4/5 ★ – stephenhill777's review of A Hat in Time.

Not that many contenders for the 3D platforming crown nowadays. If you’re not Mario, you’re not nuthin’ (make sure you read that in a Brooklyn accent to fully appreciate its message). Well, A Hat in Time is somethin’. It’s a slice of potential, skilfully coated with charm. It’s not going to knock Mario off his throne by any means. But I would love to see it have an honest try. The main issue with A Hat in Time is basically that the developers are too damn good for the budget they're working with. This is a game that deserves a massive platform release for it to really stretch its wings and soar. The game worlds are wonderfully realised, and well designed, but there are still only four of them. The platforming and exploration are both fun and satisfying, but the game never challenges the player in any meaningful way. And while the eclectic cast won me over almost immediately, they feel like they were drafted in from a much bigger production. I love almost everything about A Hat in Time, except for how small it ultimately feels. One of the best levels in the game, Dead Bird Studio, posits a rivalry between two charismatic directors. Both are trying to win a prestigious award, and they are vying for your help. The ensuing levels have a point system that show how well you are assisting each bird. This is a great idea, and plays out well over the next four levels. You will engage in a murder mystery, become a modern day pop-idol, diffuse a bomb on a high-speed train and lead a band through town square. Yet, as good as they are, they feel like they're over far too quickly, and clearly needed more time to breathe. Another level becomes a survival horror game, out of bloody nowhere, and while at perfect length in about 20 minutes, it definitely feels like a concept that should have revisited at least once more before the end credits rolled. Even the climactic showdown lacks a sense of finality, because the stakes never feel like they escalated much from the very beginning. The narrative is exactly as slight as it needs to be in a game like this, but the pacing doesn't lend itself well to a traditional three act structure. The entire game suffers from this feeling of unfulfilled potential, but it needs to be stressed that it is still an absolute joy to play in the moment to moment. Hat-Kid is a disarmingly simple creation, who feels incredible to control. She can double jump, wall jump, dive, and smack unsuspecting penguins with her trusty umbrella. She doesn’t break the mould, but she follows the same design philosophy as Mario. The simple act of moving around is fun to do, and it could potentially keep players entertained for hours. Beginners will have an easy time completing the objectives, while seasoned players will enjoy being able to perform the more difficult moves. For example, large gaps can be covered with a double jump, a dive, and finally a wall run and/or jump in quick succession. However, unless you have a special sticker for your hat, you will need to pull Hat Kid out of the dive, just before she hits the wall. It’s a very small touch that makes players feel particularly skilled if they can pull it off, but can still be avoided via the use of the stickers, if it becomes too challenging. These stickers are just one of many types of collectibles available, but none of them feel particularly superfluous or overwhelming. The Time Pieces are the most important, basically the stand-in for Mario’s stars or moons. Yarn can be found in hard-to-reach places and allow her to stitch new hats together, which in turn grant new abilities. The previously mentioned stickers grant passive buffs, some of which are absolutely essential in later levels. These are bought from a vendor in exchange for ‘Pons’, which are littered everywhere. Icons, meanwhile, are usually well hidden and can be collected and arranged together in the hub to access special platforming challenges. And finally there are rift tokens, which you can use to play a slot machine game in the hopes of getting a flourish (a costume accessory or a remix of a level’s soundtrack). While collectible fatigue can be a massive detriment (see Donkey Kong 64 on how NOT to do this), A Hat in Time works because you will be looking for just any excuse to continue playing around in its world. The lull of possible secrets will keep you coming back for more, and no matter how many times you go down the water slide or firing yourself from cannons in Mafia Town, it never stops being fun. As if that weren’t enough, the game goes one step further with it's wonderfully idiosyncratic humor. Considerate little details abound and I was charmed by almost every one of them. I love that Hat Kid can jump on the Roomba on her spaceship and the Roomba reacts with little grunts of exertion. I love that she blows a raspberry at the Mafia members when she sees them for the first time in a level. And, while not a small detail by any means, I love that there is an entire, well-written text adventure hidden in the bowels of your spaceship for you to while away the minutes in. This is a game that was clearly made with great love and care, so it’s hard to fault it for any of its shortcomings. A Hat in Time is a game that absolutely needs another attempt in order to become the classic it’s destined to be. But if you’re happy to just play a game akin to a hot cup of tea on a rainy day, this is absolutely the game for you.