Lantern Hollow

Lantern Hollow is a slow, atmospheric adventure and I mean that as praise. You explore a quiet town by tapping through hand-painted scenes, solving environmental puzzles and slowly piecing together why the lights keep going out. The pacing is deliberate, and the art carries a lot of the mood.

The puzzles lean on observation rather than obscure logic, which kept me from ever reaching for a walkthrough. There's a gentle hint system if you do get stuck, tucked away so it never nags you. I played most of it in two long sessions and didn't want it to end.

It's short — maybe four or five hours — but it doesn't overstay. For anyone who likes cozy mysteries and doesn't need constant action, this is a small gem.

What we liked

• Beautiful hand-painted scenes
• Fair, observation-based puzzles
• Optional hints that don't nag