Hoping this Finds You Well

About

Hoping this Finds You Well is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Alexis Royce and was released on May 1, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

An experiment in letter writing, meant to evoke the distinctly sweet homoeroticism of Victorian and Edwardian literature. Follow the correspondence of two professors, in the months before one of them makes a decision he'll never be able to take back. A visual novel with a cute mechanic: Slide the letters back and forth across the screen, to experience the time the letter is written, and when it …

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

story4 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features charming writing and adorable art, creating a captivating experience that draws players into the characters' relationship.
The unique mechanic of switching perspectives allows players to see both characters' reactions, adding depth to the storytelling.
It offers a refreshing and happy narrative, particularly for LGBTQIA+ representation, making it a delightful read for fans of romance and character-driven stories.

The game is quite short, which may leave players wanting more content and depth in the story.
Some players may find the gameplay lacking, as it primarily consists of reading letters with minimal interactive elements.
There are technical issues reported, such as music cutting out and character sprites disappearing, which can detract from the overall experience.

story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
53%
20%
The story has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it engaging and well-written, particularly praising its detailed narrative and character expressions. Others felt that it lacked sufficient depth to maintain their interest, though many expressed excitement about its connection to a larger storyline and the potential for further exploration in a prequel. Overall, it appeals to fans of romance and narrative-driven games, especially those interested in historical settings.
- “Adorable art and a beautiful story of two very good friends.”
- “The writing, background art, character expressions, and story are all excellent.”
- “Story is very detailed and most of it feels realistic to the time period, and it is very well written in the writing style.”
- “However, I must not lie; I did not read it all as it is not my genre of story.”
- “Would not recommend it if you are not into romance/story games.”
- “The letters were very interesting and sweet; I would love to know even more of the backstory.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellent quality and ability to enhance the mood, fitting seamlessly with the narrative and character interactions. However, some players experienced occasional bugs, such as music cutting out during perspective switches. Overall, the soundtrack is considered enjoyable and complements the gameplay without becoming overwhelming.
- “The music is excellent, but there just isn’t enough story to keep me engaged.”
- “Did encounter a couple bugs with the music cutting out/character sprite disappearing while switching POVs, but like, god, I love these two idiots, who cares.”
- “Nothing funnier than reading one guy's perspective where he's all smiles and sunshine only to tab over to see the other dude with a horrified expression on his face, complete with horror movie music.”
- “Music is well chosen and easily listenable, doesn't overstay its welcome.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as short and charming, consistently eliciting laughter while occasionally touching on sad themes. Reviewers find it hilarious overall, with a particularly cute and funny ending that complements the appealing art style.
- “Hilarious every time.”
- “The funny thing is, if you wanted to print this book, you'd only need to print 3 copies to satisfy the entire world's demand for it.”
- “(The ending is so funny and cute, and I absolutely adore the art.)”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay of this visual/interactive novel is polarizing; while some players find it engaging and easy to navigate through its letter-based storytelling and character-driven writing, others criticize it for lacking depth and featuring poorly written dialogue. The switching mechanic between characters adds a unique touch, but overall, the experience may not appeal to those seeking more traditional gameplay elements.
- “I played this with no previous context of the game it is a prequel to and yet I absolutely was able to fall in love with it. It's short and sweet and so easy to play through. I enjoyed a lot not only the mechanic of the switch between the points of view.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “Gameplay mostly consists of reading the letters between a professor and an assistant professor.”
- “Continues the characterful writing and worldbuilding with the ability to see each party as they write and receive each letter via a switching screen mechanic.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are characterized by a pleasing, old-fashioned aesthetic that enhances the overall visual appeal of the game.
- “The aesthetics are old-fashioned themed and are pleasing to look at.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read, be it 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' or '2001: A Space Odyssey' or 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”