Harold Halibut, one of the most anticipated indie titles, has finally arrived.
Indie German studio Slow Bros. announced the debut of Harold Halibut after 14 years in development. The narrative-driven puzzle game, featuring handmade, clay-style artwork, can be played on PC and consoles, Slow Bros. confirmed.
"It took over a decade’s worth of dream-chasing, so please enjoy discovering the world we built for you," developers wrote on Steam. To mark the game's major milestone, they also offered a limited 15 percent discount from April 16th to April 23rd.
Harold Halibut takes players into a city contained inside a spaceship FEDORA 1, submerged in an alien ocean. They will guide the protagonist Harold, a young lab assistant on FEDORA 1.
The vessel, acting as humanity's last bastion, has been underwater in a foreign world for 250 years.
Harold Halibut explores themes around friendship, creators said. As Harold navigates the ship and interacts with the other inhabitants, he uncovers a secret that challenges everything he thought he knew about friendship and the true meaning of home.
Players will also engage in meaningful conversations, forge bonds, and learn more about the rich life within the submerged spaceship.
One of the highlights for Harold Halibut was its stop-motion art. Critics praised developers for coming up with a 'visually stunning experience', thanks to meticulous traditional sculpting and model-making techniques.
According to Slow Bros., they used more than 10 kilograms of clay for the game's puppets. They also used over 50 kilograms of plaster for the game's sets.
"It all started on a rainy night in 2010 with a group of friends and a dream…Making this game wasn’t easy!" they said.
While under development, Harold Halibut has already earned several accolades and recognitions. The game was named as an Official Selection in various conventions and competitions. These included the Tribeca Festival 2021 and Slamdance Festival 2022.
It was also named as Critics Choice and Most Anticipated in the Indie Cup Germany 2023.
Harold Halibut is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. / ###