Lantern Hollow

Lantern Hollow is the kind of game I'd hand to someone who says they don't play games. You wander a quiet village, talk to its oddball residents, and slowly unravel a soft, melancholy mystery by solving environmental puzzles and piecing clues together. There's no fail state, no pressure — just exploration.

The art is hand-drawn and genuinely gorgeous, with warm lamplight bleeding across every scene. The pacing is deliberate, so if you want constant action this isn't it, but I found myself completely absorbed in its little world. Characters remember your choices in subtle ways, which made conversations feel alive.

It's short — maybe four or five hours — but it respects your time and ends exactly when it should. One of the most memorable things I've played on mobile this year.

What we liked

• Stunning hand-drawn art
• Warm, memorable characters
• Puzzles that respect your intelligence