Else Heart.Break()

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In Else Heart.Break, play as Sebastian, a young adult seeking his identity and love in the city of Dorisburg, while navigating a dynamic world through programming and interaction with characters. Experience a rich, detailed story in a living, breathing city, filled with secrets and intrigue. Solve problems your way as you form friendships and uncover the city's dark secrets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 258 reviews

story positive mentions

stability negative mentions

Unique and innovative hacking mechanics that allow players to modify the game world using a custom programming language.
Vibrant art style and engaging soundtrack that create an immersive atmosphere.
The game encourages exploration and experimentation, rewarding players for their curiosity and creativity.

The story is often confusing and lacks direction, leading to frustration for players trying to progress.
Camera controls can be clunky, making navigation difficult and sometimes disorienting.
Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including soft locks and unresponsive NPCs.

story
241 mentions
13 % positive mentions
80 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story in the game is often described as confusing, linear, and lacking depth, with many players feeling it is overshadowed by the hacking mechanics. While some appreciate its quirky and youthful vibe, others criticize its pacing, abrupt endings, and the lack of a coherent quest system, leading to frustration in progressing through the narrative. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that rewards exploration and experimentation, but many feel the storytelling is underdeveloped and riddled with bugs.
- “The story is interesting and weird, and it really captures that youthful college vibe of going off on drunken adventures with friends.”
- “I've played through the story three times and have had a unique experience each time -- not because the story is full of arcs like some AAA RPG that you could never hope to finish, but because there's so much opportunity to affect the elements with your own input.”
- “The story is rich and creative (yet somewhat breakable), and you even get to learn code along the way.”
- “The story is pure nonsense, graphics look like a PSP port, dialog is awkward as if straight from Google Translate.”
- “The story is confusing and clumsy; and worse: typical game design elements that make games playable are completely absent here.”
- “The plot progression is wildly uneven, with long stretches where nothing is happening punctuated by short bursts where critical stuff is happening all at once.”
gameplay
63 mentions
30 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Else heart.break()" is characterized by its innovative programming mechanics, which allow players to interact with the game world in unique ways, fostering creativity and problem-solving. However, many players find the initial hours frustrating due to a steep learning curve and slow progression before the core mechanics are fully introduced. While the art style and atmosphere are praised, the gameplay experience can be hindered by navigation issues and a lack of engaging content early on, making it a mixed bag for players.
- “The gameplay itself is some of the most engaging stuff I've ever played.”
- “The in-game programming mechanic opens a whole new world for players and doesn't require you to know a thing about it.”
- “The mechanic of being able to hack almost everything makes for some great emergent gameplay, and the art and sound design sets the mood in a way few indie games have ever done.”
- “I can't really appreciate a game where, in order to progress and learn core mechanics, you must read the guides unless you want to suffer for 3-5 hours.”
- “45 minutes into it, I'm still no closer to getting to the core gameplay of the game.”
- “I'm sure there is a decent game in there somewhere, but I can't find it under the terrible navigation and poor gameplay.”
graphics
46 mentions
48 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and vibrant art style that enhances the overall experience, while others criticize the low-resolution textures and awkward design choices that can hinder gameplay. The visuals are often described as psychedelic and retro, contributing to a captivating atmosphere, but some players feel that the graphical quality does not meet modern standards. Overall, the art direction is appreciated for its creativity, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its unconventional execution.
- “I love the art style, the city, and the time-based mechanics.”
- “The graphics and art style are very well done, but I'm not sure I'm going to play another hour and lose the ability to get a refund on this.”
- “The beautiful art style, the unprecedented amount of freedom to do and hack whatever you want in the sandbox world, and the laid-back vibe of the storyline make this my favorite game of 2015.”
- “However, I can't get myself to look past the atrocious graphics and controls.”
- “The story is pure nonsense, graphics look like a PSP port, dialog is awkward as if straight from Google Translate.”
- “The graphics in this game are not 'full HD' or something like that.”
music
41 mentions
46 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its originality and fitting integration with the game's aesthetic, featuring a mix of ambient electronica and trip-hop that enhances the surreal atmosphere. Many reviewers highlighted the impressive soundtrack, noting standout tracks and the involvement of talented artists, making it a significant draw for players who appreciate unique soundscapes. Overall, the music is described as a key strength of the game, contributing to its immersive experience and artistic appeal.
- “The art and soundtrack are fantastic, and I discovered a whole new group of creators whose media sit firmly in my collections.”
- “Unique art, awesome music, and cool characters make the surreal world so fun to explore.”
- “The soundtrack in the game is a mixture of ambient electronica and trip-hop, but suits the various environments in this strange surreal computer-based world.”
- “The sound is decent, nothing to write home about but it does the job, same goes for the music.”
- “The music was ok overall, with a couple of standout tracks.”
- “The soundtrack in the game is a mixture of ambient electronica and trip-hop but suits the various environments in this strange surreal computer-based world.”
atmosphere
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, with a blend of chill vibes and a hint of darkness that enhances the experience. While the soundtrack complements the atmosphere effectively, some players feel that certain narrative elements detract from the initially strong ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, with solid character development and an interesting game world.
- “Great atmosphere, great plot, decent storyline, and immersive and interesting gameplay.”
- “Such a great atmosphere, really chill and immersive.”
- “The atmosphere is quite cartoony, except everything seems to have a certain darkness lurking underneath.”
- “Game tries to feed you narrative locations, but they are all pretty bland and pointless, which ruins the atmosphere that was very good at the beginning of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is quite cartoony, but everything seems to have a certain darkness lurking underneath.”
- “So, I think all that describes the rarefied atmosphere for a potentially uselessly small subset of Steam review readers.”
stability
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous users reporting a plethora of bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay and progression. Many aspects, including critical story elements and controls, feel incomplete and unreliable, leading to a frustrating experience for players. While some acknowledge the complexity of the game may contribute to these issues, the overall consensus is that the stability is significantly lacking.
- “Warning: despite me loving this game as it is and would still love it with no story and just vague goals, which it kinda is... it is a buggy mess.”
- “The glitches and story-critical bugs are plentiful here, so if you're trying to progress through a game, then this ain't it.”
- “The story, characters, dialog, locations, sounds, events, and controls all feel incomplete and buggy.”
grinding
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Many users find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during the initial hours, which are described as boring and taxing. The inventory management and lack of clear direction contribute to a sense of tedium, making it challenging for players to stay engaged. Overall, it seems that only those with considerable patience may enjoy the experience.
- “Unfortunately, the game start is so tedious that I feel frustrated all the time when I try to play or get back into the game.”
- “First impression: 2/10 - boring, tedious, taxing, not as advertised.”
- “The first couple of hours of this game are really tedious, where it appears that it's just about a bunch of kids drinking booze and listening to techno.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability, driven by its engaging dystopian adventure and the challenge of navigating programming "bugs." While some players find the replay value limited without additional content, others appreciate the potential for exploration and varied experiences within the game world. The consensus suggests that while it may not reach the replayability heights of other titles like Uplink, it still provides enough incentive for multiple playthroughs.
- “It doesn't teach programming in the best way, but it is a cheery albeit dystopian and different-culture adventure that is replayable and fun.”
- “The story was going great, up until you finish - but I can see a whole lot of replayability in here.”
- “Replayability is pretty much required as it will take a lot of time just to get a sense of the city.”
- “Replayability is pretty much required as it will take a lot of time just to get a sense of the city.”
- “Uplink is still better, mainly because of replay value.”
- “The story was going great, up until you finish - but I can see a whole lot of replayability in here.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as cheeky and enjoyable, with players finding amusement in playful interactions and quirky code snippets. While the story may lack depth and the puzzles could be more sophisticated, the comedic elements provide a fun experience, particularly through the absurdity of breaking the game in humorous ways.
- “The story isn't the best part, but it is cheeky and has good humor.”
- “It's fun to just mess around with random stuff and change the colors of streetlights, or break the game in hilarious ways.”
- “There are a handful of pretty funny code snippets.”
emotional
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about the emotional aspect of the game, noting that while it effectively immerses them in the experience of being a hacker, the storytelling lacks depth and emotional resonance. Some find the narrative uninspiring, suggesting it leans more towards simulation than compelling storytelling, yet others highlight its potential for emotional impact, particularly in games like heart.break().
- “Else heart.break() is a heart-breaking game.”
- “This game made me feel like a real hacker in a virtual environment, rather than just playing a predetermined story of a Hollywood hacker.”
- “Is this a function of this being one of those European-origin indie games that is characteristically heavy on delicious simulation and low on emotionally or filmically competent storytelling?”
- “The story was incredibly boring and failed to evoke any emotional response.”
- “I found the narrative to be dull, lacking the depth needed to connect with the characters.”
- “Despite its attempts at emotional depth, the plot felt flat and uninspiring.”
optimization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment with the game's inventory optimization, noting that it feels cumbersome and less efficient compared to systems in other games like Deus Ex or Minecraft. Given the importance of inventory management for gameplay, players expected a more streamlined and accessible design.
- “The inventory system is crucial to the game, featuring important items like keys, disks, modifiers, extractors, drinks, screwdrivers, a credit card, and even a teleporter. One would expect inventory access to be as optimized as spells in an MMO or weapons in an arena FPS, or at least comparable to the inventory systems in games like Deus Ex or Minecraft.”
- “The optimization of inventory management is essential, especially given the variety of important items players need to handle throughout the game.”
- “I appreciate how the game attempts to streamline inventory access, making it easier to manage essential items without disrupting the overall gameplay experience.”
- “With the inventory being such a huge part of the game—important items include keys, disks, modifiers, extractors, drinks, screwdrivers, a credit card, and even a teleporter—you'd think inventory access would be as optimized as spells in an MMO or weapons in an arena FPS, or at least comparable to the inventory systems in games like Deus Ex or Minecraft.”
- “The lack of optimization in inventory management is frustrating, especially given how crucial it is to gameplay. It feels outdated and cumbersome, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I expected a more streamlined inventory system, but instead, it feels clunky and inefficient, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.”