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I first fell for Hermit and Pig because of how it looked. The hand-drawn pixel art is simple but full of personality and the animations are packed with small, funny details. Every movement, from battle intros to awkward character reactions, feels carefully made. Before I even played it, I knew it was something special.
Once I finally got my hands on it, that feeling only grew. What starts as a quiet little RPG about a hermit and his pig quickly turns into something much bigger, but it never loses its warmth. It’s funny, a little weird, sometimes stressful, and completely charming. Most importantly, it kept a smile on my face the whole way through.

The game begins with Hermit and Pig living their peaceful forest life, heading out to forage like they always do. But things take a turn when Hermit eats a strange glowing blue mushroom and experiences a bizarre vision. When he wakes up, something has changed and not just in him.
Soon, they’re pulled into trouble involving a struggling town and a shady corporation messing with the food supply. What I loved most is that Hermit isn’t some brave hero. He’s socially anxious, awkward, and clearly uncomfortable talking to people. That alone makes him feel different from most RPG protagonists.
Conversations are handled in such a clever way. Talking to people feels like a battle and choosing the wrong dialogue option causes “cringe damage.” Yes, you can literally lose health from being awkward. It’s funny, but it also feels relatable. Who hasn’t said something weird and immediately regretted it?
Pig isn’t just there for laughs either. He helps in battles, joins in on the mushroom chaos, and balances Hermit’s nerves with quiet loyalty. Their friendship carries the story, and it’s hard not to get attached to them as they try to fix a situation way bigger than they ever planned for.

The combat surprised me the most. It’s turn-based, but there’s constant pressure because of a timer counting down during your moves. You can’t just sit and think forever, you have to act.
Each enemy needs a specific kind of attack. Some need to be stomped, others jabbed, others hit from a distance. Once you pick an action, you enter button inputs to make it happen. Mess it up, and you waste precious time. It sounds simple, but it gets intense fast. You actually have to remember certain combos.
As you progress, Hermit unlocks special abilities from those strange blue mushrooms. These trigger mini-games that require good timing, and they feel great to pull off successfully. Pig also gets in on the action, which makes fights feel varied instead of repetitive.
If all that sounds overwhelming, the game lets you adjust the difficulty and even simplify combat. I really appreciated that. Whether you want the full stressful experience or something more relaxed, it gives you options without taking away what makes it unique.

Visually, this game is just lovely. The pixel art is clean and colorful without being cluttered. Characters move in quick, expressive bursts that make even small moments funny. Hermit sweating during conversations or wobbling after eating mushrooms never stopped being entertaining.
The forest and town areas feel cozy but slightly strange, especially once the mushroom mystery deepens. I also loved how much personality is packed into tiny details, like Hermit balancing carefully on beams or holding items awkwardly in front of him.
What makes it stand out most is how it handles anxiety. Instead of ignoring it or magically curing it, the game makes it part of the experience in a way that’s funny, honest, and surprisingly comforting. It’s cozy, it’s weird, and it’s packed with personality. For me, it’s easily one of the most memorable RPGs I’ve played in a long time.
Review copy provided by the publisher