Hollow Ember Tales

Hollow Ember Tales is slow in the best way. It's an exploration adventure where you wander a hand-drawn valley, solve gentle environmental puzzles, and slowly piece together what happened to the place. There's no combat and no timer pressuring you.

The art carries a lot of the mood, but the sound design does just as much work. Ambient noises shift as you move between areas, and I found myself lingering just to listen. It's a game to play with headphones.

If you want constant action this isn't it. But as a wind-down game before bed, it's one of the most peaceful things on my phone.

What we liked

• Beautiful hand-drawn world
• Relaxed, no-pressure pace
• Excellent ambient sound