Heart and Seoul
- November 1, 2016
- Sapphire Dragon Productions
Get on Steam"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.
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Reviews
- The game features a charming story that captures the essence of a Korean drama, with funny and heartwarming dialogue.
- The artwork, particularly the backgrounds, is visually appealing and adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the light-hearted tone of the game.
- The writing is poorly executed, with bland dialogue and a lack of character development, making it hard to connect with the characters.
- The game is extremely short and lacks meaningful choices, leading to a feeling of repetitiveness and a lack of engagement.
- The inclusion of a real-life club video featuring predominantly white people feels out of place and undermines the game's attempt to authentically represent Korean culture.
- story59 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally perceived as short, simplistic, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that character development and plot progression feel rushed and nonsensical. While some appreciate the charming art and relatable themes, others criticize the writing quality and the overall blandness of the narrative, suggesting that it fails to engage players meaningfully. The inclusion of a mini-game is seen as unnecessary and detracting from the storytelling experience, leading to a consensus that the game may appeal more to casual fans of the visual novel genre rather than those seeking a compelling narrative.
“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.”
“The storyline of this game is too plain and boring.”
“The story feels quite bland somehow, and I am not sure if the English translation is to blame for this or not.”
“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.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and background visuals while others criticize the lack of variety in character artwork and facial expressions. Users note that the overall quality of the graphics is rough, and the absence of CGs detracts from the experience. Despite these shortcomings, many still find the visuals acceptable within the context of the game's engaging storyline.
“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.”
“There are no CGs and the artwork for the characters is unremarkable.”
“The art style was okay, but there’s a lack of facial expressions on the characters, and that bothered me a lot.”
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it soothing and a highlight of the experience, while others describe it as generic or annoying, leading to a desire to mute it. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated by some, it is not compelling enough for players to engage with the game solely for its music.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Meanwhile, the game soundtracks and graphics are good.”
“On the plus side, the art style is good and the soundtrack is soothing.”
“Sound: the best part of the game is probably the generic music used.”
“Possibly the best part of this visual novel, but not good enough to play purely for the music.”
“The music got on my nerves quite quickly and I had to mute it.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a notable sense of humor, with many funny moments and engaging dialogue that adds depth to the characters. Players appreciate the comedic elements, particularly in interactions and achievements related to humor, making it a standout aspect that enhances the overall experience. Despite some frustrations, the humor provides enjoyable moments that are worth experiencing.
“Though within that I did enjoy a lot of the conversations between the characters and there were a lot of 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.”
“There are eight achievements, including one to get all endings and one for choosing all the 'funny' options in the interview with Seok-jin.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While some users felt a lack of emotional connection to the game, others praised the dialogue as funny, sweet, and heartwarming, contributing to well-rounded and relatable characters. The impressionist style backgrounds also added a unique aesthetic that enhanced the overall experience.
“I liked the impressionist style backgrounds; they made me feel like I was in a Degas painting.”
“The dialogue is often funny, sweet, and heartwarming, and the characters feel very real and well-rounded.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is largely criticized for its lack of substance, primarily consisting of poorly written dialogue that detracts from the experience. Additionally, the unskippable match-3 mini-game feels out of place and serves more as a gimmick than a meaningful addition to the overall gameplay.
“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?'”
“The match-3 drinks mini-game (unskippable and unexplained) that you are forced to play three times on every route appears quite out of place too, more a gimmick than a supplementary mechanic.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening it to a frustratingly slow reading experience where progress is hindered by constant clicking. While some appreciate it for achievement farming, many feel it detracts from the enjoyment of the narrative.
“Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best... imagine the best novel you ever read, be that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or 2001: A Space Odyssey or Twilight (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
“It's honestly just good for achievement farming and then that's it.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant disappointment with the character development, highlighting a complete absence of growth or depth that left players feeling disconnected and indifferent towards the characters.
“The biggest negative for me was the complete lack of character development, which meant I didn't really care about the characters.”
“There is no real character development.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enriched by its unique setting in Seoul, offering players a vibrant and immersive experience that captures the city's distinct cultural backdrop. Users appreciate the fun and engaging elements that enhance the overall ambiance, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The unique atmosphere and fun experiences from the background of Seoul truly immerse you in the game.”
“The game's atmosphere captures the essence of Seoul, making every moment feel vibrant and alive.”
“I was completely drawn into the atmosphere, with its rich details and engaging environment that reflect the spirit of Seoul.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that it offers hardly any incentive to play through again.
“There is hardly any replay value.”
“The game offers little incentive to play again.”
“Once you finish the game, there's not much reason to return.”
