Kong Orange put together an interesting concept for their hardcore puzzle graphic novel they’ve dubbed a “Graphic Puzzle”. Most successful puzzle games use great artwork and captivating soundtracks to keep you interested while you’re staring at the same screen. While Kamila Slocinska did a great job on the artwork, Heartbeats has no soundtrack. Or rather, Heartbeat has many soundtracks which I’ll get to later on.
It’s difficult to review a game like this without spoiling the story, which is the lifeblood of Heartbeats, so to speak. And the story makes it all worth while.
Heartbeats has a brutal learning curve. Each puzzle is different from the last and the only hints you get are written into the story of the main character.
Again, the puzzles have nothing to do with each other. So, while you may figure out the first one in a flash, you could be claiming your first retirement check before you complete the next.
still haven’t figured this puzzle out.
This is the main draw for some people, but it’s a great tool for elongating an otherwise short experience. A bit of tapping around will usually show you which elements to interact with, but some interactable items aren’t needed to solve the puzzle. This does a great job at both throwing you off and pissing you off.
Kong Orange made an interesting decision with its sound choice. Instead of forcing you to stick with a certain soundtrack they give you five options. The first four options include Spotify playlists from a London bookshop, an electronic artist, a Nordic Folk Band, and an acclaimed writer, illustrator, and director.
While all of these are great, and really add a world of variety to the experience, those that don’t use or have Spotify are feeling a little left out. The final sound option of course, is a lack thereof. This is a much different experience, and even though you could reach the same result by just turning the sound off in any other game, you can tell it was a deliberate decision on the developers part.
Heartbeats ends up being an amazing journey through a dying man’s memories. An interesting sound choice leaves some left out, but those that aren’t have more options than most games provide. The difficulty can prove too much for some, but those that can handle it will remember Heartbeats for a long time to come.
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