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Syntheses generated by statistical aggregation of player reviews.

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Steam specs (min / recommended)

Minimum: Système d'exploitation *: Windows XP or higher Processeur : Pentium or higher Mémoire vive : 1 GB de mémoire Graphiques : 640x360, 32-bit colour: 700 Mhz system minimum DirectX : Version 5.2 Espace disque : 2 GB d'espace disque disponible Carte son : Any

Recommended: Système d'exploitation *: Windows 7,8,10, XP SP2 Processeur : 2.7 GHz Dual Core (and above, can run on single core) Mémoire vive : 2 GB de mémoire Graphiques : Direct3D, OpenGL, DirectX 5 Espace disque : 2 GB d'espace disque disponible Carte son : Any

The Excavation of Hob's Barrow

Niche cult favorite
⚔️ Compare View on Steam ↗
Released September 28, 2022
sample: 461 reviews posted after launch (180 AI-classified)
90/100
Player Score — positive reviews weighted by volume · Steam history: 92 % · 3,243 reviews (« Very Positive »)
Critics' score : 80/100 (Metacritic) · players are more enthusiastic than critics (+10)
12,49€🛒 Compare on Instant Gamingaffiliate link

An eerie atmosphere permeates every damp corner of this folkloric mystery, drawing most players through a tight 2-to-10 hour journey. Backed by a strong 91 percent approval rating across 461 post-release reviews, the title anchors its gripping experience in a rich narrative tradition.

What it's about: The Excavation of Hob's Barrow is a folk horror narrative-driven adventure. Explore the isolated moors of rural Victorian England as you uncover the mysteries of Hob's Barrow. The answers lie in the soil...

In-game

Screenshot The Excavation of Hob's BarrowScreenshot The Excavation of Hob's BarrowScreenshot The Excavation of Hob's BarrowScreenshot The Excavation of Hob's BarrowScreenshot The Excavation of Hob's BarrowScreenshot The Excavation of Hob's Barrow
« Un jeu point and click très classique, pixel art. Tout cela ne m'attire guère habituellement. En revanche, l'atmosphère étrange et lovecraftienne m'a séduit, même si le dénouement tombe quelque peu à plat. 7 heures plutôt agréables. »
👍 anonymous review · May 2024 · 7 h played
« Un point and click accessible à la DA dérangeante qu’on dévore comme un bon bouquin. Le doublage est exceptionnel et la difficulté justement dosée. Une vraie bonne pépite qui se déguste en ~7h. »
👍 anonymous review · Aug 2023 · 6 h played
« Superbe ambiance, entre wicket manet lovecraft Trés bon scanar du début à la fin Exellente surprise »
👍 anonymous review · Jul 2026 · 13 h played
« Déjà merci à ceux qui ont fait le patch FR ! MERCI Histoire bien écrite ,les personnages pour certains attachants ,énigmes simples ce qui est sympa ça casse pas le rythme , j ai passé un excellent moment. »
👍 anonymous review · Apr 2025 · 9 h played
« one of the best point & click adventure in recent years »
👍 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 10 h played
« petit jeu sympa très surprise par la fin je ne m'y attendais pas ^^ »
👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 8 h played
« certain puzzle était abominable, je ne compte pas le nombre d'aller retour que j'ai fait, et le coté horreur se résume au chat des photo de présentation du jeu »
👎 anonymous review · Jul 2023 · 7 h played1
« La prochaine fois que j'aurai envie de m'amuser autant, je ferai un lavement. »
👎 anonymous review · May 2024 · 6 h played1
« Interesting at first, but increasingly railroads you towards a frustrating and unsatisfying ending. The VAs are great but that's not enough to save it - not recommended. »
👎 anonymous review · Dec 2025 · 6 h played
« I have never been this frustrated with the ending of a game in a long time, the game was great right up until the last hour or two then nose dived into a complete slog »
👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 13 h played
« First act is great. Second act is good. Third act is terrible. Very few good puzzles, terrible story. Avoid, there is plenty of better p&c games. »
👎 anonymous review · Mar 2026 · 9 h played
« Excellent story and gameplay, you should go ahead and play it ! »
👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 5 h played

In players' words

« Un jeu point and click très classique, pixel art. Tout cela ne m'attire guère habituellement. En revanche, l'atmosphère étrange et lovecraftienne m'a séduit, même si le dénouement tombe quelque peu à plat. 7 heures plutôt agréables. »
👍 anonymous review · May 2024 · 7 h played
« certain puzzle était abominable, je ne compte pas le nombre d'aller retour que j'ai fait, et le coté horreur se résume au chat des photo de présentation du jeu »
👎 anonymous review · Jul 2023 · 7 h played1
« Un point and click accessible à la DA dérangeante qu’on dévore comme un bon bouquin. Le doublage est exceptionnel et la difficulté justement dosée. Une vraie bonne pépite qui se déguste en ~7h. »
👍 anonymous review · Aug 2023 · 6 h played
« La prochaine fois que j'aurai envie de m'amuser autant, je ferai un lavement. »
👎 anonymous review · May 2024 · 6 h played1
« Superbe ambiance, entre wicket manet lovecraft Trés bon scanar du début à la fin Exellente surprise »
👍 anonymous review · Jul 2026 · 13 h played
« Interesting at first, but increasingly railroads you towards a frustrating and unsatisfying ending. The VAs are great but that's not enough to save it - not recommended. »
👎 anonymous review · Dec 2025 · 6 h played
« Déjà merci à ceux qui ont fait le patch FR ! MERCI Histoire bien écrite ,les personnages pour certains attachants ,énigmes simples ce qui est sympa ça casse pas le rythme , j ai passé un excellent moment. »
👍 anonymous review · Apr 2025 · 9 h played
« I have never been this frustrated with the ending of a game in a long time, the game was great right up until the last hour or two then nose dived into a complete slog »
👎 anonymous review · Aug 2026 · 13 h played
« one of the best point & click adventure in recent years »
👍 anonymous review · Jan 2025 · 10 h played
« First act is great. Second act is good. Third act is terrible. Very few good puzzles, terrible story. Avoid, there is plenty of better p&c games. »
👎 anonymous review · Mar 2026 · 9 h played
« petit jeu sympa très surprise par la fin je ne m'y attendais pas ^^ »
👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 8 h played
« Excellent story and gameplay, you should go ahead and play it ! »
👍 anonymous review · Nov 2024 · 5 h played

Anonymized excerpts from public Steam reviews — picked among those most voted "helpful" by the community.

What players say, by aspect

Positive Mixed Negative
Story / writing
82 % pos · n=160
Gameplay
79 % pos · n=119
Audio / music
100 % pos · n=72
Graphics / art
97 % pos · n=59
Content / longevity
20 % pos · n=10
Value for money
33 % pos · n=3
Interface / UX
100 % pos · n=2
Stability / bugs
100 % pos · n=1
Detailed data (table)
AspectMentionsPositiveMixedNegative
Story / writing1601311118
Gameplay11994817
Audio / music727200
Graphics / art595711
Content / longevity10235
Value for money3102
Interface / UX2200
Stability / bugs1100

Positive reviews by playtime

🎮 Players who like it have spent 8.1 h on median; those who dislike it: 7 h.

<2h
100 % (n=11)
2-10h
90 % (n=338)
10-25h
95 % (n=110)
>25h
100 % (n=2)

Fixed or still broken? Sentiment over time

➡️ Stable reception over time
Dec 2025 : 97% positive97DecJan 2026 : 100% positive100JanFeb 2026 : 90% positive90FebMar 2026 : 82% positive82MarApr 2026 : 92% positive92AprMay 2026 : 91% positive91MayJun 2026 : 90% positive90JunJul 2026 : 84% positive84JulAug 2026 : 92% positive92Aug

% of positive reviews per month (months with ≥ 15 sample reviews).

💶 Price history

€3.87€6.30€8.74€11.17€13.61€4.99

Steam price tracked automatically since Aug 18, 2026 · All-time low: €4.99 (Aug 18, 2026)

100% completion difficulty ("platinum")

9 % Moderate

of players have unlocked the rarest achievement — the upper bound of those who "100%'d" it. 40 achievements in total; the median achievement is unlocked by 42,6 % of players.

What creators say (YouTube)

This game on Twitch

Strengths

  • The narrative drives the entire journey, generating 131 positive mentions out of 160.
  • Audio design achieves flawless immersion with 72 positive mentions out of 72 and zero complaints.
  • Pixel art aesthetics shine brightly, earning 57 positive mentions out of 59.
  • Core mechanics feel satisfying and traditional, securing 94 positive mentions out of 119.

Weaknesses

  • Pacing and narrative delivery stumble for a fraction of users, resulting in 18 negative mentions out of 160 in the story category.
  • Puzzle design occasionally frustrates, prompting 17 negative mentions out of 119 in gameplay.
  • Content volume feels limited for certain players, reflected by 5 negative mentions out of 10.

Who is it for?

Fans of narrative-driven point-and-click adventures and dark folk horror looking for a single-evening mystery.

Is The Excavation of Hob's Barrow worth it in 2026?

Yes — player reception is very positive: 92% of 3,243 Steam reviews are positive (player score 90/100). Most-praised strength: The narrative drives the entire journey, generating. Current price: 12,49€.

Verdict

With a global historical approval of 92 percent, this atmospheric excursion proves that a tightly focused scope serves a chilling tale well. Anyone seeking classic puzzle mechanics wrapped in an unsettling folk horror shroud will find it hard to put down.

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The Excavation of Hob's Barrow: 90/100 by players — Gamer Reviews

Most frequent keywords

ambiance (43)histoire (32)énigmes (21)horreur (20)voix (20)aventure (18)mystère (17)fin (10)court (10)classique (9)scénario (9)point-and-click (8)

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