Grapple Hoops

potential

5/10 the movement is fun and the gimmick is good but the bosses SUCK and make it so much worse, the demo was definitely better

Definitely more of a Proof of Concept. Cool ideas bring you deeper into the game, but then the details start to make you hate it. This game's code may have killed me more times than Mario 64's camera lol Biggest change that would make this game loads more fun: Custom Level uploads and a place to download them. I saw level editor but no community made levels in the workshop or mod sites. As it stands there's 4 hours of gameplay, then you're down to speedrunning the 30 levels.

I decided to give this game a shot after playing Cyber Hook hoping it would give that same feel of speed and freeform swinging, and while it kinda did at points, the execution and style of this one is so rough that I can't really recommend it and couldn't bring myself to finish it. It's horrifically buggy as many people have mentioned, with the most common problem being getting locked out of actions. Throwing the ball, using your grappling hook, and sliding/running have all just stopped working for me sometimes during gameplay. I've also gotten stuck in objects, enemies/bosses got stuck, hell, even the audio was stuck at the level it was at when I tried to lower it cuz of how loud the pistol was. Stylistically, everything is a store asset assembled without much actual cohesion and the filter used for some of the models and stuff is just very unappealing. Even on sale, I think I'd just recommend checking out Cyber Hook instead

It just doesn't feel that good, and movement is supposed to be this game's shtick.

Grapple Hoops is a small but inventive indie project from solo developer Andreas Georgiou that blends first-person parkour, grappling-hook acrobatics, and the unlikely addition of basketball into a single, chaotic package. Released on Steam in 2021, it quickly carved out a niche for players who enjoy experimental mechanics and games that revolve around speed, movement, and improvisation. The premise is as straightforward as it is eccentric: navigate vertical arenas with the help of a grappling hook, leap across rooftops and suspended platforms, and then slam-dunk a ball through a hoop to complete your run. The result is something that sits halfway between a traditional action-platformer and a physics-driven sports experiment, and while it has rough edges, its moments of brilliance are undeniable. At the core of the experience is its movement system, which is the real star of the show. Grappling onto ledges, swinging across gaps, chaining wall-runs, and launching yourself into the air all combine to create a flow that feels exhilarating when everything clicks. The mechanics encourage creativity, and the best moments happen when you stitch together improvised sequences of swings, ju…