave Ho is a family-friendly Platformer that has up to four players trying to get their characters to a goal, but as their character has no legs, they must use their hands to grapple, pull, and fling their way there.

In practice, this can often work out almost like a puzzle, as you try to figure out just how the heck to get from point A to point B. Players have the ability to independently grab with the left and right hands, and to move their body in relation to whatever they’re grabbing, but beyond that it’s up to them to figure out how to move around.

This works out to be a fun, silly exercise as players try to get their pathetic little guy to the exit. However, while the game is fun in single-player, this is absolutely an experience that is made to be played in multiplayer, as it is hilariously fun to have players try to coordinate among each other to try to get to a goal, and it makes for plenty of hilarious situations (“I’ve got you! I’ve got you! … whoopsie!”).

Graphically, this game looks simple but endearing. Players can piece together their own little… er, guy… and all of them are silly and adorable in their own way. The levels themselves are simplistic, but at the very least the visuals put the focus on the gameplay. There is one nice flourish here though – when one of your characters dies (usually falling to the doom), it results in a giant spray of… we’ll say “paint”… in the color of that character (don’t worry, it’s silly and cartoony, this isn’t a gore-fest).

There are some flaws to this game. I feel that the game’s difficulty picks up far too quickly, especially if you only have a few players or you’re not good at working together. Also, it would have been nice to have more multiplayer options – being able to play as teams or compete in a race would have been fantastic.

Still, overall, Heave-Ho is a delightful little Platformer that truly shines in multiplayer. While it’s not going to impress anyone with its visuals or gameplay, it’s a blast to play in multiplayer, and those looking for a fun diversion for four players will find this game to be a wonderful addition to their collection.

tl;dr – Heave Ho is a Platformer that has players controlling a character’s two hands to try to grasp and grapple their way to an exit. It’s fun in single-player, but this game truly shines in multiplayer. It’s not perfect, but if you have four people who can maybe-sorta’ work together, this is a really fun time.

Grade: B

.

This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2019 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best Multiplayer, Funniest Game

^{You can support eShopperReviews on Patreon! Please click HERE to become a Sponsor!}