Hollowbody - Console

Looking at the Twitter landscape (the good stuff, not the bad stuff), you can see plenty of indie darlings in the making. Horror games continue to thrive, with old-school survival horror enjoying a resurgence and proving that the genre still has plenty of life left in it.

We had a modern-day classic debut last year, and now that classic is finally making its way onto consoles with a host of new features and content not present at launch. Hollowbody has arrived on consoles, and I was delighted to revisit and relive the nightmare once again.


What is Hollowbody?

Hollowbody is a "Tech-Noir" survival horror game set in the distant future, where the British Isles have suffered a devastating viral outbreak that has wiped out much of the population. Naturally, the social elites and ultra-rich responded by constructing a floating megacity far out at sea, safely removed from the dying cries and madness engulfing old Blighty.

The exclusion zones left behind hold many sinister secrets, and researchers regularly risk their lives to uncover them. One such researcher is Sasha, who vanishes during an expedition.

Back home, her partner Mica, a smuggler who frequently ventures into the Isles, decides to take matters into her own hands. Arriving on the British coast, Mica crash-lands in the middle of a decaying, sorrow-ridden exclusion zone. She must battle through proper British weather (grey, cloudy, and relentlessly wet) and horrors far worse in her search for Sasha.

Players will rediscover a long-forgotten world that was once proud and beautiful but now rots away into a personal hell. Fixed camera angles, limited resources, grotesque deformities lurking in the darkness, and a deeply unsettling atmosphere await. The console release also includes several additions, including alternative camera options and the alternate ending that wasn't available during the original launch.


In my restless dreams, I see that town. British town

Hollowbody's console release retains its incredible atmosphere, oppressive bleakness, and charming retro sensibilities. Fixed camera angles, intense exploration, and next-level claustrophobia create a constant sense of unease. By the time the credits rolled, I felt a genuine sense of relief. I've not experienced that kind of release since playing Silent Hill 3 years ago.

Many modern horror games focus on replicating Resident Evil or P.T., but few attempt to capture the tone and emotional weight of the classic Silent Hill games. That's understandable, as Silent Hill remains one of horror gaming's most influential achievements.

Hollowbody does an exceptional job of capturing that same feeling through its story, art direction, and gameplay. The painstaking attention to detail, camera work, and overall sense of dread make it one of the strongest examples of modern retro horror. As for the story, we're taken to a fictional suburban area near Bristol, trapped within a very proper residential landscape that was once home to thriving working-class communities. Now it sits in utter decay following a devastating bioterror attack.

Looking at what remains of Britain, it's clear the rest were not so fortunate.

There is something uniquely harrowing about Hollowbody. We've seen realistic cities and urban environments in games before, but few feel this human. Nath has created a version of Britain that feels both familiar and deeply unsettling. The attention to detail is extraordinary, and I love the sheer bleak Britishness on display throughout the experience.

The narrative delivers plenty of mystery and moments of gravitas, feeling akin to a British kitchen-sink drama infused with psychological horror. Mica's journey is filled with themes of loss, hope as currency, and the darkest corners of human nature. It's a story about how time is never enough and how death can arrive suddenly and without mercy.

The world-building is remarkable. While some of the deliveries of the echoes you hear are off (and not in an intentional way), the documents and messages scattered throughout the world are genuinely effective. Reading accounts of a society slowly collapsing was often heartbreaking, and the discovery of bodies carries extra weight thanks to a small mechanic that reveals information about the deceased.

There's a lot of heavy material here, and much of it landed hard.

I found myself strongly connected to Mica. Her struggles, her grief, and the choices she faces throughout the story are compelling. Combined with multiple endings and narrative decisions, Hollowbody gains meaningful replay value while gradually revealing a larger picture.

When I originally reviewed Hollowbody, a significant portion of the narrative was still missing and would only be added later. At the time, I felt there were noticeable gaps in the story. Some were intriguing, while others felt like genuine holes in the narrative.

This new ending brings several revelations that were sorely needed, helping to strengthen the mystery at the heart of the experience. While some elements remain intentionally open-ended, everything feels much more connected now. I was able to see a clearer picture while still being left with enough unanswered questions to keep me thinking afterwards.


Breathless, Bleak, and Very British

Mica's journey will take her through churches, sewers, council estates, city streets, and train stations in search of her beloved. Every location is unsettling, memorable, and packed with horrors waiting around the next corner.

As a Brit, and having lived through events such as Covid, I found Hollowbody particularly harrowing. Even if you're not from the UK, however, the similarities to the Silent Hill series, particularly Silent Hill 2, create an oppressive atmosphere that will leave you breathless and sleepless.

Hollowbody thrives on atmosphere rather than cheap jump scares. Instead, it builds a constant sense of dread through slow-burning tension and the feeling that something is never quite right. Even after turning the game off, that unease lingers. The small details are what sell it. The crackling radio static. The overwhelming grime. The relentless greyness that's somehow harsher than an actual British summer. It's an unnerving game from beginning to end.

While traditional jump scares are rare, several moments genuinely chilled me. Even replaying that infamous sewer section had me breaking into a cold sweat. The camera work is generally excellent, using clever framing to create a cinematic feel throughout much of the adventure. However, several outdoor areas suffer from camera angles that are zoomed out too far, making item discovery more difficult than it needs to be.

Thankfully, the console release introduces additional camera options, including an unlockable first-person mode and a new third-person camera that follows Mica from behind.

The third-person perspective certainly makes some outdoor spaces easier to navigate, but it doesn't always mesh perfectly with environments originally designed around fixed cameras. In one balcony sequence, for example, the new perspective revealed an unfinished-looking section of the world that would normally remain hidden.

Still, these issues feel more like growing pains than major problems, particularly considering the game was originally designed around fixed-camera gameplay.

The visual style, environmental design, and overall grittiness perfectly capture the feeling of a forgotten PS2-era horror game. Hollowbody looks and sounds fantastic. I particularly enjoyed the performances from Mica and the supporting cast. Their delivery carries a slight uncanniness that feels reminiscent of the Silent Hill series and helps reinforce the unsettling tone. The soundtrack is used sparingly but effectively, building dread and adding to the game's surreal atmosphere without ever becoming intrusive.

The only area that didn't entirely win me over was the creature design. The monsters aren't bad by any means, but many feel familiar, as though I've encountered variations of them elsewhere before.

That criticism aside, Hollowbody is exceptional when it comes to presentation and horror. Few modern games have managed to create a world that left me constantly looking over my shoulder and wondering what lurked beyond the darkness. The fact that all of this comes from a solo developer makes the achievement even more impressive.


Feels Like a Rare, Lost PS2 Game Rediscovered (Not Rule of Rose)

Hollowbody excels at capturing and, in some respects, elevating the traditional survival horror formula. Players must carefully manage limited resources while navigating a hostile environment that constantly demands critical thinking, quick decision-making, and risk assessment.

Do you spend precious ammunition now? Or do you risk melee combat and save those bullets for something potentially worse later? That constant balancing act sits at the heart of the experience. Alongside combat, players will encounter puzzles, manual saving, exploration, and plenty of backtracking. The systems work together wonderfully, encouraging players to pay attention to their surroundings while rewarding curiosity and caution in equal measure.

Exploration is especially satisfying because every side path feels like a gamble. You may discover valuable resources, ammunition, or healing items. Or you may waste precious supplies reaching a dead end.

The puzzles are decent overall, with one particularly memorable puzzle appearing near the beginning of the game. I was hoping to see that concept revisited later, but unfortunately, most of the remaining puzzles are fairly straightforward.
Many boil down to finding an item, placing it in the correct location, and moving forward. There are a few moments reminiscent of Silent Hill 3's infamous "random item solves everything" approach, where everyday objects suddenly become the key to progression. They're not remarkable puzzles, but they remain enjoyable enough and never become frustrating. Combat is clunky and janky in exactly the right way.

Melee encounters are simple but dangerous, forcing players into close-quarters situations where mistakes can quickly become fatal. Enemies hit hard, and even on the intended difficulty, Hollowbody can be surprisingly brutal. A handful of direct hits is often enough to send you back to your last save. Firearms provide a reliable solution, but ammunition remains limited throughout much of the adventure. Thankfully, I never found myself completely starved of resources.

For the first portion of the game, I relied almost entirely on melee combat, preserving ammunition for larger threats later on. While this cost me a fair amount of health, it ultimately paid off. Resource balance felt fair on the lower difficulties, while players seeking a greater challenge will find a truly punishing mode waiting for them. This mode introduces an additional mechanic requiring enemies to be burned after death to prevent them from returning.

One area where Hollowbody particularly shines is its unlockable content. Completing the game rewards players with new modes, extras, and alternative ways to experience the campaign, including the first-person mode.
This sort of content used to be commonplace in survival horror games, and it's refreshing to see a modern title embracing it once again.

My biggest criticism of Hollowbody is the unintentional jank. Nothing I encountered was game-breaking, but there were plenty of examples of clipping, awkward camera transitions, and other minor technical hiccups. They never ruined the experience, but they occasionally broke immersion enough to make me laugh out loud.
There was also one late-game section that simply didn't work for me.

It felt like padding, extending the runtime without adding much value to the experience. The enemy count spikes dramatically, particularly with the dog enemies, and the sequence quickly becomes more exhausting than engaging.
Even so, these issues are relatively minor when weighed against everything Hollowbody accomplishes.

As a piece of survival horror, it succeeds brilliantly, delivering tense exploration, meaningful resource management, and an excellent understanding of what makes the genre work.

Overall?

It was a long wait for Hollowbody to arrive on consoles, but that wait has absolutely been worth it. I'll say it again: Hollowbody is a remarkable achievement. It captures the essence of classic survival horror, delivers an oppressive sense of dread, and creates a haunting world that lingers in your mind long after you've finished playing.
More importantly, it understands what makes the genre work.

Resource management, brutal combat, exploration, puzzle-solving, and tension are all handled with confidence and care. The result is an experience that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern. Nath should be immensely proud of what has been accomplished here.

Hollowbody stands as proof that survival horror remains one of gaming's most powerful genres when placed in the hands of a talented creator with a clear vision. It's bleak, unsettling, distinctly British, and one of the finest modern love letters to classic survival horror that I've played in years.

++ Great world-building and aesthetics
++ Compelling survival horror gameplay and Silent Hill vibes
++ Incredible presentation
+ Lots of great additional content

-- Some noticeable jank, mainly with the new 3rd person camera
- Clarity on the story needs multiple playthroughs - You might like that, or not
- Some annoying gauntlet sections which feel like padding (and not fun on the revisit)

A PS5 review key of Hollowbody was kindly provided for this review by the publisher