Drake Hollow

What do you get when you cross exploration and survival with base building and tower defense, while tossing in third-person action, a garden simulation, and basic role-playing elements? While you might think the result would be a jumbled mess, in the case of Drake Hollow, you wind up with a surprisingly enjoyable adventure with a bit of an identity crisis. The game feels a bit like a remixed mashup, taking elements from so many different genres and tweaking them in ways to fit together into a solid composition. And while the game is very good at a lot of what it does, trying to do too much keeps it just shy of being perfect.

First off, it needs to be said that Drake Hollow is an absolute delight in its presentation. The Drakes are adorable little plant creatures that just ooze personality and innocence. You can't help but want to protect these little guys from anything that might try to hurt them. That said, much like a first pet, it can be frustrating to fulfill all of their constant needs while also trying to build a shelter from scratch that can protect them (and you) from the ever looming Feral raids. That leads to combat. Early on, fending off a few Feral is a simple task, but later in the game, the raids become so large that it often feels almost impossible to take on the task alone. And even with friends, the odds are overwhelmingly against you. Eventually, players can get into the swing of things, crafting items to make the Drakes more self-reliant and putting together some impressive defenses for the base. But it's usually right about this time that the seasons change and the cycle starts all over again on a new island. Even with this repetitive loop, there's just something about the game's charm and whimsy that will keep players coming back to the Hollow with a smile.