One Hand Clapping

We love it when a unique game concept comes about. But my word - One Hand Clapping might end up shattering our Earthly foundations. The game encourages everybody who plays it to sing their way to the finish line, in a world where - to put it politely - not everybody can sing! This could be equally as hilarious as it is damaging.

There is such a respect for managing to even deliver such a concept, though. One Hand Clapping is a 2D platformer where your character is exclusively controlled by singing. It leaves the curiosities of whether you actually have to be good to complete the game or hitting the elementary notes will carry you through. Even though it's still in early access, we can dive into whether the extraordinary mechanics of this game work.

Sing Me To Step

It's pretty clear from the get-go that One Hand Clapping was made to be a wholesome game, both for its players and characters inside the universe. The game's visuals are stunningly beautiful. It uses a bright color palette that resonates with a positive aura. Directly in parallel with the core mechanics of the game. Ones that will use a microphone to keep you going.

It wouldn't go amiss to say while the concept is fantastic, it's a little awkward for players at first. Many people don't like hearing the sound of their own voice, but here you will be forced to use it to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The manner that it's delivered actually is quite ingenious, once you get used to the idea of building bridges with your odd-sounding tones.

Even if you aren't much of a singer, One Hand Clapping is very forgiving. You won't need to be the next Andrea Bocelli to complete the heartwarming narrative. It actually gives you a bit of confidence in your own voice, to say the least. What's even more remarkable is how gameplay is diversified into different puzzles that tap into varying tones of voice. Once you get stuck into the unique mechanics of the game - it is enjoyable.

It's safe to say that some players won't enjoy this non-traditional approach to gameplay - purely because you must use your voice. However, One Hand Clapping is an exquisite experience that has you come out feeling good and even wanting a little more. The visuals, characters, and diversity - all amalgamate to bring a fantastic platformer.

If I Cannot Fly, Let Me Sing.

If I had to describe One Hand Clapping to someone - it would be a cross between SingStar and Journey. The game obviously adopts the rhythmic aspects of the former and the platforming prowess of the other - featuring similar art styles.

The concept sounds intriguing to most gamers, but try getting someone on board to try it out! Not many will want to embarrass themselves trying to sing.

Pros:

• A wholesome gaming experience
• The art style and characters are fascinating
• The control schematics are incredibly unique

Cons:

• No other way to play the game than to use your voice
• Will struggle to attract a sizeable player base

Bad Dream Games released their latest game One Hand Clapping this June 2021. A pretty original game that brings a lot of new elements never explored to the well-known and very much proven before platform genre. It's not unusual to see platform games, so you really do have to be either pretty original or pretty good to stand out.

Luckily for One Hand Clapping, it is both. There are plenty of things to talk about in this title, but one of the most interesting is its original mechanics. So let's get deeper into the world of One Hand Clapping and see what it is all about.

About the game

One Hand Clapping is a unique gaming experience that gives the player the freedom to express themselves through the game’s mechanics. It’s an experience that has the player sorting out all kinds of obstacles with the power of their own voice.

This is not to say that there's a mechanic in the game in which you press a button and the character sings. You really do have to sing through your microphone to sort the obstacles. Do your best to get the notes right if you want to advance in the world of One Hand Clapping. It is mostly a minimalist experience but thanks to the great use of this original mechanic, it is a completely unique and special title.

Use your voice to fight off the evil dark beings, and find your way through this odd world. Even though at some points of your adventure you'll be accompanied by strange and imaginative beings, it is mostly a lonely road and one you'll have to get your notes right to succeed.

A beautiful world

One Hand Clapping does not only rely on its original gameplay mechanics to stand out, there's also the incredible art that in a sense reminds us of Hollow Knight. There is cinematics to help you be guided through the game's "story". They are well camouflaged within the gameplay, and they simply aid the narrative.

Review

Everything in the world of One Hand Clapping is very much alive, and it will allow you to explore and learn about it as you go. One Hand Clapping achieves one of the most original experiences we’ve seen in a long time. Even though the game is a little on the shorter side, it is a beautiful adventure. It is also pretty fun to play and to laugh a lot as you try to sing all the right notes.

Of course, you don’t have to be a great singer to get through the game, and you can calibrate the voice recognition to fit your natural voice sound. This is especially helpful if you have a deep or really high-pitched voice. And there’s even a pretty cute mode to help you improve your singing, it is pretty much a very basic voice coach.

Pros:

• Beautiful visuals
• Great original Mechanics
• Fun to play
• Cute adventure
• Great controls and voice recognition

Cons:

• A little basic in terms of narrative
• Soundtrack is not up to the level of the rest of the game