February 26, 2020
indienova

Heaven Dust

A zombie virus plague threatens mankind. Can you solve the puzzles, find the clues and understand what has happened? Heaven Dust is a great addition to the genre, it doesn't play to the cliché's and leaves you on the edge of your seat with its atmospheric presentation. + Retro art style. + Ominous audio. + A well balanced level of difficulty. + A good use of well known mechanics. - Odd controller layout. (Reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Also available on PC, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation.)

87%Game Brain Score

graphics, story

music, optimization

91% User Score Based on 188 reviews

Critic Score 74%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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About

Heaven Dust is a single player survival role playing shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by indienova and was released on February 26, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

In Heaven Dust, you wake up in a zombie-infested mansion, formerly a research center for the "Heaven Dust" virus. To escape, you must conquer your fears, gather items, solve puzzles, and uncover the sinister truth behind the virus. Initially discovered in the blood of a primitive tribe in New Guinea, the virus was moved to the USA, where the StarDust subsidiary continued the deadly research. Now, the disaster is spiraling out of control.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 188 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Heaven Dust offers a charming and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic Resident Evil games, with clever puzzles and engaging level design.
The game features a unique art style that combines cute characters with a top-down perspective, making it visually distinct and enjoyable.
Players appreciate the fluid controls and the balance of difficulty, along with multiple endings and unlockable content that encourage replayability.

The game suffers from translation issues that can make puzzles confusing and unintuitive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Combat is overly simplistic, with only one type of enemy and limited weapon variety, which detracts from the survival horror experience.
Some players experienced game-breaking bugs, such as getting soft-locked at critical points, which can significantly hinder progress.

graphics
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
83%
6%
The graphics of "Heaven Dust" feature a unique, charming retro aesthetic that draws inspiration from classic survival horror games like Resident Evil, though they are not graphically demanding or particularly advanced. While the art style is described as cute and cozy, some players feel it detracts from the horror experience, with basic animations and a lack of graphical settings. Overall, the visuals effectively set the tone and atmosphere, making for a fun and engaging gameplay experience despite their simplicity.
- “With its charming retro aesthetic and surprisingly detailed environments, Heaven Dust will transport you back to the golden age of gaming... without giving you nightmares.”
- “All the puzzles, the exploration, the zombie-blasting action... but with a quirky, almost cozy aesthetic.”
- “While severely limited (only one gun and one type of enemy, little puzzle variety, not very intuitive or polished), these cartoonish graphics are surprisingly charming and make for a cool experience.”
- “The game doesn’t have graphics settings, except for the fullscreen/windowed mode.”
- “There is nothing new here besides the art style.”
- “Heaven Dust has a rather mediocre art style.”
story
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
72%
6%
The story is primarily delivered through collectible notes and journals, which some players find engaging while others consider it a lackluster approach. It features a straightforward plot centered around classic horror elements like zombies and bioweapons, but lacks depth and surprises, making it feel derivative for seasoned fans of the genre. Overall, while the narrative may not be groundbreaking, it effectively complements the gameplay with solid puzzles and a familiar atmosphere.
- “Reading journals around the mansion and solving tricky puzzles to advance through the story is your classic Resident Evil style gameplay.”
- “The story was great and I rarely get into stories so much when it is just text, but this game does it well.”
- “Story is told through diaries, notes, and memos, and keeps you interested in its development.”
- “The story is decent enough but don't expect twists or scares as it is explained in notes and minor environmental storytelling.”
- “It's far too cute to be anything close to horror, and the story and setting is a bit derivative.”
- “Standard plot with no surprises for anyone who has played the RE series.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
53%
6%
The gameplay is characterized as a standard survival horror experience, featuring familiar mechanics such as puzzle-solving, exploration, and resource management reminiscent of classic titles like Resident Evil. Players engage in a combat system where aiming is automated, and the game includes unique elements like vending machines for purchasing items. While the graphics and animations are basic, the gameplay is generally smooth and enjoyable, appealing to fans of the genre despite lacking depth in story and character development.
- “Reading journals around the mansion and solving tricky puzzles to advance through the story is your classic Resident Evil style gameplay.”
- “This game packs a punch, with challenging gameplay that will test your survival skills.”
- “Heaven Dust perfectly captures the classic survival horror feeling, gameplay, and atmosphere!”
- “As for the core gameplay, it uses a similar combat system, where your character makes all the aiming for you and always fires at the target whenever you press a 'shoot' button.”
- “It didn't provide anything new, nor does it have any interesting story or character that you grow attached to during gameplay, but it does satisfy the thirst of those who like this kind of game.”
- “Very cute and nice homage to Resident Evil games, although there are some similarities to gameplay, such as conserving and crafting ammo and health items, it is different; it has an isometric view and you can see the rooms you haven't entered yet, and rooms and environment in general look very samey, but it is a low-budget game so don't expect too much.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
79%
13%
The music in the game is generally described as decent, effectively setting the desired atmosphere without being overly memorable. However, there are notable issues with abrupt soundtrack loops that disrupt immersion, and some tracks recycle sound snippets from the Resident Evil series, which may appeal to fans but could feel unoriginal to others. The save room music, in particular, is highlighted as beautiful amidst these critiques.
- “The save room music is beautiful.”
- “The music is okay though, it’s nothing to write home about, but it didn’t get on my nerves and communicated the desired atmosphere pretty well.”
- “There are problems with the soundtrack loop when you are roaming the halls, or sitting in the safe room.”
- “The loop/cut of the soundtrack before it repeats is so sudden and doesn’t blend well.”
- “But… it also uses sound files and snippets of music from the Resident Evil series.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, effectively capturing a classic survival horror vibe with solid level design, despite its lack of graphical intensity. While the music is described as unremarkable, it complements the overall tone without being distracting. The game balances a cute and humorous atmosphere, though it doesn't fully embrace comedy, maintaining a unique charm.
- “Heaven Dust perfectly captures the classic survival horror feeling, gameplay, and atmosphere!”
- “It’s not a graphically demanding game or looks amazing, but it sets the tone nicely and well enough to have a solid atmosphere.”
- “The music is okay; it’s nothing to write home about, but it didn’t get on my nerves and communicated the desired atmosphere pretty well.”
- “The music is okay, though it's nothing to write home about. It didn't get on my nerves and communicated the desired atmosphere pretty well.”
- “Heaven Dust perfectly captures the classic survival horror feeling, gameplay, and atmosphere.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Heaven Dust" is characterized as charming and light-hearted, contributing to a cute atmosphere rather than a comedic one. While the game features interesting puzzles and exploration, it lacks overt comedic elements in its narrative, making it more of a fun experience than a full-fledged comedy.
- “It's a charming and funny game that manages to bring challenge in item management and puzzles.”
- “Heaven Dust is a funny game with some interesting puzzles and good exploration maps.”
- “It doesn't have a threatening but rather cute and funny atmosphere, but there aren't any hints of humor you find in notes - there are a lot of notes - so it isn't exactly a comedy game either.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The optimization of the game meets expectations, particularly given the quality of the graphics, indicating a solid performance overall.
- “The performance is what you would expect, especially with these graphics.”
- “The performance is what you would expect, especially with these graphics.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers notable replayability through various achievement challenges and multiple endings, encouraging players to revisit it for a more comprehensive experience.
- “You do have some replay value with achievement challenges and multiple endings to complete.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported experiencing audio glitches, indicating stability issues within the game. Overall, these glitches suggest that the game's performance may not be consistently reliable.
- “I had some weird audio glitches here.”
- “I had some weird audio glitches here.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the game evokes a nostalgic emotional response, reminiscent of classic titles like "Zombies Ate My Neighbors" and "Resident Evil," blending feelings of nostalgia with tension and excitement.