Hollow Lantern

Hollow Lantern is a quiet, atmospheric adventure that trusts you to explore. There's no minimap clutter and very little hand-holding — you follow the light of your lantern, note landmarks, and slowly piece together where you are. It's the closest a mobile game has come to that feeling of getting pleasantly lost.

Puzzles are woven into the environment rather than dropped in as separate screens. Most involve observation: watching how light moves, remembering a symbol from earlier, noticing a path you dismissed. When it all connects, it's genuinely rewarding.

The pacing is slow by design, so it won't suit everyone. But if you play with sound on and give it your attention, it's one of the more memorable things we've reviewed this year.

What we liked

• Exploration without map clutter
• Environmental puzzles that feel earned
• Beautiful, moody atmosphere