System: SwitchRelease date: August 25, 2025Developer: Underwater FirePublisher: First Break Labs
Underwater Hearth Video games are a model new impartial studio from Los Angeles, and on the staff’s web site, the mission assertion says they search to create thought-provoking video video games that fill their gamers with a way of surprise. Their first online game, Particle Hearts, is an bold 3D puzzle platformer that has taken parts from a number of large title titles like Journey and the newer mainline Zelda entries. Underwater Hearth Video games in the end crafted its personal distinctive title that operates fairly in another way than something I’ve ever performed earlier than.
The participant takes management of an unnamed, mute, and spectral-like protagonist on their quest to find who they had been and what occurred to them. The sport opens on a voice reaching out to the character, beckoning them ahead, however upon gaining management after the opening cutscenes, gamers are given fairly free reign in what they’ll do. This title may be very attention-grabbing narratively as a result of it affords you each as a lot and as little as you need. In case you are like me, then you definitely had much more questions than solutions wandering across the first degree. There’s no map, no UI indicators to inform you the place to go. As a substitute, the participant has to look the panorama of the primary degree, and certainly each degree, to search out Torii Gate-esque buildings to beat the extent and the sport. To be taught extra in regards to the protagonist, the voice chatting with them and mainly something to do with the plot, gamers should search out wind chimes which are littered all through every degree. That voice chatting with our particle-based hero will give somewhat lore drop, only a fast line, however it’s going to in all probability reply a query burning within the thoughts of the participant. Nevertheless, do you have to not likely have any curiosity within the story, you possibly can simply discover the Gates, enter these puzzle rooms and earn the merchandise required to maneuver on.
When it comes to gameplay, the protagonist beneficial properties extra skills to assist them traverse ranges, however base skills embrace a touch ahead, which will also be carried out within the air, a particle burst transfer the place the protagonist can unfold its being a couple of bit and part by way of issues that they usually can’t, and an assault button which beneficial properties use later. The gate dungeons really feel closely impressed by Breath of the Wild shrines in that it’s important to suppose somewhat bit outdoors the field to finish the objective. It could be nearly reaching the top, but it surely might be about manipulating the setting to make a path ahead or memorizing a sample to open a gate. Although the primary degree solely has two puzzle rooms, the second has three they usually get so much trickier in a short time. These had been the weather of the gameplay I loved probably the most, and sometimes due to the protagonist’s restricted capabilities, it turned extra enjoyable attempting to determine what I may soar off or the place I ought to burst and with what timing and I genuinely had as a lot enjoyable with them because the shrines in Zelda.
Particle Hearts has the distinctive trait of offering an possibility for individuals who simply need the platforming enjoyable, and for gamers who need an enriched story about connection and despair. To get probably the most out of the sport, I actually do suppose it’s price roaming across the fields and caves looking for wind chimes. That is additionally an expertise through which I believe the audio and sound results are paramount to giving an optimum expertise. As there isn’t any map or visible indicators, to search out the chimes gamers have to pay attention rigorously and observe the sounds of werewolves growling and the chimes tingling, which grows louder as you get nearer. It jogged my memory somewhat of Grasp Emerald searching within the Sonic Journey video games, the place beeps would point out you had been getting nearer to a chunk, and the beeps would get louder and extra distinct as you closed in. The general rating is stellar, and the environmental design and every degree’s melody are genuinely implausible.
Sadly, this degree exploration is the place the title is at its weakest, for my part. The most important drawback I’ve is that the protagonist may be very gradual, and though they’ve a touch, it isn’t one thing they’ll maintain down and do constantly so it actually isn’t a lot use. There are white shapes within the ranges that give the protagonist a short sprint ahead however I want that was one thing they might do naturally. There aren’t any upgrades to hurry the participant character up, so though it provides to creating the protagonist really feel weak, I believe it was one thing that damage the circulate and in the end my enjoyment of it. As exploration and touring round every degree is the meat of the sport, your fondness for will probably be closely dictated by how you are feeling about this. It was superb for the primary half, however as the degrees get for much longer and extra expansive later, it turned one thing that basically burned me out in direction of the endgame of this eight hour journey.
Particle Hearts is an bold puzzle platformer with an attention-grabbing plot that delivers on the visible spectacle and the surprise that the event staff got down to create. Sadly for me, it is a sport the place the primary half is extra enjoyable and fascinating than the latter. The marginally repetitive puzzle construction and extra egregiously, the restricted participant journey motion, damage my general enjoyment. Nevertheless, the sturdy and impactful narrative, implausible visible design and rating, and Figment Gates which are a spotlight of the platforming, in the end tipped the sport over into being one I’d suggest to gamers. There’s sufficient coronary heart and soul right here to warrant a glance.
Particle Hearts copy supplied by the writer for the needs of this assessment.
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