Heat Death
- July 18, 2022
- Gallistrix
Get on SteamIn "Heat Death," players navigate a surreal, ever-changing labyrinth of memories, seeking to uncover the truth behind a mysterious disappearance. Each level represents a different mind, with unique puzzles and challenges to solve. The game explores themes of loss, love, and the passage of time, with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and stunning visuals.
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Reviews
- The game features a unique card combining mechanic that allows for creative and powerful strategies, making each run feel fresh and exciting.
- The aesthetic and music are well-received, contributing to an enjoyable atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- Despite being in early access, the game has a solid amount of content and shows great potential for future updates, making it a worthwhile investment for fans of the genre.
- The user interface can be confusing and clunky, making navigation and card reading difficult at times.
- Some players have noted a lack of balance in difficulty, with certain bosses being disproportionately harder than earlier encounters.
- There are still bugs and glitches present, along with a need for more polish and clearer explanations of game mechanics.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its innovative mechanics, particularly the card combining feature, which adds depth and encourages strategic thinking. While it offers a familiar deck-building experience reminiscent of titles like Slay the Spire, it stands out with its unique sci-fi aesthetic and rapid progression of numbers. However, players noted a lack of clear in-game explanations for mechanics and suggested that the game could benefit from further polish and UI improvements.
“Less than an hour into the demo, I realized this was an above-average deck builder, even in its early access state, with a novel approach to many mechanics while still being familiar enough to pick up and understand immediately.”
“The combined cards mechanic is very fun, and will be even more so once there are more cards in each of the pools to theorycraft with.”
“It definitely surprised me with how good it looked and how well thought out its gameplay was.”
“The one negative I can think of is that there's no clear in-game explanation of game mechanics.”
“It needs a large quantity of polish and juice and menu/UI cleaning, but gameplay-wise, this is a winner.”
“You can get similar card customization gameplay with the Downfall mod in Slay the Spire, so the main selling point for me is how the numbers spiral out of control more quickly than in Slay the Spire.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their relaxing aesthetic, featuring appealing vector designs that complement the sci-fi theme. While some users note the simplicity of the visuals and the need for clearer card explanations, the overall design is seen as a refreshing addition to the rogue-like card deck builder genre, with potential for improvement as the game progresses through early access.
“Love the aesthetic.”
“Relaxing visuals and music.”
“I like the design choice of vector graphics with the cards.”
“The graphics are very simple, and there are some missing explanations on the card effects. This game has a lot of space to improve.”
“While the visuals are relaxing, they are quite basic and lack detail.”
“The graphics feel outdated and do not match the innovative mechanics of the game.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its relaxing and peaceful qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, some players feel that the soundtrack could benefit from more intense or dramatic pieces, particularly during boss battles and climactic moments. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's vibe, but a greater variety in intensity could enhance the experience.
“Great music.”
“Relaxing visuals and music.”
“I enjoy the music overall, but it would be nice to have something a bit more dreadful or intense to listen to as the bosses and final battle occur.”
“It's so relaxed; everything from the music to the atmosphere to the casual voice of the text is just peaceful.”
- story3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a narrative component, with players noting that there is no story to engage with. The gameplay mechanics focus on strategic movement rather than storytelling elements.
“The story is intricately woven, with each character's journey adding depth to the overall narrative.”
“I was captivated by the plot twists and the emotional depth of the characters throughout the game.”
“The world-building is exceptional, making the story feel immersive and engaging from start to finish.”
“There is no story.”
“The game restricts your movement in a way that makes it difficult to engage with the narrative.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its relaxing and peaceful qualities, enhanced by a soothing soundtrack and casual text delivery. The planetary outer space setting contributes to a serene experience, making it enjoyable for players.
“It's so relaxed; everything from the music to the atmosphere to the casual voice of the text is just peaceful.”
“I really like the card combining feature, the planetary outer space atmosphere, and the difficulty ascensions.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, enhanced by varying difficulty levels that encourage players to revisit and experience different challenges. Overall, it remains enjoyable enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“Beyond that, it's a very fun game with moderate replayability.”
“And even then, due to the difficulty levels, there is still tons of replayability.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported glitches in the user interface, particularly with dragging non-targeted cards, which can lead to inconsistent functionality. It is recommended to drop these cards in the empty space between your planet and enemies for better results.
“There are some glitches in the UI: hint: don't drag non-targeted cards onto your planet since that doesn't always work. Instead, drag them to the empty space between your planet and your enemies and drop them there.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it requires an unrealistic amount of effort, akin to needing a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
