Grappling-hook platformers are a well-liked enough genre, yet good ones are pretty hard to come by. Outside of the high-flying action in A Story About My Uncle or Valley there really isn't much in the way of first-person speed-running action games that focus on the utilization of split-second, mid-air grapple-hook acrobatics. The Free Ones is another hook-swinging adventure in this rare but exciting genre that pushes the envelope a bit with its vertical freedom as well as its outstanding production values by way of impressive graphics, refined controls, and a mesmerizing soundtrack.
The levels in The Free Ones have a much more open and free range feel to them than previous grapplehook-centric games, feeling more like a parkour playground with a huge variety of grapple-able wooden surfaces to choose from and soar off of. This is a nice, welcome and creative little change from the linear path style of A Story About My Uncle where it seemed like there was always a particular pre-determined set of hooking points to memorize.
The Free Ones puts no limitation on your high-flying grappling jumps leading to some slightly confusing design choices, where there really is no boundaries to how constant you can keep your protagonist flying through the air without penalty. Perhaps some kind of a tight scoring or challenge mechanic where the player is rewarded for fewer grapples made to reach their destination could balance this overbearing and unchallenging sense of freedom that allows you to soar endlessly past your obstacles.