Goldenheart

About

Goldenheart is a single player role playing game with fantasy and mystery themes. It was developed by Millenniapede and was released on November 19, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

Goldenheart is a retro first person fantasy adventure game created by two people in our home studio. It has a look and feel inspired by our favorite classic console games.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+17

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88%Audience ScoreBased on 88 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

optimization1 negative mentions

Strong old-school dungeon crawler vibe with retro graphics and a captivating surreal atmosphere.
Engaging exploration and puzzle-solving reminiscent of classic adventure games like Zelda and Morrowind.
Passionate development by a small team resulting in unique world-building, intriguing story elements, and satisfying boss fights.

Combat mechanics are very simple and repetitive, with minimal weapon variety and lack of depth.
Certain parts of the game overstay their welcome, with pacing dragging particularly in the latter half.
The save system and checkpoint placement can be punishing and frustrating, sometimes requiring excessive backtracking.

gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
67%
11%
The gameplay is generally described as simple and repetitive, lacking depth and varied mechanics, though some praise its polished core systems and satisfying combat loop. Combat is often compared to Soulsborne with basic dodging and lock-on, but without advanced features like power attacks, making it feel somewhat limited. While the world and exploration feel sparse and linear, a few smart design choices and atmosphere contribute to moments of fun and engagement despite its mechanical simplicity.
- “Every aspect of the game is sprinkled with really smart design decisions and ideas, like making the bow very powerful but limiting the player to a handful of arrows, not to mention the whole torch mechanic.”
- “Gameplay loop is satisfying and the story is a great driver to keep you going - the sole thing to polish more is rewarding exploration; while the world is interesting to traverse, more interesting things to see, hear, talk to, or get would make it feel less linear and empty.”
- “Combat is loosely Soulsborne inspired, with lock on, blocking, strafing, and a simple dodge mechanic, with boss-specific gameplay tweaks that take you outside your comfort zone.”
- “All I am saying here is that it is not a deep game mechanically, so if that's what you are looking for, you won't find it here.”
- “The gameplay is very samey and basic for the 6 hours I played, with your upgrades being only defense and weapon upgrades.”
- “Overall this game suffers greatly from bad mechanics and an uninteresting empty world.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The story of the game is generally described as linear but well thought-out, featuring surprising plot twists and an immersive, surreal fantasy setting. While some find it flat or lacking depth compared to memorable RPGs, others appreciate its engaging narrative and clever world-building that effectively drive gameplay. Overall, the story strikes a balance between simplicity and intrigue, keeping players hooked despite occasional critiques of limited exploration rewards.
- “It turned my expectations around several times; that's some well thought out storytelling and world building.”
- “The story is engrossing and told in an interesting fashion.”
- “Goldenheart is an extremely unusual game that will immerse us in a fantasy story full of surrealism.”
- “Goldenheart is a game that failed to spark any interest in the world, story, characters, progression, and even its own mechanics.”
- “And I didn’t like the story; it was kind of flat.”
- “The story itself is pretty linear.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
35%
18%
The game's music receives mixed feedback: while some praise its unique, atmospheric, and synthesizer-inspired soundtrack that complements the game's mysticism and peaceful journey, others criticize it for devolving into dissonant, droning noise that clashes with the setting and lacks catchiness. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as distinctive but occasionally polarizing in its style and execution.
- “The universe is quite charming too, and the soundtrack is certainly unique.”
- “Amazing atmosphere and soundtrack.”
- “A lot of this game is about the journey, which is really peaceful and the music is gorgeous!”
- “The soundtrack devolves into madness and background noise, or progresses into weird chords that don't fit the setting of the game. While this makes sense in some parts, it would have been better to have a more folk-type soundtrack, maybe even Central American folk-inspired.”
- “This all could have been saved by a killer soundtrack, but unfortunately it is less catchy and more droning and subdued, like most amateur original soundtracks.”
- “More appropriate soundtrack needed.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The game's graphics feature a retro, low-budget aesthetic reminiscent of PS1, N64, and early PC titles like Ocarina of Time and Morrowind, with a distinct, high-contrast art style that enhances its surreal atmosphere. While not technically advanced, the visuals are consistent, charming, and effective for an indie game, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- “Seeping with retro graphics and atmosphere, this world is ripe for discovery and adventure that will get more and more weird and surreal the more you progress.”
- “The retro graphics really work in the game's favor; the devs are highly responsive on Discord and the game has been getting regular updates and improvements over the last several weeks, as of this review.”
- “For an indie game, this game has crisp visuals and smooth combat. Overall gameplay kinda reminded me of Valheim; the NPC models they have chosen remind me of old Tomb Raider games, but this definitely has more scary expressions.”
- “Its aesthetic holds it not by hand but by a leash - high contrast vegetation that makes everything seem like an item, lack of any sort of even a slight reward for exploration or fight, simply nothing is interesting.”
- “The graphics won’t feel better when you’re playing it.”
- “I think this is really a budget thing, but the graphics are not the thing this game hangs its hat on.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game features a rich, retro-inspired atmosphere that blends somber tones with surreal and increasingly strange elements, creating an immersive world perfect for exploration and adventure. Players consistently praise its captivating environment, strong world-building, and complementary soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Seeping with retro graphics and atmosphere, this world is ripe for discovery and adventure that becomes more weird and surreal as you progress.”
- “Wonderful atmosphere and world building, great puzzles, and an awesome adventure!”
- “Incredible atmosphere, enjoyable exploration, the puzzle segments were tough but I felt great getting through it!”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is characterized by quirky, retro-inspired visuals and funny character and monster designs, blending 90's vibes with strange, offbeat settings. While some jokes land well, the overall tone can feel oddly unforgiving at times.
- “Sometimes weirdly unforgiving, sometimes honestly funny.”
- “Which is low-fi simple assets with funny character sprites and a vibe ripped straight out of the 90's.”
- “Some funny monster designs, and really strange settings too.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from poor optimization, delivering unacceptable performance given its relatively simple visuals.
- “Unforgivable performance for how it looks.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious, as progressing through certain puzzles often relies on repetitive trial and error rather than engaging or varied gameplay.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect is generally positive, offering a wholesome and mildly uplifting experience that is slightly above average. While not deeply moving, it provides a comforting and enjoyable emotional engagement.