Eva's Hook

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Fun little platformer with grappling hook mechanics. The need to hit resets for your grappling hooks creates interesting sections of the map. This was covered as part of this week's episode of Free2Play Weekly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOpAPcknVUg&t=894

Eva's Hook is a platformer that I immediately respected because it does not waste time pretending to be something complicated. Eva is trapped in an icy prison and has nothing but a grappling hook to help her escape, so almost the entire game is about learning how to move properly. I liked that focused approach because every successful jump or swing feels like something I actually had to master. The grappling hook is easily the strongest mechanic. I control it with the mouse and use it to swing, pull myself through the environment and reach platforms that would otherwise be impossible to reach. I enjoyed the precision required because small mistakes can completely change my momentum. Once I start getting comfortable with the movement, there is a really satisfying flow to chaining swings together. The levels are designed around increasingly demanding movement challenges, and collecting coins gives me another reason to explore rather than simply heading toward the exit. I liked having optional things to search for because they encourage me to take risks and learn the level more thoroughly. The speedrun mode is also a great addition for anyone who enjoys replaying stages to shave tim…

The gameplay is fine, but the white character blends in with the mostly white backgrounds all the time which is too hard on the eyes.

This game reminds me of the kind of games I would play on the school computers during free time (in a good way). The biggest criticism I have of the game is that the sections where you have to get on moving platforms don't work well with the 2D perspective. It's hard, in an unsatisfying way, to judge the depth to determine when to jump on the platform. I had fun with the first three levels and most of the fourth one, so I don't regret trying the game. It shows promise.