Heart and Seoul

About

Heart and Seoul is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Sapphire Dragon Productions and was released on November 1, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Heart and Seoul" is a visual novel game where players uncover secrets and navigate relationships in a modern-day South Korean city. The game features a vibrant, interactive setting with multiple endings determined by player choices. Players will explore themes of identity, family, and love while immersed in Korean culture and language.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

story14 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a charming story that captures the essence of a Korean drama, with funny and heartwarming dialogue.
The artwork, particularly the impressionist-style backgrounds, is visually appealing and adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.
The soundtrack is catchy and enhances the light-hearted feel of the game, making it enjoyable to play.

The writing is poorly executed, with a lack of character development and a very short, linear plot that feels rushed and uneventful.
The game includes a match-3 mini-game that is bland and does not contribute meaningfully to the story, along with static character sprites that lack facial expressions.
There are significant issues with authenticity, as the game features a non-skippable club scene populated mostly by white characters, which detracts from the intended Korean setting.

story
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
9%
The story of the game is generally perceived as very short and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it feels rushed and poorly developed. While some appreciate the art and the universal themes, others criticize the writing quality, character development, and the overall execution, suggesting that it fails to create a meaningful connection with players. Additionally, the inclusion of a mini-game is seen as unnecessary and detracting from the narrative experience.
- “Great story and amazing art!”
- “This was such a sweet story!”
- “Ok, it's a short visual novel but the story, set in Seoul of course, is quite nice and relatable.”
- “But honestly, the storyline of this game is too plain and boring.”
- “The story was short and too simple, and you don't get hints on how your answers affect the relationship with the characters, and the answer options are repetitive.”
- “The option to choose your own name doesn't exist, the characters are very one-dimensional with only one graphic for each, the mini-game is completely and totally pointless, and the length of time this game encompasses does not allow for any real feeling of connection with either the story or the characters.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
31%
14%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the overall art style and soothing soundtrack, while others criticize the lack of variety in character designs and facial expressions. Background artwork is noted as decent, but the rough quality and readability issues with the log detract from the experience. Overall, while the visuals may not be exceptional, they do not significantly diminish the enjoyment of the visual novel's story.
- “Meanwhile, the game soundtracks and graphics/visuals are good.”
- “On the plus side, the art style is good and the soundtrack is soothing.”
- “You should get this game if you want an engaging storyline and amazing artwork.”
- “Artwork: character stills have little variety, no CGs, and the backgrounds are rough just like the game in general.”
- “The option to choose your own name doesn't exist, the characters are very one-dimensional with only one graphic for each, the mini-game is completely and totally pointless, and the length of time this game encompasses does not allow for any real feeling of connection with either the story or the characters.”
- “The art style was okay, but there’s a lack of facial expressions on the characters, and that bothered me a lot.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find the soundtrack soothing and a highlight of the experience, others describe it as generic and irritating, leading them to mute it. Overall, the art style is praised alongside the music, but opinions vary significantly on its impact.
- “Meanwhile, the game soundtracks and graphics/visuals are good.”
- “Nice soundtrack.”
- “On the plus side, the art style is good and the soundtrack is soothing.”
- “The music got on my nerves quite quickly and I had to mute it.”
- “Sound: the best part of the game is probably the generic music used.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotional responses through its impressionist-style backgrounds, reminiscent of a Degas painting, and features dialogue that is both humorous and heartwarming. Players find the characters to be well-rounded and relatable, enhancing the overall emotional experience.
- “The dialogue is often funny, sweet, and heartwarming, and the characters feel very real and well-rounded.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a notable amount of humor, with many funny and heartwarming moments woven into the character dialogues, making the interactions feel genuine and relatable. Players appreciate the rarity of such humor in video games, suggesting that the comedic elements alone make the game worth experiencing.
- “Though I enjoyed a lot of the conversations between the characters, there were many funny moments in the game, which is rare in video games. For that alone, I feel that one should get this game, even for the few chuckles it will give you along the way!”
- “The dialogue is often funny, sweet, and heartwarming, and the characters feel very real and well-rounded.”
- “The dialogue is often funny, sweet, and heartwarming, and the characters feel very real and well-rounded.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books to be tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where players must click to progress through text, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative. This repetitive clicking can make engaging stories feel laborious rather than immersive.
- “Grinding in this game feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and repetitive.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources makes the gameplay feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
- “I found myself stuck in an endless loop of grinding, which took away from the enjoyment of the story and characters.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is criticized for being minimal and unengaging, primarily consisting of clicking through poorly written dialogue that lacks the quality expected for publication.
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is heavily influenced by the vibrant and unique backdrop of Seoul, offering players a rich and immersive experience filled with fun and engaging elements that reflect the city's culture and energy.
- “The game immerses you in a unique atmosphere, filled with fun experiences that capture the essence of Seoul.”
- “The vibrant atmosphere and engaging experiences truly reflect the rich background of Seoul.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight a significant shortcoming in character development, with multiple users expressing that the absence of growth or depth made it difficult for them to connect with or care about the characters.
- “The biggest negative for me was the complete lack of character development, which meant I didn't really care about the characters.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with multiple users noting that it offers very little incentive to play again after the initial experience.
- “Hardly any replay value.”
- “Hardly any replay value.”