Lantern Hollow

Lantern Hollow is the game I recommend to people who say they do not like games. You wander a hand-drawn forest with a lantern, solving gentle environmental puzzles and uncovering little stories tucked into the scenery. There is no combat and no timer, just curiosity.

The art carries it. Every screen looks like a page from a picture book, and the sound design is soft and warm. Puzzles are the kind that make you feel clever without ever getting frustrating. I finished it in about four sittings and immediately missed it.

If you want challenge or tension, look elsewhere. But as a wind-down game before bed, it is close to perfect. It is one of the few phone games I have replayed just to sit in its atmosphere again.

What we liked

• Gorgeous hand-drawn art
• Relaxing, no-pressure pace
• Clever but gentle puzzles