The Heilwald Loophole

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 222 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Heilwald Loophole Game Cover
Starting at €8.99Buy now
Get on Steam Get on itch.io Store

"The Heilwald Loophole" is a challenging puzzle-platformer where you manipulate time to solve intricate levels. Use your wits to navigate through deadly traps, outsmart enemies, and reach the exit portal. With its unique time-bending mechanics and atmospheric visuals, this game offers a captivating and brain-teasing experience for players who enjoy a good mental workout.

  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 222 reviews
story26 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and engaging atmosphere, blending horror and dark humor effectively.
  • The gameplay mechanics encourage exploration and experimentation, allowing players to discover new paths and outcomes even after being caught.
  • The visual and sound design are exceptional, creating a nostalgic PS1 aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
  • The game can be frustrating at times due to its instant fail conditions and some difficult early encounters.
  • There are occasional bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as characters getting stuck or soft-locking the player.
  • The pacing can feel slow, especially with repetitive dialogue and the need to backtrack frequently, which may detract from immersion.
  • story57 mentions

    The game's story is described as intriguing and layered, often delivered through bits of lore that players piece together, creating a thought-provoking experience. While some find the narrative confusing or cryptic, many appreciate its depth, atmosphere, and unique character designs, with a blend of suspense and psychological horror elements. Overall, the story is seen as a standout feature, though some players wish for more clarity and expansion.

    • “The story is given to you in bits of lore as you play the game, which you then piece together for yourself and it proves to be quite thought-provoking.”
    • “The atmosphere is so well done and the story is pretty deep and tragic.”
    • “This game is a masterpiece, the story is really good and original, it's psychological horror and it fulfills its function of making you believe how crazy a person can become.”
    • “I will confess, I did not understand the story... the significance of the eponym.”
    • “The story was a little confusing and some puzzles were a bit weird, but the game, in general, is fantastic.”
    • “It felt like it needed to be about twice the size it was to tell the full story.”
  • gameplay39 mentions

    The gameplay is a mix of intriguing mechanics and retro-inspired design, offering a captivating experience despite some basic and occasionally frustrating elements. Players appreciate the unique loop mechanic that encourages exploration and experimentation, although some find the pacing and repetitive dialogue can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging story, sound design, and well-crafted gameplay that keeps players invested.

    • “The gameplay was decidedly unlike what I was expecting, but captivating nonetheless!”
    • “Fun and well thought out gameplay, and every part of the game has so much love and detail put into it.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, especially for running and hiding; the movement is fast, and I found that running usually works best, but there are also parts where hiding is required.”
    • “The actual gameplay can be a bit basic and frustrating, in that you are doing stealth with an AI that is just walking back and forth where you need to go, and there are a lot of instant fail conditions.”
    • “Which brings me to my main criticism: I have nothing against the loop mechanic per se, but there are so many parts of the game and the pretty slow dialogue that you can't skip, making it repetitive and ultimately a bit tedious since you have to wait for the characters to finish talking before you can make a run for it.”
    • “Near the end of the game, the puzzles become more convoluted and you get lost easily; however, overall the game still gets a passing grade. I would give it a 6/10 for the atmosphere and the unique game mechanics.”
  • graphics39 mentions

    The graphics of "Heilwand Loophole" are widely praised for their unique pixel art style that enhances the game's unsettling atmosphere, effectively evoking nostalgia for the PS1 era. Reviewers appreciate the art direction, which combines eerie visuals with well-designed characters and settings, creating a cohesive and immersive horror experience. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's mood, making it a standout title for fans of retro aesthetics and horror games.

    • “Heilwald Loophole offers a truly unique and unsettling experience with its distinctive art style, characterized by pixel graphics that enhance the overall mood, making it both disturbing and mysterious.”
    • “Visually, the game's style is brilliant and a proper ode to old school graphics while still feeling fresh in the superb enemy and NPC designs.”
    • “Easy to get lost; if you want to play a proper old-school game with similar graphics, pick up Nightmare of Decay and steer clear of this crap.”
    • “The graphics give the game an eerier vibe than a high-definition game would have done.”
    • “The whole game goes for a retro PS1 aesthetic.”
  • atmosphere37 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique and unsettling qualities, effectively blending horror with dark humor. Players appreciate the masterful sound design, eerie character voices, and the ability to evoke a deep emotional response, particularly for those familiar with mental health environments. Overall, the game creates a captivating and immersive experience that stands out in the horror genre, despite some minor narrative shortcomings.

    • “The peculiar and unsettling voices of the characters contribute significantly to the eerie atmosphere, creating a blend of horror and dark humor that sets it apart from traditional horror games.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are incredibly well composed and fit together well.”
    • “One of the most aesthetic, atmospheric and downright unnerving things I've ever played, such a cool concept, and some surprisingly sad moments as well.”
    • “Just creepy atmosphere and not knowing what your enemies can do.”
    • “This game's audio creates an absurdly horrifying atmosphere.”
    • “A game that may not take itself too seriously but still delivers an unsettling atmosphere despite its goofy and very random nature.”
  • music20 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its haunting composition and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing significantly to the horror experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as memorable and beautifully crafted, often describing it as a standout feature that complements the game's visuals and storytelling. Many express a desire for the soundtrack to be available for purchase, underscoring its impact and quality.

    • “The atmosphere and music are incredibly well composed and fit together well.”
    • “The chasing sequences and all horror aspects are mostly due to the phenomenal soundtrack and sound effects.”
    • “Tight, dark corridors, accompanied by creepy voices, ambient sounds, and a haunting musical score, contribute to a genuine horror feeling.”
    • “The commendable, well-crafted, and sometimes chilling music, self-programmed by the developer, adds a unique layer to the game, showcasing a remarkable level of talent from a single developer.”
    • “I expected to fall in love with the game and its aesthetics and tone, with dark, slow, brooding waltz and oompah on the soundtrack throbbing in the grimiest heart of 20th century Germany; I didn't expect it to make me cry.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in "Heilwald Loophole" is a distinctive blend of dark comedy and unsettling elements, effectively balancing moments of genuine horror with bizarre and funny character interactions. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke laughter amidst tension, creating a unique experience that is both entertaining and eerie. The quirky humor, often enhanced by character voices and absurd scenarios, contributes to a memorable and immersive atmosphere that resonates well with fans of horror games.

    • “Despite being a horror game, Heilwald manages to also be weird as all hell, funny, and oddly tragic at points.”
    • “The peculiar and unsettling voices of the characters contribute significantly to the eerie atmosphere, creating a blend of horror and dark humor that sets it apart from traditional horror games.”
    • “Heilwald loophole is anything a horror buff could ask for; it's a unique experience with a beautifully strange sense of humor.”
  • character development7 mentions

    The character development in "Heilwand Loophole" is praised for its originality and depth, contributing significantly to the game's psychological horror atmosphere. Players appreciate the unique character designs and how they enhance the storytelling, creating a tense and immersive experience that keeps them engaged and unsettled. Overall, the characters are seen as a key element that elevates the game's narrative and emotional impact.

    • “This game is a masterpiece; the story is really good and original. It's psychological horror and it fulfills its function of making you believe how crazy a person can become. The character designs are quite original, and every sound makes the environment a better experience.”
    • “Instead of relying on jump scares, the horror in this game comes from the nicely blending character design, world, and sound.”
    • “The characters in 'Heilwand Loophole' are not only interesting but also showcase the developer's genius in character design.”
    • “This game is a masterpiece; the story is really good and original. It's psychological horror and it fulfills its function of making you believe how crazy a person can become. The character designs are quite original, and every sound makes the environment a better experience. At first, you can get confused with the story because you no longer know where you are missing something, but soon everything takes its place in the story and you understand better.”
    • “Very tense moments, unique character designs, and it has a lot of humor that still leaves you feeling unsettled.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while the engaging story and collectibles keep the experience enjoyable, the slow dialogue and repetitive mechanics can lead to tedium. The loop mechanic, although interesting, can become monotonous due to the necessity of backtracking and waiting for character interactions to finish. Overall, the grinding can feel excessive, requiring significant time investment to progress.

    • “The story and gameplay are fascinating; the secrets and collectibles are fun without being tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I have nothing against the loop mechanic per se, but there are so many parts of the game and the pretty slow dialogue that you can't skip, making it repetitive and ultimately a bit tedious since you have to wait for the characters to finish talking before you can make a run for it.”
    • “Keeping track of certain elements and discovering the multitude of paths in the game does take a little bit of tedious back-and-forth work.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players report that the game effectively evokes strong emotions, particularly fear and unease, enhancing their engagement with the story. Many found it to be a unique horror experience that not only terrified them but also provided a cathartic release from sadness. The inclusion of knowledge documents adds a layer of depth, allowing players to feel more informed and connected to the narrative.

    • “What it used for horror made me feel unsettled and very interested in the story.”
    • “It was the first horror game that actually made me feel terrified and scared!”
    • “It immediately made me feel better by basically scaring my sadness away.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game is noted for its strong replayability, with multiple interesting paths that encourage players to revisit it despite its shorter length.

    • “Very creepy and good game, a tad bit short but offers good replayability.”
    • “The different paths are very interesting and allow for plenty of replay value.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported that the trash collector feature in the game exhibits some bugs, affecting its stability.

    • “The trash collector you interact with is a bit buggy when exchanging items.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
    • “I encountered several glitches that disrupted my gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy The Heilwald Loophole

Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News