The Princess' Heart

About

"The Princess' Heart" is a visual novel game where players assume the role of a knight tasked with protecting a princess. The game features a non-linear story with multiple endings based on player choices. Players will interact with various characters, uncover secrets, and possibly win the princess' heart.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

story8 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features a nostalgic RPG experience with a decent story and engaging combat mechanics, including the ability to swap party members during battles.
The soundtrack is well-composed and enhances the overall atmosphere of the game, making it enjoyable to play.
Some players found the game to be a good value for its price, offering a solid amount of gameplay time and a variety of character classes.

The game suffers from unpolished mechanics, bland characters, and a lack of depth in the story, making it hard for players to connect with the narrative.
Many players criticized the repetitive gameplay and tedious dungeon design, which often involves backtracking and grinding.
The rising prices of items and potions as players level up creates frustration, as it diminishes the motivation to collect and manage resources effectively.

story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
79%
6%
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its emotional and humorous dialogue, while others criticize it for being simplistic and featuring one-dimensional characters. Many feel that the narrative lacks depth and fails to engage players, often relying on telling rather than showing, which detracts from character development and plot consequences. Despite these criticisms, some players found the story enjoyable and entertaining, particularly noting its unique premise and moments of intrigue.
- “I really love the mapping and the story.”
- “As you'd expect, this game has a great story and lots of well-balanced battles.”
- “Overall it's a very solid JRPG with a bit wonky gameplay mechanics, but a beautiful soundtrack, a good variety of locations and enemies, and an entertaining story.”
- “Most of the cast are one-dimensional blocks of wood who will occasionally chime in with a line or two of reactionary dialogue, but not actually influence any part of the plot or each other through their words or actions.”
- “There are no consequences whatsoever for the protagonist's wrongdoing, and her blitheness is only ever rewarded, yet the story presents itself as one in which she's supposed to be a sympathetic or even heroic figure.”
- “These two are introduced to us and are just flat out unlikable; how does one get invested in the story when the characters themselves actively fight your interest if you decide to give it a chance?”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally described as standard for RPG Maker titles, featuring a nostalgic SNES style that appeals to fans of retro aesthetics. While some players appreciate the polished visuals and well-designed environments, others criticize the reliance on pre-made assets and note graphical issues like screen flashing. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some unique touches but lacking the innovation typically expected from the developer.
- “Super cool old school graphics.”
- “The graphics are rather standard for an RPG Maker game, but some effects and a distinct set of tiles for each location create a pleasant visual experience.”
- “The graphics look really clean and polished, and the environment is beautiful, which can easily attract players.”
- “The pre-made Enterbrain RTP visuals and mapping seem lazy.”
- “Like I said, graphics-wise the game is very much below Roseportal's usual average.”
- “As with other RPG Maker games, you get what you see in terms of the graphics of the game.”
music
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
32%
16%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and orchestral composition, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the standout features. It evokes nostalgia reminiscent of classic RPGs and enhances the overall gaming experience, making the deluxe edition, which includes the soundtrack, highly recommended. Overall, the soundtrack is described as beautiful and memorable, significantly contributing to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “The music in this little gem is really great.”
- “One of the best soundtracks I've listened to in a while.”
- “Roseportal have once again delivered an alluring, orchestral-sounding set of musical pieces which all fit quite well into the game's environments and narrative.”
- “I can't say it more clearly: buy the deluxe version, just for the soundtrack alone, the music being already in the game files be damned.”
- “The music is very well made that it somehow stuck itself in my head like a bumping 90's track.”
- “Let's start with the music.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
The gameplay is generally solid and enjoyable, featuring well-designed boss fights and a unique party-swapping mechanic that adds strategic depth. However, it suffers from standard RPG mechanics that can feel repetitive and lacks engaging side quests, leading to a sense of diminishing returns in gameplay purpose. While the technical aspects are competent, the overall experience is marred by some frustrating design choices, yet it remains a recommendable JRPG for its entertaining story and variety of locations.
- “My memories are that it's solid and fun both writing-wise and gameplay-wise if you can get past the default graphics, with well-designed boss fights, amusing characters with fun abilities, and the ability to swap out as much of your party as you want once per battle to try and turn things around, or keep a rally going.”
- “Overall it's a very solid JRPG with a bit wonky gameplay mechanics, but a beautiful soundtrack, a good variety of locations and enemies, and an entertaining story.”
- “There were also some mechanics I loved in the game, such as the ability to swap out your entire party once per combat, even boss battles; this has saved me many times.”
- “Gameplay should never be a consideration for RPGs, as they are boring by design, but even by the low standard of the genre, this game's technical aspects are lacking.”
- “However, with the bland RPG battle mechanics, the game told me that this fantasy demon was just a bunch of stats - no different from a snake, bird, goblin, or manticore.”
- “As far as the gameplay goes, this is your standard JRPG fare with a wee little twist.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players find the initial grind tedious and repetitive, others note that the overall playtime is relatively short, with minimal grinding needed for leveling and loot. However, the necessity to grind for levels due to equipment limitations and the repetitive nature of certain quests can detract from the enjoyment, leading to a sense of boredom in the gameplay.
- “At the start, it's a repetitive, tedious grind.”
- “Moreover, battles are tedious and boring.”
- “A good amount of that time is grinding for levels, as the lack of equipment forces you to make up for it by leveling your characters.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a blend of emotional and humorous dialogue, contributing to an engaging storyline. Players appreciate the humor, noting several funny moments and side quests that enhance the experience, while the quick combat keeps the pace lively.
- “Nice emotional and humorous dialogue and storyline.”
- “Great game, really funny.”
- “There are a few randomly funny moments, and while there are side quests, there are no random enemy encounters; the combat is quick.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have reported that the game's dungeon design evokes strong emotions, even leading to tears, while the dialogue and storyline effectively blend humor with emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The dungeon design literally made me cry.”
- “The dialogue and storyline are both nice and emotionally engaging.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in this game is criticized for its simplistic narrative style, which leaves players to fill in the gaps regarding personal growth and nuances. While there is some customization through skill purchases, the overall execution of character development feels underwhelming and unfulfilled.
- “This game's plot is founded on a few interesting concepts that unfortunately go absolutely nowhere due to a distant, simplistic narrative style that just seems to assume you'll imagine all the character development and nuances of personal growth yourself.”
- “Additionally, with the possibility of purchasing skills, some degree of customization and priority will matter in character development.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviews indicate a mixed perception of the game's monetization strategy, with some players viewing it as a potential cash grab lacking depth, while others believe it offers more than just a superficial asset layer. Overall, the monetization approach seems to influence players' engagement and satisfaction with the game.
- “Is the game just a quick cash grab, or is there more to it than a simple premade asset layer?”
- “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, which really detracts from the overall experience.”