January is generally pretty slow in terms of game releases, but it turns out we have a pretty fun game right out the gate this year. Big Hops is a fast-moving platformer with collect-a-thon elements and I was very in the mood for this kind of game, so I snatched it up right away. It was my earliest release on my current Fantasy Critic draft and while I was a little disappointed in the 78 it is sitting with at the time of this writing, I am relatively happy with the game overall.
Big Hops shines the brightest with the movement built around jumping and swinging with protagonist Hop’s frog tongue. You can get around at lightning speed and I am looking forward to seeing speed runs of this one in the near future. So far, the game has featured several open areas and a few more focused and linear levels. I generally prefer the more focused experiences here, as they keep you moving forward while still offering a little flexibility on how you approach certain platforming challenges. “Do I use this slingshot to get over there, or do I platform along this beam and then wall run?”
I’m still pretty early on, but I am eager to see what else Big Hops has to offer. I’ll update when I have more to say, but I am excited that the year, in gaming anyway, is already starting off strong.
