Hollow Home: The Ukrainian game telling the civilian story of war

Hollow Home is a game developed by an independent studio called Twigames, based in Kyiv, Ukraine. The game's creators have received feedback from some Ukrainians who intend to buy the game but may not be able to play it. This response is understandable given the game's focus on the civilian experience during Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Hollow Home tells the story of the war through the eyes of a 14-year-old civilian named Maksym. The game does not use AI in any form; all elements are handcrafted, including code, models, and textures. The team behind the game, which consists of 20 people, initially left Kyiv during the invasion and worked together in a Carpathian Mountains house. They were motivated by a desire to tell the story of the war and draw attention to it, as they believed many people outside Ukraine might not believe what was happening.

The game draws on real-life events and experiences from the war, such as the siege of Mariupol, one of the darkest chapters of the invasion. The creators spent over 600 pages of data from various sources and gathered personal accounts from witnesses who were in Mariupol during the occupation. The game's soundtrack was composed by a Ukrainian musician, Danylo Dunets, who also donates a portion of his earnings from his album HATRED to fund Ukraine's defense forces.

When asked about the decision-making process regarding what to include and exclude in the game, the game's CEO and co-founder, Valeriy Minenko, acknowledged the challenge. He mentioned that the story is dramatic and tragic, and it can evoke difficult memories for people in Ukraine. The game does not feature on-screen violence or depictions of people dying, instead focusing on how war affects civilians' lives through dialogue, exploration, and branching quests.

Players interact with residents, learn practical skills like cooking and crafting, and make survival decisions with limited resources.

Minenko emphasized that the game is not about fun but serves as a tool to help people understand the impact of war on civilians. While the team aims to educate and provoke thought, they understand that not everyone will want to engage with such a challenging subject. The game is part of a growing number of Ukrainian games that reflect the realities of Russia's full-scale invasion, ranging from tactical military shooters to tools developed from real-world military experience.