Everyone should try out this one of a kind game | Full Review - One Hand Clapping

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One Hand Clapping is a 2D puzzle platformer game with innovative singing mechanics that requires the use of your microphone as a control input. It is available for PC, Xbox Playstation, Switch, and Mobile.

🟩Pros

+Innovative singing/humming mechanics

+Creative use of singing mechanics to the puzzles

+Beautiful landscape and levels

+Accessibility and educational options

🟥Cons

-Not recommended to be played in public

Developed by Bad Dream Games and published by HandyGames, One Hand Clapping is a one-of-a-kind 2D puzzle platformer that combines music, platforming, and puzzle-solving in a unique and innovative way that is sure to captivate players, and make them vocally exhausted.

One Hand Clapping features a hand-drawn colorful art style to go along a mix of gloomy and lighthearted themes. The landscapes of the world are beautiful and take players into a magical adventure of using the power of voice, to both control the environment and navigate it.

Innovative singing/humming mechanics

I went in blind with this game, with the only information I knew being that the game requires a microphone to control the characters. I actually thought the game involved clapping to control the characters, but I was surprised to find out that you actually need to sing or hum different tones in all sorts of different ways.

One Hand Clapping does not necessarily need an earphone to work and only encourages it. However, I tried it without one and the performance has been inconsistent, with the mic picking up feedback from the phone's loudspeakers. So with that experience I can say that this game is best played with an Earphone.

The first part seemed scary and gloomy at first, with pitch black levels and some mild visual jumpscares, but it turns out to be a lighthearted game overall, with melancholic overtones and an adventurous spirit to boot. One Hand Clapping introduces its singing mechanics quite slowly, only initially requiring the player to make some noise, then steadily making the mechanics more complicated by requiring a steady control of your tones, until eventually knowing how to produce tones by instinct.

The power of music

The game's mechanics rely heavily on the player's ability to use their singing voice to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The player takes on the role of a character who has the power to use their voice to affect the environment, be it to levitate huge stone blocks, bring power to elevators or lamp posts, sculpt the landscape to create a bridge, control flowers, and many more. The character still needs to be controlled via touch input, moving left or right or jumping, but most of the gameplay is focused on the singing element.

While there seems to be a greater narrative overall with the main character and the world around him, the storytelling is basically non-existent with this game. No voice-acting, no narration, and no dialogue. While telling a silent story is indeed possible, this game has failed to make sense to me and looks like the focus is on having a fun and engaging experience like no other.

Creative use of singing mechanics to the puzzles

The main character must journey through a world filled with musical landscapes and quirky characters for reasons unbeknownst to us. The player encounters many puzzles and environmental obstacles that call for his singing ability to be used, and these puzzles are creatively well done and do vary across the whole journey that feels fresh throughout the entirety of the experience.

Each level is designed to challenge the player's vocal abilities and puzzle-solving skills. As said earlier, the game gradually introduces new and remixed mechanics and challenges as the player progresses through the levels, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting. The puzzles are cleverly designed and require the player to think creatively, and vocalize properly to solve them.

This unique gameplay mechanic sets One Hand Clapping apart from other games and creates a truly innovative and immersive experience. I was truly engaged playing the game with a control option other than my hands. It was a bit exhausting trying to vocalize various styles and levels of tone for prolonged periods, but it was a fun experience nonetheless. Just make sure the people around you are informed beforehand of what you’re doing, or they might get confused. It goes without saying that this game shouldn’t be played in public.

Aside from that, One Hand Clapping also offers various customization and calibration settings to fit your voice type. An educational mode that displays the actual notes of the current puzzles on the screen, As well as the option to skip these puzzles for those having difficulties.

Conclusion:

One Hand Clapping is an exceptional game that is guaranteed to give players a unique and memorable experience with its innovative gameplay, artistic visuals, and quirky vocal exercise. The game's unique use of the player's singing voice to solve puzzles and progress through levels creates a truly immersive and engaging experience that is unlike anything else out there.