Hookah Haze Review – A Pixellated Daydream

Hookah Haze Review

Hookah Haze is a short, sweet, and sad visual novel about the cost–and reward–of connecting with others. It’s a character-driven experience that veers between cute, heartwarming, and genuinely tragic. And if you don’t know what hookah is, don’t worry, it’s just tobacco. No hard drugs here.

Toru Sumiki is a terminally ill patient who’s chosen to spend their last independent days managing a sleepy hookah lounge. Their final wish is to connect with others over their interests: namely, hookah—waterpipe tobacco—and aquariums. Armed with the backing of a Make A Wish-esque fund, two weeks of painkillers, and a variety of flavored hookah mixes, it might just happen.

Three women soon take an interest in the lounge: cheerful and straightforward Amu, upbeat but nervous Kokoro, and sweet but awkward Kurumi. Each has their own set of problems, internal and external, to deal with. And in the two weeks they have left, Toru might be able to change the girls’ lives forever.

Tobacco and Trauma

Despite the cutesy art style, the cast of Hookah Haze are all grown adults with adult issues. Amu grapples with uncertainty over her identity and the parasocial obsessions that come of working in a maid café. Kokoro struggles with trauma, depression, and familial loss. And Kurumi fights her own battles with neurodivergence and a toxic workplace.

All of these women find their way to Toru’s lounge and soon worm their way into Toru’s life. But with the end rapidly approaching, Toru must decide how to spend their final days–and who to spend them with. The writing is really good and the girls are all cute and complicated in their own special ways.

Toru is also fascinating as a protagonist, especially as the end of their time at the lounge approaches and their health becomes worse. I just wish the pacing wasn’t so rushed.

As I said before, Hookah Haze is almost entirely character-driven. This works out in its favor, because its characters can absolutely carry the game. In fact, they could carry a much longer game, and this one feels rushed as a result.

Hookah Haze Offers Friendship in a Time of Need

Hookah Haze is a visual novel, but it does have some more interactive elements. Managing the lounge involves mixing new hookah flavors, running its social media accounts, and handling the charcoal. Different flavors appeal to different girls, so choosing the daily special is key to your strategy.

The presentation is absolutely the star of the show. Hookah Haze’s decadent pixel art graphics, dream-like atmosphere, and chill soundtrack make for a visual and audio delight. I only wish it had voice acting to go with the rest of the package. The game’s UI is functional and visually stunning, especially when clouds of smoke billow over it. And the girls’ animations are limited but adorable.

The character designs are fantastic. Toru’s relatively more subdued look meshes well with the surreal beauty of the lounge. And each of the girls brings a distinct flavor of over-the-top energy to the table. This allows Toru to have an aching melancholy when alone, but still fit into the girls’ brighter worlds. Better yet, the lounge can accommodate two girls at once. It’s fun to watch them chat and get to know each other as well as Toru. I just wish there was more room for all three girls to interact with each other outside the True Route.

Right away, the game’s atmosphere is thick and engrossing. It’s easy to get lost in the rhythm of mixing hookah flavors and trying to lure in specific combinations of girls. The conversations they have range from funny to quietly heart-breaking. All of these encounters add to the themes of loneliness and human connection. I just wish there was more time to enjoy them.

Short, Sweet, and Sad

Hookah Haze’s biggest problem is its length. This game is too short. I wish I had more time to spend with Toru and the girls, both because the game’s atmosphere is gorgeous and because the game’s story needs more time to blossom. The extra days found in Another Day are nice, but they aren’t incorporated into the main storyline.

Amu, Kokoro, and Kurumi are all cute, funny, and troubled in their own unique ways. They all have a distinct dynamic with Toru that can bring some light into the terminal patient’s days. Of course, make the wrong decisions and the whole cast will suffer the emotional agony of a relationship gone wrong. But they’re all loveable–especially Amu and Kurumi–and I wish their relationships were able to develop more naturally.

Two weeks is just not enough time for the emotional arcs it’s trying to portray to feel realistic. One month, or better yet, six months would be a more reasonable timespan. It feels a bit forced to encounter a new stage in the relationship every time a girl visits. And even in the True Ending, it’s difficult to tell if Toru’s bond with the girls is actually romantic.

All in all, Hookah Haze is a charming exploration of trauma, friendship, and the importance of human connection. It looks great, sounds nice, and does a good job with its theme of time running out. It’s ironic that the game needed more time in order to reach its full potential.

***PC code provided by the publisher***