Tortured Hearts: Or How I Saved the Universe. Again.

About

"Tortured Hearts: Or How I Saved the Universe. Again." is a single-player, old-school Fantasy Role Playing game, offering around 40 hours of playtime. It is strongly recommended to watch gameplay videos and try the free demo before purchasing to ensure it suits your taste. The game warns against using Cheat Engine, as it may corrupt the game. Gameplay videos can be found on Fluent's YouTube channel .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Tortured Hearts: Or How I Saved the Universe. Again. screenshot

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

story6 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Tortured Hearts offers a vast amount of content and a unique, immersive experience that harkens back to classic RPGs, with a focus on exploration and dialogue.
The game features a rich narrative with interesting characters and quests that reward players for their curiosity and engagement with the story.
The developer is highly responsive to player feedback, frequently addressing bugs and implementing improvements, which enhances the overall experience.

The game has a steep learning curve and lacks clear guidance, which can lead to frustration as players often feel lost and overwhelmed by its complexity.
Combat mechanics are largely automated and can be frustrating due to poor AI, leading to unengaging battles where players have little control over their characters' actions.
The graphics and user interface are considered outdated and clunky, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
78%
8%
The game's story is characterized by its non-linear structure and multiple intersecting storylines, requiring players to engage deeply with quests and characters to uncover their resolutions. While the dialogue and humor may initially seem lighthearted, they often conceal compelling narratives and absurd twists that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the satisfaction derived from solving complex quests and the diverse outcomes based on their choices, making exploration and character interaction key elements of the storytelling.
- “Although a certain lightheartedness remains throughout in a story that doesn't take itself too seriously, interesting and compelling dialogue and characters often hide behind silly humor.”
- “At first impression, I was very skeptical about Tortured Hearts as I usually prefer games with a more serious tone, but the more I play, the more my initial misgivings got replaced first by curiosity and then by the joy of exploration and interest in the plot and characters.”
- “Overall, if you want a compelling story with well-written characters and quests that will make you chuckle in a good way, then the game is for you, but if you're looking for tactical combat, respawning monsters, and hand-holding, then you should look elsewhere.”
- “Very little hand-holding on resolving the multiple intersecting storylines: the hints may be subtle in a conversation you glossed over, or said by somebody seemingly unrelated to what you're chasing down.”
- “Oh, you can also sell important items for a quest, and then get that quest later, and you will never be able to finish it; it's just going to be stuck in your log forever.”
- “Finished a quest to bathe my character so the townspeople would talk to me only to have them not want to talk to a newbie afterwards.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
83%
10%
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic and not demanding, with a 3D style that may not appeal to those seeking high-end visuals. While some users find the graphics crude at first, they appreciate the unique charm and immersive feel that grows on them over time. Overall, the visuals serve their purpose in supporting the gameplay, despite being reminiscent of older titles and lacking modern polish.
- “This game is not demanding in the graphics department, but it still looks and sounds awesome to me. I also love the immersive feel of it.”
- “Its look seems crude at first, yet its beauty grows on you and it manages to convince part of my brain that this place is more real than its graphic-intensive counterparts.”
- “The graphics look like a pre-release game from 2001, as if using the most terrible Unity asset store models.”
- “The graphics are not up to date, which may be less appealing to some folks.”
- “Given that this game of gigantic proportions is not the product of a similarly gigantic development team, the graphics are basic, but they don't distract from the grand adventure underneath.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
60%
30%
The gameplay is reminiscent of classic Infocom text adventures, emphasizing creative puzzle-solving, though it lacks clear guidance on mechanics, which can be frustrating. Players noted the unusual leash camera control and described the combat mechanics as some of the strangest they've encountered.
- “The gameplay actually harkened me back to the old Infocom text adventures of yore—always on the lookout for some obscure, creative solution to various puzzles.”
- “There's no place to find the information either (even old school RPGs had a manual that you could look into for explanations on certain mechanics and whatnot).”
- “- the leash camera control mechanic.”
- “One of the stranger combat mechanics I have played.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's optimization is currently lacking, particularly in the beta version tested, which suffers from significant load-time lag. However, given that it is developed by a single individual, some reviewers suggest that it may be premature to critique its graphical performance harshly.
- “It's quite the lengthy adventure, though my time is rather misleading, because the version I playtested was a beta version that wasn't completely optimized, resulting in a lot of load-time lagging.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised for its clever writing and witty banter, contributing to a rich and detailed universe filled with interesting and complex NPCs. Players find the comedic elements both engaging and fantastical, enhancing the overall experience.
- “It's very well written, with interesting and complicated NPCs, a good sense of humor, and a universe that is very rich and detailed.”
- “The banter is witty, funny, and fantastical.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is marked by occasional glitches; however, the developer is highly responsive, frequently releasing same-day patches to address issues reported by players.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game evolves from a lighthearted and whimsical tone to a more serious and nuanced ambiance, reflecting a gradual shift in both dialogue and thematic depth.
- “The atmosphere and the dialogue slowly progress from being very tongue-in-cheek and whimsical to incorporating more serious tones and subject matters.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is closely tied to exploration, allowing players to deepen their understanding of characters through immersive experiences and interactions. This integration enhances the narrative, making character arcs feel more organic and impactful as players progress through the game. Overall, the development is praised for its depth and connection to the gameplay.