Harold Halibut

A handmade, quirky adventure masterpiece that the small indie studio Slow Bros from Cologne has been working on for over ten years. The graphics immediately catch the eye. Everything in the game has been painstakingly carved, glued, kneaded, sewn and screwed together by hand before being transferred to the Unity Engine using photogrammetry. It looks like a special cross between Aardman’s early Wallace & Gromit animations and the Augsburger Puppenkiste. A lot of detailed work has gone into it: The original dreary metal corridors and boring offices of the spaceship submarine have been transformed into an inviting shopping arcade, schools of fish swim past murals, and the recreation room features wood panelling and a disco ball. Textiles such as clothing appear rough or fluffy. Despite the limited possibilities, the characters convey their emotions in a comprehensible way. During conversations or special events, the camera zooms in closer and shows dynamic perspectives.
This combination of handmade models and digital processing gives Harold Halibut its unique stop-motion aesthetic. With their game, Slow Bros impressively demonstrate how traditional craftsmanship and modern technology can intertwine to create something completely unique.