Henry Halfhead – Review

henry halfhead

Introduction

If you had asked me to describe Henry Halfhead to you after playing the game for the first hour, and when I had finished my 4 and a half hour-long playthrough, I would have given you two very different answers. Now that I am sitting down, writing this review, the best way I can describe Henry Halfhead is disarmingly brilliant!

Premise

Developed by Lululu Entertainment and published by Popagenda, Henry Halfhead is a sandbox adventure game where you play as Henry, who only has half a head; the top half, to be precise. While this may seem like a setback, Henry also has the amazing ability to become nearly any object! The game is broken up into levels, each of which covers a different stage of Henry’s life, from being a baby, going to school, working as an adult, and finally enjoying his golden years.

It’s a truly bizarre and unique premise, matched with equally ridiculous and creative game mechanics, giving the whole game a whimsical, silly feel. Just looking at the game’s key art had me grinning, and having not seen much of Henry Halfhead’s gameplay, I was curious to see what this was all about. I am very thankful I did, as what I had with Henry Halfhead wasn’t just a fun time punctuated with a few laughs and one or two moments of frustration, but also a poignant message about the importance of enjoying life, doing the things we love, and just playing to have fun.

Gameplay

As I said earlier, Henry is only the top half of a head, with a nose, eyes, and ears. He can still move about and jump a short height, but he can’t perform any other actions as himself. The trade-off is the ability to become and move about as hundreds of different objects throughout the game, many of which have their own mechanics. Want to unwrap a birthday present? Possess a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon. Need to answer a Maths question at school? Become a pencil and write down your answer on the question sheet. Getting hungry? Prepare a plate of spaghetti by possessing several food items and kitchen utensils, including tomatoes, mushrooms, uncooked spaghetti, a cutting knife, a cooking pot, and a stove!

Henry Halfhead takes a gentle approach to progression, providing the player with several tasks to complete in each level, a list of which is accessible at any time. Most of these are short, simple activities, and the game doesn’t want you to linger too long on most of them. There is also no specific way to finish a task, adding to the fun factor of the game, as you try to figure out how to achieve your goal.

That is really what Henry Halfhead is all about: finding the fun. The game never makes a point of this, but through the clever use of level design, coupled with the game's wacky gameplay, it has a lot to say without ever saying it out loud. It does a great job of reminding us how important the act of play is, how we should find the fun at every point in our lives.

I want to take a moment to highlight the achievements/trophies for Henry Halfhead. The reason for this is that not only are they a great vehicle for helping players find things to do and try, but also because it is a great example of an imaginative achievement/trophy list that reinforces the gameplay and encourages players to explore and experiment. I commend Lululu Entertainment for creating a list that complements their game, and would say that other developers should take note.

Unfortunately, my time with Henry Halfhead wasn't entirely without incident, as on a couple of occasions, the game got stuck transitioning from one level to the next. Quickly quitting to the main menu and continuing fixed the issue every time, and it didn't ruin my experience, but I hope it is something that can be patched after launch.

Visuals

The art direction of Henry Halfhead is colourful and approachable, but where it shines is when Henry becomes another object. I cannot imagine how much fun the developers had designing Henry as each of the hundreds of items he could be, from tomatoes and eggs to chairs and beds. I was always curious to see how Henry would look as a new item, and I can't think of a time when I was disappointed, but I can remember a couple that made me chuckle.

Henry Halfhead takes place within a warm, infinite space, with objects and parts of environments dropping in or appearing out of thin air. The game's setting had me thinking of detailed dioramas or a postmodern stage production.

In fact, one moment that struck me was when I first realised that I didn't have to move around this world as I would in other games or real life. Doors were there to be opened, but I could just as well walk around them, through the space where the "wall" was. It was an interesting moment where I consciously decided to give myself the freedom to treat the spaces less as levels to be traversed and more like a sandbox.

Audio

The soundtrack to Henry Halfhead is a mix of gentle bops, like those I would hear accompanying the kids' shows my children grew up watching, and a handful of songs with lyrics. These original songs can be heard on radios and music players in the game, creating a fun ambience. It has been a while since I heard it, but I still catch myself humming Henry Halfhead's main theme to myself, often while doing stuff around the house, just like Henry! It really feels like you are listening to the soundtrack of Henry's life as opposed to just music to match the vibe.

Sound design is top-notch, with every action and movement, whatever object Henry might currently be, accompanied by the appropriate, if slightly exaggerated, sound effect. Half of the enjoyment of becoming a new object was hearing what sounds it made! The soundscape of Henry Halfhead is full of bounce and charm, but is still able to deliver those poignant moments when you least expect them.

A soft-spoken narrator is present throughout the game, giving context to what is going on, describing Henry's actions, but also giving insight into his thoughts and feelings. It bolsters Henry Halfhead's gentle and welcoming vibes, like listening to someone read you a story, an invisible guide on your journey through Henry's life. Sadly, there were quite a few times when the narrator's lines would cut each other off, resulting in some brief confusion on my part. Again, it wasn't so detrimental to dampen my fun, but it was noticeable.

Conclusion

Henry Halfhead is a brief, joyful experience that highlights the significance of play. It is a game that invites you to have fun, try stuff out, see what you can do, build, and achieve, without the pressure to be the best or improve some skill set. The wacky premise, unique gameplay, and focus on creativity and discovery amount to the perfect environment for players to find their own fun.

If I took anything away from my time playing Henry Halfhead, other than that I think fried egg Henry is peak character design, is that play is important, no matter who you are.