Elements II: Hearts of Light

About

"Elements II: Hearts of Light" is the sequel to "Elements: Soul of Fire," set 360 years later in an age of unrest and intolerance. This RPG features enhanced gameplay, a deeper party system, and customizable magic. With easy mode for beginners, crafting, quest-tracking, and extensive keyboard shortcuts, players can explore a beautiful world, build friendships, and uncover dark mysteries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

story12 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features a compelling story with unique characters and a lot of optional content to explore.
The soundtrack is well-received, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
There are multiple party members to choose from and a variety of gameplay mechanics that can lead to different play styles.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including random crashes and slow performance, particularly in town areas.
Many players find the art style and layout unappealing, describing it as poorly executed and reminiscent of low-quality RPG Maker games.
The game is considered unfinished and abandoned, with broken achievements and a lack of guidance for new players.

story
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The game's story is described as compelling and well-written, continuing from the first installment with familiar themes and characters, though it suffers from slow cutscenes and vague quest descriptions. Players can engage with numerous optional quests and secrets, enhancing immersion, but some find the quest log lacking in detail. Overall, while the narrative has its flaws, it offers an intriguing experience with a unique day/night system that influences gameplay.
- “The story is compelling and continues after several years of the events of the first game.”
- “The story presented so far is very intriguing and well written.”
- “The story so far is flowing well and is not dragging, which is an element I tend to notice in other games.”
- “This suffers from the same slow cutscenes, poor plot hooks, caricatured hero and antagonist dynamics, and homebrew audiovisual assets as the original.”
- “The quest log was very vague, just giving the initial location of the quest giver, and that a quest is open there but without any details, hints, or even an accurate description of the task.”
- “If you have played the first game, the plot is pretty much similar with some tweaks on the characters and bosses.”
gameplay
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
74%
13%
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of nostalgia and frustration; while some areas evoke memories of the first game and offer a visually distinct experience, the overwhelming number of mechanics can be complicated and often become irrelevant once players become overpowered. The introduction of an attribute system adds depth but also introduces potential pitfalls, leading to a sense that strategic elements may be rendered useless. Overall, opinions are polarized, with some praising the gameplay improvements while others criticize the combat mechanics and complexity.
- “Overall, I enjoyed the gameplay from Elements II so far and I am looking forward to any other surprises as the game progresses.”
- “Elements II did a complete facelift on the gameplay.”
- “Gameplay: 10/10”
- “The numerous amount of mechanics can turn people off from playing the game.”
- “Moreover, some can be complicated to remember, especially when combined with other mechanics that you need to learn.”
- “The introduction of the attribute mechanic makes all strategies useless.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
62%
13%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the retro aesthetic and the effort to replace generic RPG Maker assets, while others criticize the artwork as poorly executed and reminiscent of amateur work. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the unique style and the thoughtfulness behind the visuals, suggesting that the game has potential as it continues to develop. Overall, the graphics are seen as a polarizing aspect, appealing to some while disappointing others.
- “The artwork is fine and the soundtrack is amazing.”
- “I adore the artwork.”
- “Love this retro graphic!”
- “On the upside, they've replaced some of the RPG Maker cookie-cutter assets with their own artwork... on the downside, the artwork is completely terrible MS Paint dribble that you would expect to see from a 6th grader, rather than on the Steam store.”
- “Gameplay graphics everything suck.”
- “On the upside, they've replaced some of the RPG Maker cookie-cutter assets with their own artwork... on the downside, the artwork is completely terrible MS Paint dribble that you would expect to see from a 6th grader, rather than on the Steam store.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The music in the game has received high praise, with many reviewers highlighting the amazing acoustic guitar soundtrack that enhances the overall experience and fits seamlessly with the game's scenes and battles. Players appreciate the emotional depth and folk-like quality of the music, which has grown on them over time, and express a desire for future downloadable content featuring the soundtrack. Overall, the music is considered a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and replay value.
- “The music flows very well with the scenes and battles.”
- “The beautiful original acoustic guitar soundtrack gives the whole game the feel of some folk hero or ballad.”
- “Most of the music I couldn't stand now sounds alright.”
- “The mostly guitar style of the Elements saga has grown on me, and I hope in the future there will be a DLC for the soundtrack.”
- “The custom music, exhaustive amount of dialogue, events, and variables used to make almost every action have an effect almost everywhere suggest there will be a lot of replay value... or at least a lot of exploration as encouraged by NPCs in the starting town.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that the game features significant grinding, particularly for achievements, with at least three that depend on individual playstyles. Those who enjoy RPG Maker games with extensive optional content and don't mind the grind will find this aspect appealing, as grinding is actively encouraged.
- “Grinding is encouraged.”
- “Hard grinding.”
- “If you like to play RPG Maker games with a lot of optional content and don't mind grinding, play this game.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its clever humor, which adds a lighthearted touch to the RPG experience. Players appreciate the comedic elements woven into the expansive world and engaging story, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “An RPG with a sense of humor, an expansive world that shifts dramatically depending on the time and day (in-game), complex stats and abilities, and a story I'd like to delve into more one day.”
- “Title with a touch of humor that will make you laugh.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game offers significant replayability due to its immersive system that allows for various playstyles, such as a pacifist run, and features an extensive amount of dialogue, events, and variables that impact gameplay. Players are encouraged to explore different choices and outcomes, enhancing the overall experience and replay value.
- “This system makes the game more immersive and provides a lot of replay value as you can do different runs (e.g., pacifist run).”
- “The custom music, exhaustive amount of dialogue, events, and variables used to make almost every action have an effect almost everywhere suggest there will be a lot of replay value... or at least a lot of exploration as encouraged by NPCs in the starting town.”
- “This system makes the game more immersive and provides the game a lot of replay value as you can do different runs (e.g., pacifist run).”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for its lack of stability, being described as buggy abandonware with numerous issues, including broken achievements.
- “Buggy abandonware with broken achievements.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the emotional depth of the game, highlighting its blend of modern gameplay systems with classic aesthetics that foster emotional connections, moral choices, and the ability to craft and learn magic. This combination enhances the overall experience, making it resonate on a personal level.
- “The game features different systems that are current yet maintain a classic touch in their aesthetics, such as crafting objects, having emotional ties, moral attributes, and learning magic.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as immersive and engaging, creating a strong sense of ambiance that enhances the overall experience.
- “It is atmospheric.”
- “It is atmospheric.”
- “It is atmospheric.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the game's character development and dialogue, noting improvements in the writing of cut scenes that enhance the overall narrative experience.
- “I especially enjoy your knack for character development and dialogue, and you've tightened up the writing in the cut scenes, which is great.”

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