HEARTSHOT
- March 3, 2024
- Meadow Studios
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"HEARTSHOT is a single-player Action game with an interesting plot, set in a high-octane VR espionage world. Utilize magnet gloves for unique weapon retrieval and environmental manipulation, with a variety of customizable weapons and intuitive interaction systems. The game is full of humor and features stellar graphics, a good soundtrack, but is also reported to have plenty of bugs."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique art style and engaging sound design that enhances the overall experience.
- Gunplay is fun and satisfying, with a variety of weapons and mechanics that encourage creative gameplay.
- The developers are actively listening to feedback and making regular updates to improve the game.
- The game is very buggy and janky, with issues like falling through the map and inconsistent weapon handling.
- There are significant quality of life issues, such as the lack of holsters for weapons and poor controller alignment.
- The campaign is currently short, and the AI behavior is lacking, making encounters feel less engaging.
- story171 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The game's story, while not groundbreaking, is enhanced by engaging voice acting and humorous dialogue, creating a fun and cinematic experience reminiscent of spy movie parodies. Players appreciate the atmospheric environments and visual storytelling, though many express frustration with gameplay mechanics and bugs that detract from the overall experience. As the game is in early access, there is optimism for future improvements and additional story content.
“The story presentation up to what I played was also fantastic; it felt really cinematic and actually has me excited for the rest of the story content. Bonus points for the intense movements in the opening scene, not many VR devs are brave enough to do potentially sickening cinematics.”
“I walk away happy with my purchase, and super excited to see where this story goes, and how much the game changes over the coming months in early access.”
“Great storytelling, and some very funny moments.”
“The worst part is I wanted to believe in this game, the story and writing seemed charming and I've got a soft spot for satires of old spy movies, but I just can't get past how awful the gameplay is.”
“The plot tells enough story to give the player some meaning for engaging in fights, but the characters don't fit the game's cinematic feeling whatsoever.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but ultimately the game is missing incredibly important settings like turning options, graphics settings, hold settings (the game only allows you to click grip buttons to grab and drop things giving no hold option) has horrible early VR feeling gunplay with forced virtual stock for rifles, and is distracting just how buggy it is.”
- graphics120 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique art style and retro-inspired visuals reminiscent of classic games, while others criticize the low-quality textures and lack of detail that detract from immersion. Many users noted the absence of graphical options and the presence of bugs that further hinder the visual experience. Overall, while the game shows potential with its artistic direction, it currently suffers from significant graphical shortcomings and performance issues.
“Graphically speaking, they've done some unique things here.”
“The graphics shine once again through the different set pieces here, and the environments have some very neat details, especially the easter eggs you can spot on various screens; overall a very pretty game.”
“Also want to take a moment to appreciate the graphics, striking this really beautiful modern-retro style that reminds me of Compound VR with a dash of polished voxel goodness.”
“The graphics are absolutely horrendous, even with the highest settings it still looks worse than Half-Life (literally).”
“Graphic is Minecraft mobile version level (which won't be the biggest issue if the game was working), the trailer was a fantastic video which does not reflect the actual final product.”
“Firstly, the graphics occasionally appear pixelated and lack detail, which detracts from the overall immersion.”
- gameplay95 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as fun and engaging, particularly the gunplay and overall presentation, but it is marred by numerous bugs and janky mechanics that detract from the experience. Many players appreciate the game's cinematic feel and humor, yet express frustration with awkward controls and quality of life issues, suggesting that it is best to wait for further polish before diving in. Overall, while the core gameplay has potential, it currently suffers from significant technical shortcomings that hinder enjoyment.
“I'm loving everything about it—the levels, the graphics, the gunplay, the mechanics... you name it.”
“Add in some great comedic moments, good variety and spacing of gameplay moments, satisfying gunplay, and just straight-up good game design, and it all comes together perfectly!”
“The mechanics I've experienced make for some really fun gameplay; when it's polished up, this should be a special little package.”
“The visuals and presentation are nice, but it doesn't make up for the awkward and disorienting gameplay experience.”
“But the absolutely monotonous gameplay and environment quickly get boring.”
“The worst part is I wanted to believe in this game, the story and writing seemed charming and I've got a soft spot for satires of old spy movies, but I just can't get past how awful the gameplay is.”
- stability40 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact the overall experience. While some players have managed to navigate these issues and still find enjoyment, many express frustration over the game's instability, particularly in its early access state. Despite some patches addressing specific problems, the consensus is that the game remains unpolished and may not be suitable for those sensitive to bugs.
“No bugs, no glitches, nothing.”
“No bugs, no glitches, nothing.”
“Gameplay is fun and the art style looks pretty cool, but the game is very buggy and janky right now.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but ultimately it is distracting just how buggy it is. I frequently encountered issues like enemies getting stuck outside of the map, doors not opening when they should, and items falling through the map when trying to grab them.”
“Wow, this game is super buggy. You would think it would run smoother given its low graphics, but there are no options for graphics settings or smooth turning. I know this is early access, but this is just horrible.”
- music37 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received praise for its orchestral quality and engaging soundtrack, enhancing the immersive experience of being a secret agent. However, some players noted that the abrupt transitions in music during combat detract from the overall atmosphere. Despite minor criticisms, the soundtrack is generally regarded as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's cinematic feel.
“The music is very orchestral-minded with some weird 90s techno elements thrown in there just a tiny bit, giving me huge Metal Gear Solid vibes.”
“The music further heightened the feeling of being in an action-packed film.”
“Heartshot presents an intriguing concept with stylish presentation, enjoyable voice acting, and an engaging soundtrack, promising an exceptional VR experience.”
“The music starting and stopping so fast every time you go in and out of combat kinda ruins the vibe a little; I would like to hear the music more rather than it just going away.”
“- Incessant beeping/alarm sound effect during music before opening big gate (at least I hope this is a bug and not actually part of the soundtrack).”
“- Incessant beeping/alarm sound effect during music before opening big gate (at least I hope this is a bug and not actually part of the soundtrack).”
- humor26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and entertaining dialogue, with many players enjoying the tongue-in-cheek style and funny voice acting. The combination of wacky animations, humorous writing, and engaging enemy interactions contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere, making the intense gameplay more enjoyable. Overall, the humor ranges from subtle smiles to outright laughter, enhancing the overall experience.
“The voice acting is great and the humor is spot on.”
“The humor ranged from making me smile to laughing out loud.”
“Setpiece wise this game nails it, voice acting is nice, gun sounds feel powerful, humorous writing, and the graphics are really unique and detailed despite it being PS1 style.”
- optimization24 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting decent performance and smoother gameplay after updates, while others report significant issues such as lag, stuttering, and bugs that lead to lost progress. Many users express disappointment in the low-quality textures and lack of graphical options, particularly for VR headsets like the Quest 2, indicating that the game feels poorly optimized overall. Overall, while there are some improvements, the game still requires substantial work to enhance its performance and user experience.
“Performance enhancements: the game now runs more smoothly, with fewer hiccups and stutters.”
“The game runs smoothly, and looks pretty good even with the PS2 era textures.”
“Performance seems decent, though the textures are better than Quest quality but below what you'd really want for a PC VR game.”
“The world moves oddly when you move your head, the gun angle is bad, the performance isn't good, and the game bugged out after 30 minutes and lost all of my progress.”
“Wow this game is super buggy. You would think it would run smoother being as low graphic as it is. Speaking of graphics, there are no options for it at all and no options for smooth turning. I can't holster guns. I know this is early access, but this is just horrible. What a shame; the trailers make it look so much better than it really is. Very disappointed. Tried playing it with my Quest 3 using Virtual Desktop and Steam Link, horrible performance on both.”
“On an i7-12700K and a 2070, I find the game constantly lagging and stuttering when moving between areas, causing disorienting motion sickness.”
- atmosphere22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its effective sound design, well-crafted levels, and retro-styled graphics that evoke a nostalgic early 2000s feel. Many players appreciate the visual storytelling and color palette, noting that it enhances the overall experience, although some feel there is room for improvement. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the game, making it a standout feature.
“Btw sick sound design, atmospheric environments, and visual storytelling.”
“The developers nailed the atmosphere.”
“It's got a great atmosphere and a lovely color palette.”
“Atmosphere is fine, can be improved but can also be left where it's at.”
“The weapons feel and sound great, navigation is pretty easy (major thanks for the updates) but boy let me tell you about the atmosphere...”
“Atmosphere - 4.5/10”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive process of dropping and picking up magazines by walking over them. While the mechanic itself is functional, it can become monotonous over time.
“The game allows you to pick up magazines just by walking over them, which is fine, but it became a bit tedious to have to keep dropping magazines and walking over them.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight that significant effort has been invested in the character designs and personalities, indicating a well-thought-out approach to character development that enhances the overall gaming experience.
“Actual thought was put into character designs and personality.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely negative, with users expressing feelings of discomfort and nausea, suggesting that the gameplay experience is not only flawed but also distressing.
