Developed by Gone Mad Studios and published by Ratalaika Games Hirilun is a is a parkour, first-person-based speed running platformer with a very striking art style.

“Welcome to Hirilun, the city of shadows where only the fleet of foot can rise to fame. Here, you’ll navigate through a labyrinth of hidden alleys and towering skyscrapers, racing against the clock to reach your goal. Every level presents a new challenge with multiple paths to choose from, so it’s up to you to decide which route is the fastest.”

Originally released in 2022 for the PC, Hirilun has now seen a console port and I’ve been playing the Xbox version for this review. As you can tell from the trailer and the screengrabs used here, Hirilun is visually stunning. Mostly monochrome, you feel like you are trapped in a Sin City comic. Harsh back and white, with just the odd touch of colour that is used very sparingly.

At first, the basic gameplay will most probably put you in mind of something like Mirror’s Edge. But while the first-person running and jumping may share similarities, the core mechanics and gameplay loop are very different. There’s no real story with Hirilun and it is all about speed. The aim of the game is to finish each level as fast as possible… and that’s it. There’s no upgrade system, no new moves to learn. You just run and jump your way to the end.

Each level is pretty big and there are multiple routes and shortcuts to find. This does mean that you’ll have to play and replay the same level over and over if you want to learn the best possible route to take. Golden rings offer some mild direction, but they may not always take you via the fastest route and only exploring will get you where you need to go in the fastest time. There are only six levels but with the multiple different routes to discover, runs can feel very different.

I personally found the controls just a wee bit off and stiff. The platforming is unforgiving and often very cruel. The first-person view does make landing an accurate jump pretty difficult. With some of the levels being quite big, just one mistimed or inaccurate jump can see you losing so much time that you may as well quit. As this is all about constant movement and even stopping for one second will screw up a run, quitting is a better option than trying to regain lost time.

To be honest, this really isn’t my cup of tea. I’m just not a fan of games that force you to rush. This is completely a personal taste thing and no fault of Hirilun itself. However, if you are someone who likes to put themselves up against the clock and do love a bit of speed running then I think that you’ll get a real kick out of this one. Hirilun is a pretty difficult title and one that does feel a bit punishing at times, but there is some fun to be had once you really learn the best routes to go. Available now on Steam and all the consoles for around £10.