Heaven's Grave
- August 20, 2019
- Blackcross & Taylor
Arha lives a simple life as a shrine maiden at a long-forgotten temple finding joy in her worship, tending her small garden and occasional trips to the nearby village. Then, one day, the sun does not rise… It soon becomes apparent, though, that the now-erratic sun is the least of their problems. The wells and rivers are drying up and crops wither in the fields. The villagers demand …
Reviews
- The writing and world-building are exceptional, with a unique and engaging story that explores deep themes.
- The main character, Ahra, is well-developed, likable, and encourages growth in the love interests throughout the routes.
- The game offers enough choices to allow players to shape the protagonist's personality and achieve desired endings.
- The game can feel repetitive, especially in the common route, which may lead to a tedious experience for some players.
- The serious tone and themes can make romantic moments feel forced or out of place, detracting from the overall experience.
- Some players found the protagonist's adherence to a 'Lawful Good' moral compass to be cringeworthy and overly restrictive.
- story11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its strong narrative that embraces darker themes and includes intriguing mysteries and twists, with character development being a highlight. While some found the romances to be poorly integrated, the writing has improved significantly, offering a more original and mature experience compared to previous titles. However, the pacing is noted to be slow at the beginning, but ultimately, the story is considered engaging and well worth the investment.
“It gave a strong story that did not shy away from the darker themes and things you'd expect when the world is falling apart, and also provided a mystery and a twist.”
“The characters grow and develop beautifully throughout the story.”
“The writing has improved from their earlier games, particularly the endings which felt less abrupt and more satisfying, and the story itself was more original and had a more 'grown-up' feeling.”
“The romances almost don't fit into the story, which is really bad for a game of this nature.”
“All in all, it is well worth it in my opinion, though do keep in mind that the story is a little bit slow to get started.”
“In the case of this game, after playing for a while, the sprites seem way too repetitive and some faces from CGs remind me too much of ones from another game, but whatever, I came here for the story and boy, did I get a fine one.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is well-suited to its theme and enhances the storytelling without being distracting, contributing positively to the overall experience. Players find it enjoyable enough to keep on while playing, adding a pleasant layer to the game's atmosphere.
“The music is fitting to the theme and does not distract from the story.”
“The art is pleasant enough for the eyes, and the music is so engaging that you don't want to turn it off immediately.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its vibrancy and emotional depth, effectively engaging players with both main and side characters. Many reviewers noted surprising transformations, where initially disliked characters ultimately redeem themselves, enhancing the overall narrative experience.
“The characters are vibrant and evoke emotional responses. I particularly loved their character development, not just for the main characters, but for the side characters too. Twice in the game, I found characters I thought I would hate forever, only to discover by the end that they managed to redeem themselves.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players praise the game's characters for their vibrant personalities and effective emotional depth, highlighting significant character development not only for the main cast but also for side characters. Many reviewers noted their surprise at how certain initially disliked characters ultimately redeemed themselves, enhancing the overall emotional impact of the narrative.
“The characters are vibrant and excel at evoking emotional responses. I particularly loved their character development, including the side characters. Twice in the game, I found characters I thought I would hate forever, only to discover by the end that they managed to redeem themselves.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as the linear structure and limited incentives for replaying routes lead to a repetitive experience. The common route, which constitutes a significant portion of the game, lacks engaging content, making it feel laborious to navigate through multiple playthroughs.
“It's pretty linear, and once you play through each route once, there isn't much incentive to go back and replay. The common route itself feels a bit tedious, as skipping through it reveals only a few new scenes per love interest, despite making up more than half the game.”
“The grinding aspect of the game is exhausting; it feels like I'm just repeating the same tasks over and over without any real progress or reward.”
“After a while, the grinding becomes monotonous, and I find myself losing interest because the gameplay doesn't evolve or offer new challenges.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics feature a simple and clean art style, which has been positively noted by users for its clarity and aesthetic appeal.
“The art style is simple and clean.”