GameWiki
GET YOUR BEARINGS
About HIVESWAP: ACT 1
HIVESWAP: ACT 1 drops you into a 1994‑styled adventure where monsters crowd the yard, house, and hall, and you must escape by opening the door. The game is framed as a love letter to ’90s point‑and‑click titles, promising fun pacing and unique responses for every action you try.
Hand‑animated 2‑D visuals give each room a hyper‑detailed look, while an eclectic soundtrack featuring Toby Fox and a third‑wave ska track adds emotional weight. It is a single‑player indie RPG that can carry your save into later acts and the companion title Hauntswitch.
01 / THE GUIDE
Story premise
Monsters infest the yard, house, and hall, pounding on the door while your brother is stuck in his treehouse. The opening task is to open the door, establishing the first clear objective and setting the tone for a frantic escape.
The narrative is presented as a love letter to ’90s adventure games, emphasizing fun pacing and avoiding repetitive “that item doesn’t work” messages. Every interaction receives a unique response, encouraging players to experiment without mandatory trial‑and‑error.
- Observe each monster’s behavior for clues about safe routes.
- Try interacting with the door early; it is the first clear objective.
02 / THE GUIDE
Hand‑animated 2‑D art
All homes you explore are rendered in hand‑drawn two‑dimensional animation, giving each room a distinct, hyper‑detailed appearance. The environments feel alive through fully‑rendered animations that highlight hidden details.
The visual style aims to evoke classic adventure titles while delivering modern polish. Every secret‑filled space invites close inspection, and the art direction reinforces the game’s nostalgic yet fresh atmosphere.
- Inspect background details closely; the art often hints at hidden interactions.
- Compare room layouts to spot recurring visual motifs.
03 / THE GUIDE
Eclectic soundtrack
The game features an ambitious, genre‑spanning soundtrack, including contributions from Toby Fox of Undertale, at least one third‑wave ska song, and a garage‑rock duo. The music ranges from tear‑inducing pieces to upbeat tracks.
Music is designed to match the emotional tone of each scene, reinforcing narrative beats and the quirky mood of the environments without relying on dialogue alone.
- Listen for musical changes that may signal important story beats.
- Note recurring themes; they often tie together different locations.
04 / THE GUIDE
Playable characters
You can control Joey Claire, a teen trapped in her room in 1994, her brother Jude Harley stuck in a treehouse, or Xefros Tritoh, an alien rebel. Each character offers a distinct perspective on the same world.
These characters appear across a four‑part series set in Andrew Hussie’s Homestuck universe. Saves can be continued from chapter to chapter and between Hiveswap and its companion game Hauntswitch.
- Switch characters to experience different dialogue and environmental interactions.
- Note how each character’s situation shapes the puzzles they face.
05 / THE GUIDE
Save continuity across chapters
HIVESWAP: ACT 1 is the first of a four‑part series, and your save can be carried forward to later acts and the companion title Hauntswitch, preserving story choices and relationships.
Both titles can be played in either order once released, giving players flexibility in how they progress through the overarching narrative while maintaining continuity of decisions.
- Review previous choices before starting a new act to maintain narrative consistency.
- Note key dialogue outcomes; they may influence later chapters.
COMMUNITY
Player discussion