Heal
- April 10, 2020
- Jesse Makkonen
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Heal is a single-player, mystery point-and-click game with an absorbing story, exceptional music, and stunning visuals. It's an experimental 2D puzzle-adventure game, handmade in Finland, with minimal dialogue and text, relying instead on its obscure atmosphere to drive the narrative. Get ready to explore an abstract world filled with atmospheric puzzles and nostalgic melodies."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful hand-drawn art style and atmospheric sound design create an engaging experience.
- Puzzles are enjoyable and varied, striking a balance between challenge and satisfaction.
- The game delivers a poignant story about memory and loss, culminating in a heartfelt ending.
- Some puzzles rely on precise clicking and timing, which can be frustrating and lead to trial and error.
- The game is quite short, with a playtime of around one hour, which may not justify the full price for some players.
- Clunky controls and a lack of clear instructions can hinder the gameplay experience.
- story86 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as vague and minimal, primarily serving as a backdrop to the puzzles rather than a central focus. While some players found the emotional themes touching, particularly regarding the old man's journey of healing, many felt the narrative lacked depth and clarity, leaving them confused about the character's motivations until the end. Overall, the story is seen as simple and abstract, with a few players appreciating the atmosphere and art that complemented the experience.
“I liked the art a lot, and the sorrowful atmosphere was outstanding; it almost told the story on its own.”
“Heal tells us a story about an old man who is captured in his own memories and fears; he goes the whole way to understand the loss and heal his heart.”
“Great story, though also sad, but done in a beautiful way!”
“The story, as far as you can call it that, is pretty vague and abstract.”
“Story is cryptic, basically non-existent.”
“No real story through most of the game; you have no clue what is going on with the old man and why he is doing these puzzles until the very end.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style and serene visuals, creating an immersive and atmospheric experience. Many reviewers highlight the combination of stunning artwork and a captivating soundtrack, which enhances the overall gameplay. However, some caution about occasional bright flashes that may be distracting.
“Heal combines serene visuals with relaxing gameplay, creating an experience that feels like a virtual spa day for your mind.”
“The hand-drawn art style is beautiful!”
“An atmospheric short puzzle game with beautiful artwork and a heart touching end.”
“Practically a 2D walker with unusual graphics; it starts in a dark and depressive tone, gets lighter as the game progresses, and ends on an optimistic note, even though it's still a little sad.”
“Fun, relaxing, frustrating sometimes... a good mix of feelings, paired with an interesting aesthetic and gameplay.”
“Love this artwork; some of the puzzles are hard because of the control.”
- atmosphere46 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful artwork, emotional depth, and haunting qualities, creating a melancholic and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and art to enhance the storytelling, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a light yet atmospheric puzzle game. Overall, the atmosphere is described as thick, sweet, and at times chilling, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact.
“I liked the art a lot, and the sorrowful atmosphere was outstanding; it almost told the story on its own.”
“Beautiful and sad, with a haunting atmosphere.”
“A gently-paced, atmospheric and thoughtful point-and-click puzzler with beautiful artwork/audio, intriguing puzzles, and some truly emotional moments.”
“Beautiful looking puzzle game, with a creepy atmosphere.”
“It's 1-2 hours of pleasant (if fiddly) puzzles and, though inferior to the Distraints, that same engrossing 'psyche-like' atmosphere.”
“I'd put this in the cute and quick category; I really dig the atmosphere, art, and story, and found the puzzles pretty engaging, but if you're looking for mind-blowingly original puzzles, this won't be your jam.”
- music32 mentions
- 81 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and emotional qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and narrative experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, often describing it as lovely, memorable, and well-matched to the game's aesthetic. Overall, the combination of beautiful artwork and evocative music contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The pacing, atmosphere, story, and music are all great and emotional.”
“Music is great and the most impressive part of the game in conjunction with narratives.”
“It has a phenomenal art style that joins with its surprisingly memorable music to make a brief, but satisfying experience.”
“The music is alright :)”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its predictability, slow pace, and reliance on clunky mechanics, leading to a less engaging experience. While some appreciated the serene visuals and relaxing elements, others criticized the simplicity of puzzles and inconsistencies in game design. Overall, the gameplay is seen as lacking depth and innovation, making it feel more like a short, casual experience rather than a compelling challenge.
“Heal combines serene visuals with relaxing gameplay, creating an experience that feels like a virtual spa day for your mind.”
“Fun, relaxing, frustrating sometimes... a good mix of feelings, paired with an interesting aesthetic and gameplay.”
“Although the gameplay is creepy as hell.”
“A very predictable ending, and less than 2 hours of gameplay.”
“They were not only timed achievements which no one likes, but worse than that, they were too tight and one of them even relied on clunky mechanics.”
“It breaks some fundamental game design rules, like consistency in how elements behave (at first, a pile of boxes blocks your way, but later it turns out you can go past it), or clear controls and mechanics (I had no clue I could drag things or what I could drag).”
- emotional24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the game to be a deeply emotional experience, characterized by its touching story, beautiful artwork, and atmospheric music. While some reviews note that the narrative is simple and somewhat minimal, many appreciate the heartfelt moments and wholesome endings that resonate with them. The combination of engaging puzzles and emotional depth makes it a worthwhile adventure for fans of the genre.
“Even for its shortness, it is still an enjoyable and emotional experience to play, so if you like these types of adventure games, give this one a try.”
“A gently-paced, atmospheric and thoughtful point-and-click puzzler with beautiful artwork/audio, intriguing puzzles and some truly emotional moments.”
“An atmospheric short puzzle game with beautiful artwork and a heart touching end.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, noting that while the game is enjoyable and relatively short, some puzzles can feel tedious and overly simplistic, particularly due to a cumbersome menu system.
“Some puzzles were tedious.”
“The menu system is tedious to navigate.”
“I enjoyed this game; it's short and sweet. However, I also thought that some of the puzzles were just too easy and some of them a little tedious.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability, with many users expressing that there is little incentive to play it again after the initial experience.
“There's really not much replayability here at all.”
“There's really not much replayability here at all.”
