Hideko

I'm amazed at how in-depth this was.
There was so many things to do, and I love it. I bought this game full price and it is so worth it, I was basically robbing a store because of the price.

~GAMEPLAY~
On to the game itself, which is very good!
The main game consists around making stuff with your 3 main components, the Sun, the Cloud, and the Ground. They all produce something different (Sun makes light, Cloud makes water, Ground makes rocks*)
You have physics, which is a plus for me since I was messing around with the sandbox. In my playthrough, I hatched a baby bird, I made a thunderstorm, accidentally set everything on fire, made a skeleton I named "skelly the first", I found out how to make bombs, then I made a volcano, set everything on fire again, I drowned everybody in an ocean, I made a gnome town, I burned the gnome town, turn the last gnome into an alien and then I got to the endgame.

*The Ground also produces sand or minerals when on different maps.

~VISUALS~
The visuals of this game are picturesque and lovely. I felt at home playing this game and the colourful visuals were pleasing. I love the little details that weren't necesary but add a lot to the experience like the smearframes that you see when your mouse moves really fast, that you can see wind in the background, that the stars have a weird effect when moving making them grab your attention or maybe that some objects like the Cloud, or the trees have a separate background layer that follows them with a different color. You get the point, it's good.

~MUSIC~
The music in this game is made by bbtombo, and it's good and it fits the theme to a tee. The first, title screen song SLAPS, it goes HARD. But when you're in the middle of gameplay, the music is very calm and unobtrusive and it really sets you into a calm and nice mood.

~ENDGAME SPOILERS~
The endgame went with a more modern vibe giving you heaps of machinery you can create, which could lead to some really cool mechanisms being made. But the last item you will be creating (if you've created every possible item beforehand) is a spaceship. This spaceship, once activated, will take you to space (obviously). This is where you started in the titlescreen, but now, you've got a pink crystal in the way. If you manage to break it, it will turn into a black hole and suck everything on the screen and end the game. If you've gotten every single star before that point, you will unlock creative mode, in which it will give you the materials for an item if you click on it. I actually put so much items in this mode, that when I opened the black hole, I crashed the game, alongside, "skelly the first".

~CONCLUSION~
Do I think this is the Game Of The Year?
No. It's not bad, it's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ perfect. But it's a really short experience, like in A Short Hike. The Game Of The Year title almost always goes to a title with a flurry of content. And, Hideko is not that. But, it is MY favourite Calmest Game Of The Year, and no one can take that away from me. Sokpop truly outdid themselves when making this and it shows that they care more about quality, more than quantity, which they also excel at (they make 1 game every month of this quality, like damn). Please buy this game man I beg of you, it's that good.

~Woopser :)

Hideko is a small but enchanting sandbox game that embodies the spirit of quiet discovery. Rather than guiding the player through quests or structured objectives, it hands you a pocket-sized world filled with natural elements, tiny creatures, and simple objects, and encourages you to tinker until its underlying logic reveals itself. You begin with only a few items and a small play area, but even in those early moments the charm is unmistakable. The world reacts to your actions with gentle animations, soft sounds, and a sense of life that feels surprisingly warm for such minimalistic design. Hideko never rushes you. Instead, it invites you to slow down, experiment, and enjoy the soothing rhythm of observing how things interact.

The heart of the game lies in its combination-based experimentation. Every object can be dropped, merged, fed, or otherwise placed into contact with another to see what emerges. Maybe two seeds produce a different plant, or a creature’s reaction to an object becomes the key to discovering a new resource. Sometimes the results feel intuitive, other times surprising, but in both cases the satisfaction comes from the simple joy of figuring things out on your own. As you uncover new combinations, the game rewards you with stars, which gradually expand your inventory capacity and unlock new areas of the small world. The pace of progression feels natural—just enough to encourage further play, yet calm enough to preserve the game’s meditative tone.

Hideko’s atmosphere is one of its strongest qualities. The art style uses soft palettes and clean pixel visuals to create an inviting sense of space, and the animations are subtle but expressive. Tiny creatures wiggle, plants sway, and the sandbox feels alive in a way that encourages you to linger between interactions just to observe the world breathe. Sound design plays an equally important role. Rather than relying on a heavy soundtrack, the game allows ambient noises and small audio cues to take center stage. These sounds—rustling leaves, bubbling water, faint chirps—give the experience a natural warmth that complements its theme of gentle experimentation.

The experience is intentionally short, often lasting only a couple of hours, but this brevity works in its favor. Hideko is designed to be a compact burst of curiosity, a relaxing break rather than a long-term commitment. Some players may wish the game were longer or offered more combinations to discover, but the limited scope prevents it from overstaying its welcome. The world feels complete within its boundaries, offering just enough depth to feel rewarding without overwhelming the player with complexity. There may be moments where certain interactions feel a little finicky or unclear, and a few usability quirks can appear, yet these small issues rarely interrupt the sense of flow.

Because of its structure, Hideko appeals most to players who enjoy discovering systems organically and who find pleasure in quiet, unpressured creativity. Those seeking a narrative arc, strategic depth, or intensive gameplay loops may find it too light, but for players drawn to games that evoke curiosity and calm, Hideko delivers a refreshing and memorable experience. It feels like a digital terrarium—small, self-contained, and full of subtle wonders for those willing to observe and experiment. Ultimately, Hideko succeeds not by grand ambition, but by offering a peaceful, imaginative playground that invites you to explore at your own pace and enjoy the simple joy of making new things grow.

Rating: 8/10

It's a cute puzzle experience, has a great theme accompanied by matching sound effects and visuals. I personally think it's a bit pricey, but if you can get it on sale or want to support the developers I'd recommend!