Vagrant Hearts

About

Vagrant Hearts is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Warfare Studios and was released on February 27, 2015. It received neutral reviews from players.

In Vagrant Hearts, lead a group of vagrant soldiers across a war-torn continent, making decisions that impact their lives and the fate of the world. Engage in strategic battles, utilizing elemental magic and party-based tactics. Experience a rich, character-driven story filled with intrigue, betrayal, and the struggle for freedom in this indie turn-based RPG.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

44%

Audience ScoreBased on 81 reviews

story24 positive mentions

stability14 negative mentions

The game features a compelling story that keeps players engaged and curious to continue.
The character designs and artwork are unique and well-conceived, adding charm to the game.
The Crest System allows for interesting customization of spells, providing some depth to the gameplay.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including glitches that allow characters to walk through walls and issues with enemy encounters.
Combat can feel grindy and unbalanced, with many bosses acting as damage sponges that require excessive preparation to defeat.
The writing and dialogue are often criticized for being poorly executed, with many typos and a lack of depth in character interactions.

story
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The story of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its engaging characters and compelling narrative that keeps them invested, while others criticize it for being riddled with plot holes and lacking depth. Many appreciate the linear structure and drama, but some find the overall plot to be simplistic or uninteresting, leading to a divide in player experience. Overall, while the story has its strengths, it is often overshadowed by gameplay issues and inconsistencies.
- “While the controls can be a bit wonky at times, this game delivers a compelling story the likes of which I haven't seen in a very long time.”
- “This is just the kind of retro RPG I've been pining for, one where I can completely get immersed in the story and characters.”
- “The story grabbed my interest and wouldn't let go.”
- “Unfortunately, the story is not good enough to compensate for the lack of challenge in combat.”
- “The story is full of plot holes straight from the beginning.”
- “And the more I play it, the more the story comes off as if it were written by an 8th grader with no deep understanding of governments, societies, or politics (the creator can't even spell 'politics' correctly).”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
73%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to change per area and contribute to the atmosphere, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety, often featuring the same tracks throughout. Users noted issues such as the absence of separate audio options and the presence of unoriginal or poorly designed soundscapes, leading to a generally unsatisfactory experience. Overall, while some find the music enjoyable, many feel it falls short of expectations, particularly in terms of customization and quality.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Pros: good characters, good music that changes per area, has a well-involved story with drama, original art (albeit not tons of it), simplicity, gameplay that moves forward at an even pace.”
- “Music and art are unique to this series.”
- “Horrible level design, the most godawfully boring and unsatisfying stories, tons of HUD problems, and a single goddamn music track for each game.”
- “The music in this game is terrible, especially the default battle theme.”
- “The game also lacks separate audio options for the sound effects and music for some reason, but this is a developer choice because I have played other RPG Maker games where this option was present.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, featuring charming 16-bit visuals and appealing character portraits, but they are often marred by glitches and a lack of variety, particularly in certain areas. While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, especially when compared to more polished titles. Overall, the graphics may appeal to those seeking a budget-friendly option, but they may not satisfy players looking for high-quality visuals.
- “The visuals are absolutely stunning, too.”
- “Nice characters, and graphics.”
- “Nice artwork.”
- “While the graphics and sounds might be fine in a vacuum, they quickly lose their charm in Vagrant Hearts.”
- “The lack of graphical variety presented another problem in one dungeon, namely Malzu's Abandoned Mausoleum.”
- “There's a number of graphical glitches or oddities.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including numerous graphical glitches, hit detection problems, and gameplay bugs such as characters passing through walls and losing equipped items. While some players appreciate the overall gameplay experience, the persistent bugs detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “There are a few glitches such as being able to go through walls, and some people seem to have been copied and pasted into the game.”
- “Lots of glitches (running through walls, character background not transparent) and an extremely limited, linear game 'world'.”
- “A bit buggy; if you equip anything at the start of the game, you lose the items after talking to the mayor.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
The gameplay is described as fun and engaging, featuring good characters, dynamic music, and a well-involved story that progresses at a steady pace. However, some players note issues such as glitches and a lack of depth in certain mechanics, particularly regarding spell equipping, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Fun gameplay!”
- “Pros: good characters, good music that changes per area, has a well-involved story with drama, original art (albeit not tons of it), simplicity, gameplay that moves forward at an even pace.”
- “In this game, there are a few glitches here and there, but the gameplay is amazing.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is pretty poor.”
- “Shortly after you lose her (like 1 hour into gameplay), you find a low-level heal spell to equip on any party member (and this organization doesn't want the character you choose to place it on!).”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be heavily grind-oriented, particularly in combat, which can make progression challenging. Obtaining key items, such as ancient fruits, requires significant time investment, with some players reporting up to four days of farming to acquire them.
- “The game is a grindy game.”
- “Luckily, you can obtain an item, which took me about 4 days of farming to get enough to beat the game called ancient fruits.”
- “Combat in particular seems very grindy.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the games is noted as a redeeming quality, though it appears to be limited and overshadowed by other shortcomings. While some players find the humor amusing, it may not be enough to compensate for the overall disappointment with the gameplay.
- “Sounds funny, huh?”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the frustration players feel when battles restart due to their sprites remaining in contact, creating a sense of tension and urgency. This mechanic can evoke feelings of helplessness and determination as players navigate challenging encounters.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization aspect of the game has received criticism, with users noting that the writing lacks quality and often resembles a middle-school drama performance, detracting from the overall experience.