Hollow Pact

Studio Midhall once again invites us to the world of beasts. This time, however, it will be darker and even meaner.

Hollow Pact is a semi-cooperative game in which one player takes on the role of a powerful beast and the rest take on the role of a scoundrels trying to leave the city. The game can only be won by 1 of us. In order for the scoundrel to enjoy victory, he must fulfill his two goals and escape with the real cargo. The beast must hunt down the rogue with the real cargo.

My impressions of the gameplay are based on the prototype I received from the publisher. Certain things and mechanics available in the game may still change. I had the option of running the game for 3 players i.e. for one beast and two scoundrels.

Gameplay from a scoundrel’s perspective

When playing a scoundrel, we must take into account the objectives we were given at the beginning of the game. Because they will tell us what actions we need to complete and determine what means of transportation we can use to leave the city. In our turn we will use stamina to perform almost all our actions. We will be able to perform actions from cards and from our character board. They will allow us to move, complete objectives, perform dark rituals, use the city’s landmarks and peek or exchange cargo. Because at the beginning of the game we don’t know which of us has the real package.

To escape we have to move to the next districts of the city. To do this we will have to open locked gates. To open them we will use keys, sometimes we will have to reach for an explosive cart etc. All this depends on what requirements a district has, and this we will set for ourselves randomly at the beginning of the game.

The main threat to the rogue will be the beast. It will try to attack us and to lower our sanity with fear. When we become insane then we turn our character board to the other side and gain slightly altered actions. Although this can also help us, because some objectives require us to become insane.

Of course, in addition to the beasts, we also have to watch out for the other scoundrel, who will try to take goods from us. However, it is important to remember that in order to move to the next districts of the city we must work together. This is where the semi-cooperative nature of Hollow Pact comes in strongly. Something I like immensely. Because without mutual help and coordination of our actions we will not succeed. You have to choose the right moment to betray.

Gameplay from the beast’s perspective

The beast’s goal is quite simple. It must kill the soundrel who has the real cargo or wait until it goes completely insane.

The monster will also use stamina to perform its actions. Like other players, it will be able to use cards and its board. The beast’s actions will make it move around the map, be able to attack other rogues and develop its abilities by gaining strength.

The monster will be weak and slow at the beginning of the game. However, when it develops its abilities then you will be able to feel its power in its full glory. We will be the real oppressor pursuing his victims.

Many of our actions will give rogues the opportunity to make a choice. Of course, this will always augur something bad for the scoundrels, but I like the fact that they actually get to choose the “lesser of two evils.”

In addition, the beast will have the ability to give out curses to other players. These are negative states that weaken their actions. To get rid of them it will be necessary to perform something special. As a rule, positive for the monster. There is even such a curse that can drag the scoundrel to the side of the beast. I managed to achieve this once and it was definitely a diabolical feat.

Quality and components

For a prototype, Hollow Pact already looks great. The illustrations on the cards are very dark and capture the spirit of the game. I also like the tiles of the districts, which form one big city. The figure of the big spider does its job and definitely increases my arachnophobia. The only thing I’d complain about is the switching method. Unfortunately, you can hear it as you pick up or shuffle the crates on the table. This could have been solved with a card or, for example, a lockable crate. However, it 's such a small thing.

Summary

Hollow Pact offers us a game in a very dark atmosphere. You can feel it thanks to the atmospheric illustrations on the cards and the whole setting of this game. Scoundrel’s and Monster’s gameplay is very different from each other. Although both sides use stamina and cards to perform actions, it feels like I’m playing a completely different game depending on who I’m playing.

Playing as a rogue is one of those survival horror games where you know that practically anything can kill you, and you feel that stress when the beast lands on the tile with you. You try to do everything you can to achieve your goals and still have to worry about your companion. It’s this semi-cooperative nature that gives Hollow Pact such an interesting flavour.

When we take on the role of the Beast, like in the previous game, it feels like I am a powerful being and I have tremendous capabilities. It’s like I’m a serial killer from those horror movies where horny teenagers try to escape my blade.

But no matter which side I was on, the gameplay was exciting, full of epic moments and plays. The competition was on multiple levels and trying to outmanoeuvre other players to survive was simply phenomenal. It’s this uniqueness of this game that has left me wanting more. I look forward to more beasts, more scoundrels, more objectives and, most importantly, the possibility of two-player gameplay.

Final verdict: Fantastic survival horror with a dark atmosphere

Pros

• Dark atmosphere
• Different gameplay on the beast and scoundrel side
• Semi-cooperativeness
• Fight for life
• Variety of objectives
• Lots of negative interaction

Cons

• Treasure egg too loudly scuffling on the table

[Game provided by Studio Midhall]