Those games still exist on PS5 (see the console-exclusive Stray), but third-party companies like Annapurna Interactive are the ones handling publishing duties. PlayStation used to be a haven for deep cuts like this that were genuinely surprising. It makes financial sense that the company would want to invest in a few surefire hits a year over two dozen gambles, but Hohokum does make me a little nostalgic for that riskier Sony energy. Even more left-field projects like Returnal and Death Stranding look positively glitzy next to modest games like LocoRoco and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture.
The company has tightened its focus in recent years, keeping its sights set on large-scale AAA projects with broad appeal. It’s impossible to imagine Sony putting its name on a game like Fantavision, a bizarre PS2 puzzle game about igniting fireworks, in 2022. You can especially feel the difference in Sony’s publishing cadence by taking a trip through PS Plus’ retro games library. The list is massive compared to Sony’s list of 2022 games, which only features a small handful of new releases from bankable franchises like Gran Turismo and Horizon. Others were smaller indies like Resogun and The Unfinished Swan. Some were tentpole titles like LittleBigPlanet 3 and Infamous Second Son.
That year, the publisher had a hand in putting out dozens of games. Sony’s publishing strategy has radically changed since Hohokum’s release in 2014. Still, the niche title just isn’t the type of game you expect to see sporting a Sony logo. According to Annapurna Interactive, the studio has a few staffers who worked at Sony Santa Monica and were involved with the original release of Hohokum, allowing the company to work out a licensing deal with Sony. I got a shock when I saw Sony Santa Monica’s logo pop up on screen and remembered that the God of War studio helped bring the indie to PlayStation. While it’s certainly not the first art game of its kind, you can make a clear connection from Hohokum to recent games like Ynglet or this year’s Please, Touch the Artwork.īut what’s especially surprising about the title is that it was originally a Sony-published game. I lost track of time as I sailed from level to level taking in the vibrant illustrations and bopping along to its excellent soundtrack.
Some levels are simply made up of abstract shapes, while others paint more of a picture book mini-scene. Toy-like interactions dot its various levels, as players can bounce into objects, look for hidden eyes, and do some light puzzle solving that requires minimal interaction. Players control a serpent creature that flies around colorful 2D levels like a kite. Hohokum is an abstract game that plays like an interactive art exhibit.
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