Pink Hour

Pink Hour is a tiny action platformer from Studio Pixel that I can finish surprisingly quickly, but I still think it is worth playing because it gets a lot right in such a small package. I play as the pink dressed office lady from Kero Blaster, who has to recover an important missing document before getting back to the office. The whole thing takes place in a cave filled with enemies and hazards, so the goal is basically to make it through safely, get the document and make it back. It is a very simple setup, but the cute pixel art and fast movement give it a lot of charm. The platforming feels good for something this short. I can run and jump through the cave, avoid enemies and use the environment to get around danger. There is also a shooting element, although jumping over enemies is often just as important as attacking them. I like that because it stops the game from feeling like a basic run and gun where I just hold a button and clear everything in front of me. The levels are small enough that I can learn them quickly, but there are still a few sections where I need to pay attention to my timing. The presentation is probably my favourite part. The pixel art is colourful and has that very distinct Studio Pixel style that makes the game feel cheerful even when I am dealing with enemies. The character is also really likeable, and the whole office worker trying to recover an important document is a funny little idea. The soundtrack fits the action nicely too. Nothing is trying to be overly complicated here, and I think that works in the game's favour because I can immediately understand what it is going for. The biggest problem is obviously the length. This is a free spin off minigame connected to Kero Blaster, and there simply is not much of it. I can get through the main game very quickly, so I cannot really judge it as though it were a full length platformer. The extra hard mode helps because it gives me another reason to replay it and includes a different ending, but even then the amount of actual content is still very small. I would have liked another level or two because the basic gameplay is good enough to support a little more. The difficulty also changes quite a bit when I move into the harder mode. The normal experience is fairly approachable, but the tougher version makes some of the jumps and enemy sections much less forgiving. I actually like having that option because it gives me something to work towards after finishing the basic game, although some of the precision sections can feel a little rough. When I miss a jump, it can sometimes feel like the movement is slightly less precise than I would want, which is more noticeable when the game is deliberately testing my timing. Even with the short length, I think Pink Hour benefits from being completely free. I am not being asked to spend anything before I can see what the game is about, and the whole thing can be finished in a short sitting. It also works nicely as an introduction to the world and style that Studio Pixel would develop further in Kero Blaster. I do not need to play Kero Blaster first to understand what is happening, but knowing that this is connected to it makes the little adventure feel more meaningful. Overall, Pink Hour is a cute and enjoyable little platformer that knows exactly what it wants to be. I like the pixel art, music, simple story and straightforward platforming, and the hard mode gives the game a little more value once I have finished the main route. The extremely short length is the biggest thing holding it back, because there is not enough here for me to treat it like a full game. Still, for a free little side adventure, I think it is very easy to recommend. It gives me a fun half hour or so, has plenty of charm and does not waste my time with unnecessary systems. Rating: 7/10

Игра "Pink Hour" — это атмосферное путешествие в мир волшебства и тайных переживаний. Прекрасная графика и мелодичный звуковой сопровождение создают настроение, заставляющее погрузиться в историю. Геймплей сочетает элементы головоломок и исследований, но иногда кажется немного хаотичным. Сюжет затягивает, а эмоциональные моменты оставляют глубокий след. Для любителей тонких историй и арт-стиля — отличный выбор. Однако для тех, кто предпочитает четкие механики, могут разочаровать нестабильные элементы. В целом — рекомендую!

WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY TOO SHORT

Nice little game.

全体のボリューム感がちょうどよくて、キャラクターがみんなかわいい 無料とは思えない遊びごたえがありました。 ギリジャンが一番難しかったかもしれない（笑）

It's really not even worth installing this given that it's a five minute game with no real challenge, but... Pixel has given me so much value over the years with his other games (Kero Blaster, Cave Story) that I find it hard not to recommend everything he does.