Else Heart.Break()

A beautiful adventure with heart, humour, and satisfying hacking puzzles you can enjoy even if you dont know anything about coding.

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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 259 reviews

story31 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features a unique and engaging hacking mechanic that allows players to manipulate the game world through coding.
The art style and atmosphere are vibrant and immersive, creating a captivating environment to explore.
The game encourages exploration and experimentation, rewarding players for their curiosity and creativity.

The story can feel disjointed and lacks a satisfying conclusion, leaving many plot threads unresolved.
Navigation can be frustrating due to poor camera controls and a confusing map, making it easy to get lost.
The game can be buggy, with issues that may lead to soft locks or unintended progression problems.

story
242 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 falls flat, especially towards the end. While some appreciate its quirky and humorous elements, others criticize the lack of clear direction and the presence of bugs that can disrupt progression. Overall, the narrative seems to serve more as a backdrop for the hacking mechanics rather than a compelling journey, leaving many players wishing for a more developed and engaging storyline.
- “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 tedious and confusing, requiring a significant investment of time to fully grasp the core mechanics. While the art style and atmosphere are praised, the gameplay experience can be hindered by navigation issues and a slow start before the more engaging elements are unlocked.
- “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.”
- “And 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 psychedelic visuals and creative aesthetic are often highlighted as standout features, contributing to a captivating atmosphere, despite some players finding the graphics reminiscent of older platforms. Overall, while the art direction is appreciated, technical shortcomings in graphics and controls detract from the game's potential.
- “I love the art style, the city, and the time-based mechanics.”
- “The graphics and art style are very well done.”
- “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
46 % neutral mentions
7 % 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.”
- “Music isn't used too much but when it is, it hits the feeling of the world and the atmosphere just right.”
- “The music was ok overall, with a couple of standout tracks.”
atmosphere
11 mentions
45 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and enjoyable qualities, with a blend of chill vibes and a hint of darkness. Players appreciate the solid character design and the effective use of music, which enhances the overall experience, although some feel that certain narrative elements detract from the initially strong atmosphere. Overall, the world is described as engaging and atmospheric, making exploration a rewarding experience.
- “The atmosphere is great, the hacking is fun and powerful.”
- “Such a great atmosphere, really chill and immersive.”
- “As for a world that feels alive, the soundtrack meshes with the game's vibe and atmosphere really well.”
- “Game will try to feed you narrative locations, but they are all pretty bland and pointless, and if anything ruin the atmosphere which was very good at the beginning of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is quite cartoony, except everything seems to have a certain darkness lurking underneath.”
- “Music isn't used too much, but when it is, it hits the feeling of the world and the atmosphere just right.”
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. Overall, the game's stability issues are a significant drawback, overshadowing its otherwise enjoyable elements.
- “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
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during the initial hours, which are marked by slow pacing and cumbersome inventory management. Many reviewers suggest that only those with considerable patience may enjoy the experience, as the early gameplay can feel boring and unengaging.
- “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.”
- “I would only recommend it to gamers who can muster the patience to sit through the tedious parts of it.”
replayability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % 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. However, comparisons to other titles suggest that it may not reach the same heights in replayability as some competitors.
- “It doesn't teach programming in the best way, but it is a cheery albeit dystopian and different-culture adventure which 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.”
- “Uplink is still better, mainly because of replay value.”
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, such as altering streetlight colors and exploiting game mechanics for comedic effect. While the story and puzzles may lack depth, there are amusing code snippets that add to the overall lighthearted experience, even if some jokes lose their charm upon repetition.
- “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
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it effectively immerses them in the role of a hacker, the storytelling is criticized for being lackluster and uninspired. Despite this, some users highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine feelings, particularly in its more poignant moments. Overall, the emotional engagement varies significantly, with some appreciating the simulation aspect while others feel let down by the narrative depth.
- “Else heart.break() is a heart-breaking game.”
- “But if you're looking for a fun hacking game, none of the others I've tried (and I feel I've tried them all now) came close to recreating that feeling like this one; it made me feel like a real hacker in a virtual game rather than playing the predetermined story of a Hollywood hacker.”
- “The story felt incredibly dull and uninspired, failing to evoke any real emotions.”
- “I found the emotional moments to be forced and unconvincing, leaving me disconnected from the characters.”
- “Despite its attempts at depth, the narrative lacked the emotional weight needed to resonate with players.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % 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 gameplay, and it feels like it could be as optimized as the spell systems in MMOs or the weapon mechanics in arena FPS games.”
- “With important items like keys, disks, modifiers, extractors, drinks, screwdrivers, a credit card, and even a teleporter, the inventory access should be streamlined for better efficiency.”
- “I expected the inventory management to be as refined as in games like Deus Ex or Minecraft, given its significance in the overall 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 game's performance is severely hindered by poor optimization, leading to frustrating lag and stuttering during critical moments.”
- “Despite the potential for engaging gameplay, the lack of optimization results in frequent crashes and long loading times, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”