El Hijo Reviews
need to know
What is it? A stealth game set in the Old West.
Comment time: Windows 10, Intel Core i7-9700 CPU @ 3.00GHz, 16 GB RAM
price: $20/£18
release date: Come out now
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Developer: Honig’s studio
multiplayer game: not any
Association: Official website
At El Hijo, collectibles are orphans. The protagonist, an unnamed six-year-old boy, walks up to them and expands their world little by little; maybe he teaches them to juggle, or how to origami airplanes. When the pop-up box informs the player that they’ve “inspired” one of the four kids in the level so far, the previously frustrated kids are glistening with joy.
There are many other fascinating moments in El Hijo’s tan Wild West: the boy hangs on the butt of a cow and walks through a corral undetected; he hops on a minecart for a Donkey Kong country-style railroad race ; he hid under a huge sombrero to protect himself from the intruding sheriff. The game has a heart, that’s what I’d say, which makes it easy to root, even though as a stealth game it makes me want to.
(Image credit: Honig Studios/Quantumfrog/HandyGames)
Consisting of 29 levels, El Hijo follows the simple, wordless narrative of a boy reconnecting with his mother after the family farm is razed to the ground. This journey will take you through stately monasteries, arid desert wastelands and saloon shootouts. There are dangers around every corner, and disaster can only be avoided by not being detected. As such, the boy was offered the standard Sam Fisher ability palette. He’s barely visible in the shadows, and he can slip his head down along crates, boulders, and leaves to stay uncompromising.
You’ll get a slingshot in no time, which can be used to distract and clear guards from their annoying patrol routes. Later, the boy could use smoke bombs, clockwork toys and fireworks to improve his pastime. Much of El Hijo’s gameplay depends on how you mine the toolbox. “Do I want to use my last firecrackers here? I’ll definitely be rewarded for my protection later.”
Whether you’re navigating the depths of a church basement or navigating a rugged cliffside, the game pops off the screen.
All from a locked isometric perspective. El Hijo is not Metal Gear Solid, nor Splinter Cell, or even Ninja Mark. It’s a series of puzzles, not the freewheeling dynamism and improvisation that defines most other modern stealth games. There is a definite solution to avoid the many enemies on the road. A watchdog is sitting at the exit. The only way to get him off the scene is to hit the Scarecrow with a slingshot, sending a flock of crows in his direction. He drove them away and opened a brief window to pay for the dirt. In another instance, I hid in a barrel and passed a heated party. A drunken cowboy pushed me to the Promised Land. Far from the branching paths and massive inventory of Punished Snake, El Hijo is a game that usually has only one correct answer.
This is not a problem! unnecessary. These puzzles are usually clever and carefully constructed. I love figuring out the exact combination of levers to pull, a key feeling in many adventure games.But sometimes I wish El Hijo felt more live. Everything about its stealthiness is very mechanical. There’s a feature that lets you see the exact line of sight of your enemies, which completely takes some of the anxious guesswork out of the program.Boys can literally stand as long as you’re in the shade inch Not spoiled in front of his opponents – I think that would dent some of the spirit of the genre. At the same time, I found some of El Hijo’s rigidities frustratingly inconsistent. In particular, I never had a good idea of whether my slingshot was in or out of range, or if my slingshot would distract the enemy. Part of the reason, I think, is that El Hijo wants to draw its players into their intended solution, but when things don’t work, it’s distasteful.
(Image credit: Honig Studios/Quantumfrog/HandyGames)
El Hijo makes up for some of these shortcomings with its beauty. Honig Studios has done a great job creating an original Remington Old West – a place that looks like the plastic cowboys the kids collected are scattered in a sandbox. Whether you’re navigating the depths of a church basement or navigating a rugged cliffside, the game pops off the screen. As I said before, the story is mostly presented through the environment, and I honestly couldn’t glean much from the main plot points. I will say there are some surprisingly grim images in the second half – especially children in chains being sold into slaves – that blows my mind. I’m not saying the Honig’s manipulations are offensive, but given the buoyancy of the environment, it does seem out of place.
Overall, I wish El Hijo were a bit more lively. The whole time I’ve been playing the game, I’ve been thinking about Hitman Go. The game seeks a similar mix between tight control, low variance stealth, and intelligent puzzle solving, but it also moves at the speed of Quicksilver and reduces ambiguity. That’s the element El Hijo is missing; decisive action that makes you truly feel like you’ve surpassed artificial intelligence. I always get a feeling from my international assassin or paramilitary super spy and I wish I could get more from my six year old boy.
Today’s best deal
Check more articles in our categories Gaming & News et Anime.
Thanks for visiting we hope our article El Hijo Reviews
, think about share the article on Facebook, instagram and e-mail with the hashtags ☑️ #Hijo #Reviews ☑️!
