Heaven Will Be Mine
- December 8, 2018
- Pillow Fight
- 86h median play time
"Heaven Will Be Mine" is a queer science fiction visual novel set in 1981, where the dream of human habitation in space has been abandoned. Players control one of three defiant pilots who reject Earth's decision and continue to fight for their space-born existence, each with their own Ship-Self robot. The game is from the creators of "We Know The Devil."
Reviews
- The game features fantastic visuals and an engaging writing style that captivates players.
- The relationship dynamics between the three playable characters are fun and provide high replayability with different endings.
- The soundtrack is amazing and complements the narrative beautifully, enhancing the overall experience.
- The writing can be extremely dense and overwhelming at times, making it hard to follow the story.
- Many players found the metaphors and abstract concepts difficult to grasp, leading to confusion.
- The game lacks basic quality of life features common in visual novels, such as a skip button for previously read text.
- story199 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Heaven Will Be Mine" is a complex and abstract narrative that explores themes of identity, queerness, and existentialism through the lens of mecha pilots in a surreal sci-fi setting. While some players find the writing poetic and thought-provoking, others struggle with its vagueness and lack of clear exposition, leading to confusion about the plot and world-building. Overall, the game is praised for its emotional depth and innovative storytelling, though it may not appeal to those seeking a straightforward narrative.
“A story about existing in a world that sees you as less than human, living with a countdown before they come to kill you, and finding hope and purpose in a hopeless situation.”
“It's a story about what we lose when we are cut off from the rest of the world, and what we gain.”
“A beautiful, poetic (gay) story about queer intimacy, fear, trauma, destruction, and possibility.”
“The problem is that it's pretty much entirely left up to the reader to figure out, because most of the surface story doesn't really make sense, nor is it satisfying without the metanarrative level to it.”
“It's incredibly difficult to get immersed in this game because it makes no attempt to have you understand the world or plot besides the utmost basics, which even then, is only in a vague manner that I couldn't explain properly to someone else at all.”
“There is little to no explanation to help set up the story.”
- music95 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers praising its atmospheric qualities and emotional depth. The soundtrack features a diverse range of styles, from ambient and contemplative to catchy and intense, effectively syncing with the narrative and character moments. Overall, the music is described as a standout element that significantly contributes to the game's immersive storytelling and aesthetic appeal.
“The music perfectly complements the story, evoking various emotions as you read.”
“The music in-game shifts with the mood of the scene, my favorite example being the track 'Oxygen Ocean' and how it evolves and mutates through its own messy emotions and feelings.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic, with a wide range of synthetic sound that enhances the overall experience.”
“The game dumps so much half explained lore on you while screeching background music makes it impossible to parse what is written on the screen.”
“I was left wanting more on pretty much everything from the story, dialogue, visuals, music, etc. The game is nothing offensive, but I wouldn't recommend it.”
“The ost is unsettling, uplifting, brooding, exciting, and generally just fits the mood really well.”
- emotional43 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from joy to sadness, often leading to tears. The writing and character development resonate deeply, particularly for those with queer experiences, creating a heartfelt narrative that explores complex relationships and personal traumas. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to evoke strong emotions through its beautiful art, engaging storytelling, and authentic representation.
“The ending was beautiful and made me cry - so optimistic and pessimistic about humanity and love at the same time.”
“The emotional core of this game is impossible to miss and drips with pathos.”
“It's deeply personal too, with characters that each deal with their own traumas and flimsily work to try to understand each other in relationships that draw between romantic, heartfelt, and deeply serious.”
- graphics38 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and aesthetically pleasing art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling. While some players find the visuals to be somewhat simplistic or vague, many appreciate the evocative artwork and its ability to complement the narrative. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, particularly for those who resonate with its specific themes and style.
“The artwork is gorgeous, the characters feel real, and the dynamics and interactions between them are top notch.”
“It's a really amazingly written visual novel with beautiful visuals.”
“The art style is really nice, and very cute!”
“The artwork is more an accompaniment to give your eyes something to look at aside from text, suggestive and evocative rather than detailed, but even if the art is somewhat bare-bones it serves its function.”
“Aesthetic, but that's it.”
“I was left wanting more on pretty much everything from the story, dialogue, visuals, music, etc. The game is nothing offensive, but I wouldn't recommend it.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this visual novel is primarily driven by narrative choices, with players selecting one of three protagonists and aligning with different factions throughout the story. While the mechanics are minimal and the gameplay lacks traditional elements, the engaging characters, unique art style, and compelling narrative make it a standout experience, particularly for those interested in its themes. Overall, the game excels in storytelling rather than gameplay complexity, making it a favorite among fans despite its limited mechanics.
“The game features a diverse cast of characters, each belonging to one of the factions, and you choose one of three possible protagonists (Saturn, Pluto, or Luna-Terra) at the start of a run, while during gameplay you can also choose which faction to align with (stay loyal/betray) as you navigate through the story.”
“My recommendation, gameplay-wise, is to do Pluto last; it makes the process of uncovering the game's mysteries more satisfying.”
“On its own, however, 'Heaven Will Be Mine' has a thoroughly unique art style and aesthetic among visual novels, and makes excellent use of the game mechanics themselves to advance the narrative.”
“Now, yes, it is a visual novel, and there's nothing in the way of mechanics that really spices that up.”
“Well, you can see how much playtime I have in this game :D I consider it my favorite game, though of course it doesn't really have much gameplay because it's a visual novel.”
“Not much to it gameplay-wise but what makes it shine is the characters, setting, and story that has been created, and visual novel was the best way to convey those ideas.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional music and visuals, which create a unique and immersive experience. While some players find the surrealist elements and lengthy dialogues off-putting, many appreciate the combination of atmospheric soundtracks and artwork that enhance the overall mood. Overall, the game successfully delivers a captivating and sometimes melancholic atmosphere that resonates with fans of the genre.
“Great music that builds the atmosphere incredibly well.”
“It's also incredibly atmospheric, with amazing use of music and the artwork that goes along perfectly with the cryptic writing.”
“Together, they create a really unique atmosphere.”
“The surrealist atmosphere immediately threw me off, paired with science lingo that made me cringe and the lack of choice and direction of the characters was kind of frustrating.”
“I for one didn't like the melancholic atmosphere of this game.”
“I found it hard to believe that even this game could live up to the powerful writing and atmosphere of its predecessor.”
- humor11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its clever, Twitter-style dialogue and the relatable flaws of its protagonists, creating a playful and engaging atmosphere. Players appreciate the blend of depth and wit, with many finding the chat logs and background lore to be particularly amusing. Overall, the game is described as funny, stylish, and thought-provoking, offering a unique comedic experience.
“It's also a very funny game, with some very good Twitter-style dialogue.”
“The art and music are fantastic; the chat logs are very funny and the background lore really smart and engrossing.”
“The three protagonists are refreshingly flawed, funny, and have awesome chemistry.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability due to its engaging writing and the dynamic relationships between the three playable characters, encouraging players to explore different pilots and multiple endings. Players appreciate the depth of the story, which invites further analysis and interpretation, enhancing the desire to replay the game for a fuller experience.
“The writing is genuinely beautiful, the relationship dynamics between the three playable characters are a lot of fun. There's a lot of replayability in choosing a different pilot each time and working towards different endings.”
“And trust me, the replay value is high as you'll want to explore all three characters and their multiple endings.”
“And here's where I start to get anxious and wonder if the years I spent reading Eva analysis have gotten the better of me and if my take on this game is accurate at all. I know for sure that I misread and misinterpreted elements of the story, but I think that only makes the game more replayable.”
“So the replay value is enough that you'll want to do all three characters with all three endings in whatever combination you feel works.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted through exceptional character designs that effectively convey personality and emotion without dialogue. The art style contrasts detailed character designs with a more subdued background, creating a dreamy atmosphere that enhances the storytelling. Overall, the polished visuals and strong character relationships contribute to a compelling narrative experience.
“Good character designs that convey a lot before anyone has said a single word.”
“The character designs are fantastic and expressively pop really well, without constantly blotting the screen, while the scenarios themselves are mainly done with a much lower detail quasi-acrylic style that makes them almost dreamy and surreal by comparison, occasionally switching styles and using new effects as the tone demands.”
“The art, character design, character relationships, and soundtrack were excellent and it looked very polished.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly on Linux, indicating a high level of stability on that platform.
“Runs great on Linux!”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lengthy and often confusing dialogue filled with poetic metaphors. The lack of quality of life features, such as the ability to skip already-read text, further exacerbates the challenge of maintaining motivation during extended play sessions.
“After 15 hours of reading often-confusing and contradictory dialogue, 90% of which consists solely of poetic metaphors, it was quite hard to motivate myself to keep going. The game was made in Unity and lacks some quality of life features, like skipping already-read text, which makes replays very tedious.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
“I found myself stuck in a loop of grinding for resources, which took away from the enjoyment of the gameplay.”