Half + Half

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Half + Half

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Almost 2 years have passed since I first added this game to my library.
I downloaded it since it was free when I first got the oculus but quickly forgot to play, and later on I just thought that I had already tried it.

For some reason though, I decided to start it again, because I had a feeling I missed something, and I was right.

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Half + Half has a beautiful way of immersing you in the world, the first time you boot it up.
You slowly get drawn into this big empty but mystical space, you are able to see a sort of reflection of yourself, a big rectangle slowly opens up like a sliding door, a window into another mystical space with different colors, and a door appears, leading you to the other side as you walk through it.

I've found it to be very charming, and I think this is how VR games should immerse you into their universe, not just with a bunch of menu clicks, but letting you fall into it (I'm kinda sad I can't rewatch the intro though!).

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On the other side, you will find yourself in another big space, but this time brighter and sunnier.

I love everything about the hub.

The big Half + Half 3D title, the mystical artifact in the middle displaying the number of players online, and the doors, which apparently lead nowhere, but reveal a new world when u look through them. It's all about wonder.

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Visually, this game is amazing.
It's simple, but the shapes and the colors are just perfect. I love the abstract and surreal style.

The interface is very clean, and the fact that it is integrated into the environment makes it even more beautiful. It's so well integrated with the world that instead of throwing you away from the mood, as UI can easily do, it makes you feel even more immersed, almost like everything was meant to be like that, like those words are really there and not just to help you, the player, interact with the world.

The atmosphere is always very cozy and chill. The sounds fit well and help you get even more relaxed and in the mood.

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The character design is so loveable and goofy. I love the simplicity of the shapes, which feels alive thanks to the funny waving arms, an element that contrasts with that simplicity in a way that makes both shine even more.
I also like how they made the feet, which in VR can usually be a problem.
Here they follow the body in a sort of lazy way, but it feels right for the atmosphere and the overall style, and it never felt like they were moving improperly.

Back to the waving arms, they are the main way to express yourself, and this is another thing that I think worked perfectly.
Being able to talk would have made it too loudy and messy, would this solution is both elegant and funny. It reminds me a lot of Olivia from Popeye.

This is not the only way to interact though!
You can in fact talk (I lied!), or better, produce sounds, even though I'm not entirely sure how. My best guess is that when u try to talk, you instead produce a soft and funny sound, which can help you get some attention without being annoying. Love that too.

As a final thing, the character matches your current height, so you can also go up and down to try to communicate something.
This is visualized, again, in a funny way: the character squashes and stretches to match it, even hiding the feet under the body when you get too short.

I love how even the social aspect has been made to add to the cozy atmosphere.
There are never too many people in the hub (even though this could also be just because of the small number of players), the games are all very simple and chill, and there is never noise thanks to the fact that you can't truly talk, but only kindly blather.

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Story time: at some point I wanted to try to enter one of the doors that I hadn't tried yet, but needed at least another player to play it with me, so I had to get the attention of one of the players in the hub.
I just waved my arms, pointed at the door, and waved again, while blathering a bit. One of them got close, a bit curious I guess about what I wanted, so I crouched, basically squashing on the floor, and begged them with my virtual hands in prayer.
Sadly they said no =( But I managed to play it anyway at some point!

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I've not talked about the actual experiences yet though!
There are a few choices: you can swim a bit with the fishes, dive in the sky, play hide and seek, dance, and some others.

The games are all very short and simple, but entertaining enough.

Some, like the dance one and hide and seek, have a bit more game to them, and are actually fun to play more than once (you will quickly find out that hide and seek is basically the one played on repeat by everyone).

I loved the dance game aesthetic, being in this dark place full of stars, able to see just my outline, and it was fun having to match the shape that was coming towards me, sort of like I had to pass through a wall.

Hide and Seek is also funny, especially thanks to the fact that when u have to hide you get smaller! It's funny having to move through this playground while the other big player tries to catch you. I also loved how they added the sling to move, it made it feel more integrated and added another element of novelty and surprise.

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Other experiences are just a way to chill in a new environment, with a new way of moving, be it diving into the sky while training for the "flying football" game, or swimming under the sea with the fishes.
I also have to say that the swim mechanic works really well!
The way you move and the sound the hands do while pushing the water to swim makes it feel real.

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The only thing that sort of bothered me throughout the game is that, since it was so beautifully crafted, I wondered why there weren't at least a few more experiences, or why the ones that were already there didn't have a bit more in them (like a bit more interactions in the sea world).
As of now, even though the atmosphere and world are beautiful in lots of ways, I found myself wondering why I should go back, if not just to play one more time.

I can see how this was meant to be small and cozy, and I am not the kind of player that plays a lot of social games like this, so I can understand I'm not the target, still, I think a bit more could have worked without ruining the simplicity and beautiful emptiness of it.
I'm sure the devs would have been able to do that, and it feels a bit more like an experiment cause of this. That could have been the intention though.

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But that's just a small grain in this wonderful universe that is Half + Half.

I'm so happy that I decided to try it to see if I really tried it or not, it's a marvelous experience and it is the kind of game that, as a dev, I would really love to make.

And I've not talked yet about the most surprising part: it's free!
Do yourself a favor and go waving.