Hickory is a single-player action indie casual game set inside a clocktower where clockwork dolls maintain perfect time until rats invade. Players control Hickory, the last functional doll, as the structure falls into disrepair and the clock itself powers the character. The core loop involves fixing broken machinery while rats cause ongoing damage, with the ticking clock creating a constant pressure that slows the world as time runs out.
Gameplay
The experience centers on four distinct repair minigames that players repeat across the tower. One involves clearing debris from grinding gears, another requires sealing leaking steam pipes, a third focuses on polishing gems that slip out of place, and the fourth keeps the overall mechanism from locking up entirely. These tasks demand quick attention because every moment spent on repairs gives the rats more opportunity to sabotage progress. The hand-drawn storybook illustrations fill the environment with over a hundred unique pieces, showing detailed workshop floors and higher levels of the tower. An original soundtrack runs more than twenty minutes and includes fully voiced dialogue that adds personality to the setting without interrupting the mechanical focus.
Time management forms the central tension. The clock counts down steadily, and as it loses power the entire scene slows, limiting how much can be accomplished before the player doll winds down too. This creates a tight loop where repairs must happen efficiently while also pushing back against the vermin that actively undo the work. The art style keeps every area visually distinct, from cluttered lower workshops to more precarious upper sections.
Game Modes
Hickory offers a single-player campaign structured around three escalating floors that lead to a final confrontation. Players progress upward through the clocktower, handling the repair challenges and rat interference on each level before reaching the top. There are no separate modes or variations listed; the structure remains linear with increasing chaos as the player climbs. The progression naturally builds familiarity with the minigames while introducing new complications on higher floors.
Visuals and Audio
The hand-drawn illustrations provide a consistent storybook aesthetic across every area of the clocktower. Details range from intricate gear mechanisms in the workshops to whatever waits at the highest point. The soundtrack supports the mechanical theme with original compositions that run long enough to cover multiple play sessions, and the voiced lines give the dolls and environment a distinct personality. These elements combine to create a focused, self-contained world without relying on external references or expansions.
Is It Worth Playing?
Hickory suits players who enjoy short-session puzzle and repair mechanics mixed with light action against environmental threats. The single-player structure and time-pressure system reward careful attention to the four minigames while the three-floor climb builds toward the Rat King encounter. Because the game remains unreleased with no user reviews available yet, the decision rests on interest in the described hand-drawn art, original soundtrack, and the core loop of balancing repairs against ongoing sabotage. Those drawn to indie titles with mechanical focus and a contained narrative arc will find the setup appealing once it launches.
