Hollow Lantern

Hollow Lantern is a slow, atmospheric adventure and easily one of the most memorable things we've played this year. You explore an emptying seaside town, lantern in hand, piecing together what happened through notes, objects, and small environmental puzzles. There's barely any text, yet the story lands hard.

The pacing is deliberate and it trusts you to notice things. Puzzles are gentle and grounded in the world rather than bolted on, so solving one usually reveals another piece of the story. I played it in one long evening with headphones and didn't want it to end.

It's short, maybe three hours, but it's the good kind of short. Nothing wasted, no padding, and an ending that stuck with me for days.

What we liked

• Haunting atmosphere and sound
• Puzzles that serve the story
• Tight, no-filler length