VideoHole: Episode II

okay i initially posted a short review because i really liked what i played of the intro, but i am deeply susceptible to motion sickness in first-person games so i wasn't sure i'd be able to finish it. like physically. thankfully squishing the windowed mode down to 720p helped a lot. anyway: this is unironically and genuinely really, really good. i'm sitting here kind of ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up and in my feelings about a character named "slime jr." it's spec ops: the line for media crit. it's doing incredibly cool ♥♥♥♥ with metanarrative and characterization. the art is really charming, the music is great. this is going in my favorites folder and i wish there was a way to express my enthusiasm that didn't spoil the delightful way in which this thing unravels. i will note: this is an indie game and a labor of love so act 3 gets a little buggy and i did find myself a little confused and lost in gameplay once or twice, but not in away that impacted my very, very positive experience otherwise.

A well crafted, lovingly made micro indie! Seriously, I love it so much! The writing is witty and wonderfully existential. It's mysterious and hilarious, filled to the brim with interesting characters, top tier absurd everything in style and substance. Everything about it feels genuine, I can tell a lot of love went into it. You're gonna want to play this little gem!

[b]VideoHole: Episode II[/b] might be one of the most imaginative games I've played in years... and it was all made by just 3 people. This eccentric multi-genre game revolves around 3 quirky characters named Trevor [i](a conehead dude of sorts)[/i], Gabi [i](a silly pink bird that loves to rock out)[/i], and The Constable [i](an inquisitive fellow who is literally just half an avocado)[/i]. Episode 2 expands on the original with more content, more thought-provoking dialogue, and last but not least, more absurdity. One thing I need to point out before anything else is the sheer amount of detail in this game. There are so many unique assets like movies, posters, original music, and much more. I would encourage anyone that plays to explore every nook and cranny of these environments. If you explore these "nooks and crannies" enough, you might actually manage to find a few tasty food recipes, courtesy of Daniella, one of the 3 creators of VideoHole. Speaking of Nooks and Crannies, the silly speech sounds in VideoHole are reminiscent of the iconic Animalese language spoken by villagers in the Animal Crossing series. The absurd sounds help accentuate the VideoHole's playful and preposterous undertones. These cute characters will take you on a surprisingly emotional journey through a plethora of colorful and fantastical environments. I've always loved games that challenge my understanding of what a game is supposed to be and VideoHole definitely scratches that itch. Each part of the game has a distinct theme, as well a variety of exclusive gameplay mechanics like skill progression and rhythm-based mini games. This approach to game design makes each level feel fresh and memorable. The cute cartoony visual style and peculiar personalities help make each section, while vastly different from one another, feel diegetic and coherent. Every now and then you might encounter a spelling error or minor bug, but this is forgivable considering the small team and ambitious scope of Video Hole. Overall, VideoHole is a charming and creative project that I hope will inspire other small game developer teams like Jofisoft to start working on that big project they've always wanted to make.

one of the most genuine and compelling games i’ve ever played, def a gem

a genuine labor of love. the characters have all been very memorable and relatable, and i really enjoy the art style! anyone who likes a story rich game should play this!

I LOVE VIDEOHOLE

The chances of getting eaten by Daniella's Teeth are low but never zero...

For a long time I've been searching for a game that will tell me what to do if one of my employees joins a band. I'm not sure if this game will do that, or what this game *is* doing, but it's very intriguing. It starts off as a somewhat straightforward set of locked doors and keys but quickly becomes something else entirely. I'm very much looking forward to where it goes.

I probably should have played Episode I to understand the lore. Other than having no idea what was going on or what anyone was talking about this was a surreal world exploration linear puzzle experience. I enjoyed the characters and their strange dialogue as well as the world design and over all look. If you are looking for a weird world to explore on a lonely Friday night look no further.

Love the characters, love the navel-gaze-y philosophizing, love all the subtle references and inspiration taken from other games. Feels like Zero Escape crossed with A Hat In Time crossed with Persona crossed with whatever god knows else lies in wait between me and the end of the game. All with its own flavor of Clerks-esque backdrop, a kinda weird pseudo-dream-like narrative aesthetic, and a pretty interesting story besides. Love it! ... On the downside, the programming itself is really janky (I've lost some progress on bog standard save-loads, the screen de-full-screens itself regularly, etc) but I'm willing to forgive everything I've seen so far for the uniqueness, authenticity, and spirit of the world and story. The bugs I've hit so far all feel just a little annoying, rather than completely game breaking. Hopefully that stays the case.