Heartstop
- May 5, 2022
- M.A. Starling
Get on Steam"Heartstop" is a single-player adventure game with a gripping plot. After a mysterious event stops everyone's movement, player-character Cora seeks to bring back her friends and family. Along the way, her relationship with a stranger who was unaffected by the event unfolds, presenting the player with impactful choices and multiple endings. The game explores themes of isolation, connection, and hope in the midst of fear.
Reviews
- The game features a beautifully written narrative with relatable characters, making it emotionally impactful and engaging.
- Players appreciate the meaningful choices that significantly affect the story and character relationships, enhancing replayability.
- The visuals and sound design effectively complement the story, creating an immersive experience that resonates with players.
- The game lacks controller support, requiring players to remap controls, which can be inconvenient.
- Some players found the protagonist, Cora, to be unlikable and inconsistent, which detracted from their overall enjoyment of the story.
- There are minor technical issues, such as spelling errors and unskippable cutscenes, that can disrupt the flow of the game.
- story30 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its quality writing, emotional depth, and the impact of player choices, making it a compelling experience despite its mostly linear structure. It tackles heavy themes such as loss and sacrifice, and features relatable characters that enhance the narrative's personal touch. While some minor issues exist, such as clunky moments and a less likable protagonist, the overall reception highlights it as a standout title in the story-driven genre, particularly for fans of sapphic narratives.
“Fortunately, the quality of writing and pacing makes it worth the minor effort in seeing how your choices affect the story.”
“The story is very well written and I love the characters.”
“A gripping storyline with well-fleshed out characters.”
“Although the storyline (from what I can tell) is mostly linear, this high level of variety ensures that you actually could replay this game just to see the effects of your various choices.”
“Characters don't need to necessarily be likable, but an uncommunicative protagonist in a game all about story feels like a misstep.”
“But as someone who plays for story and interaction between characters, I didn't want to continue.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is described as a heart-wrenching experience that evokes strong emotions, particularly sadness, through its poignant storytelling and impactful choices. Players report feeling deeply affected, with many expressing that the narrative led them to tears, highlighting its beautifully touching and engaging nature. The emotional depth is further enhanced by the fitting music that complements the game's mood.
“I cried 😢.”
“I had a very hard time making the final choice; just thinking about the outcomes made me cry. Finally choosing and seeing the ending made me cry even more.”
“Beautifully touching and engaging visual novel 9/10.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its quality and memorability in key scenes. While some users note that the sound effects and music are sourced from an asset store and may not be particularly standout, they effectively complement the game's mood, especially during emotional moments. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's colorful and adorable atmosphere.
“The music and writing are great here.”
“Adorable, colorful, great music, generally bug-free.”
“The game does have music and boasts sound effects, all of which the developer got from an asset store.”
“While nothing really stands out, it does fit the mood of the game, especially some of the music in the more emotional scenes.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's graphics effectively utilize a robust engine, featuring dynamic elements like moving cloud shadows, dust motes, and weather effects that enhance the visual experience. The nostalgic 16-bit style complements the expressive character designs, creating a charming aesthetic that resonates well with players.
“On the visuals, the engine is definitely put to good use with lazily moving cloud shadows outdoors, dust motes, dynamic lighting and weather effects, blowing leaves, and foley to match.”
“The majority of the game is done reminiscent of 16-bit era graphics, and it works very well, and the characters can be very expressive.”
“The times the RPG movement is utilized for gameplay are very few, although due to the aforementioned quality of visuals, there is a certain nostalgic cuteness to a lot of it.”
“The majority of the game is reminiscent of 16-bit era graphics, and while it works well, it may not appeal to everyone.”
“The times the RPG movement is utilized for gameplay are very few, and while there is a certain nostalgic cuteness to the visuals, they may feel lacking in depth.”
“Visuals are a mixed bag; while some aspects are charming, they often fall short of modern standards.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily narrative-driven, focusing on player choices rather than extensive RPG mechanics, which are used sparingly. While the visuals evoke a nostalgic charm, the limited movement options may leave some players wanting more in terms of interactive gameplay.
“This game is mostly narrative, which means the biggest part of gameplay is actually the choices you make.”
“The times the RPG movement is utilized for gameplay are very few, but due to the quality of visuals, there is a certain nostalgic charm to it.”
“The times the RPG movement is utilized for gameplay are very few; however, due to the quality of visuals, there is a certain nostalgic cuteness to a lot of it.”
“This game is mostly narrative, which means the biggest part of gameplay revolves around the choices players make.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability thanks to a variety of choices that influence the outcome, along with multiple endings that provide additional incentive for players to revisit the experience.
“But, due to the variety of choices you're given, it has high replayability.”
“The only extras it has are a few different endings, which can add a little replay value for those who liked it.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the game to be stable, noting its adorable visuals, vibrant colors, and enjoyable music, with minimal bugs reported.
“Adorable, colorful, great music, generally bug-free.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many users highlighting its exceptional quality and effectiveness in enhancing the overall experience.
“The humor is amazing.”
“The witty dialogue had me laughing out loud.”
“The game's quirky characters and hilarious situations kept me entertained throughout.”
