Hollow Tide

Hollow Tide is quiet in the best way. You explore a sunken world, piece together what happened from scattered notes, and solve environmental puzzles that lean on observation rather than trial and error. The atmosphere does a lot of the storytelling.

Movement is gesture-based, swiping to row your little boat between landmarks, and it feels unexpectedly tactile. Several puzzles had me putting the phone down to think, which I take as a compliment.

It's a slow game, not an action one. If you want adrenaline, look elsewhere. If you want to get lost in a strange, beautiful place for an evening, this is it.

What we liked

• Thick, melancholy atmosphere
• Observation-based puzzles
• Satisfying gesture controls