Developer: Mosaic Mask Studios
Publisher: EuroVideo Medien GmbH
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Heaven’s Hope – Review
A lot of point and click games send you on a mission to find a missing person or visit a haunted mansion but Heaven’s Hope doesn’t go down this road. The title of this game resembles a small town in the 19th century, where there seems to be something amiss. This certainly is the case when the protagonist of the game enters the scene. Welcome and enjoy your stay in Heaven’s Hope.
Story
Heaven’s Hope will take you on a journey with Talorel, a fallen angel that has landed on Earth. He was tricked by one of his fellow companions and lost his wings and powers when he stranded on this planet. This means he can’t return to his hometown as he needs his feathery transportation medium.
On his arrival, it seems he has little to none knowledge about how humans work and how to react or respond. Heck, even gravity and distance is very unfamiliar to him. Thank goodness that you still have your two loyal friends up in Heaven, trying to do their very best to help you to get back.. in their own special way.
It seems that you might get home soon, but a lot is amiss on the town Heaven’s Hope. Next to your heavenly help, you also meet a lot of interesting and intriguing people who need your assistance or are just there to annoy you. The story is quite extensive and if you’re looking for a fun game with a rather unusual story, Heaven’s Hope will be something you’re looking for.
Graphics
You’re treated with several handdrawn environments, each and every piece is a real masterwork and very detailed. There are some returning elements here and there, but it really blends in with the surrounding beauty.
Talorel and the other characters really stand out in the environment, although they don’t have that much of bright colors. The reason they are noticeable lies in the fact that it is really visible that they’re ‘pasted’ on the screen since they’re animated and moving on a still background.
It is really hard to see what is a useful item and what not. This really increased the difficulty level, as you need to scan your screen and really go over every detail to detect an interactable item. When you find one, it has a nice and bright outlining, which makes it that more visible.
Sound
The developers did their best to provide you with some great music, sound effects and even voice acting although the tunes are rather quiet. It is clear that the effects and voices are more important and overrule the background music. At any rate, the silent jingle fit the rather dark setting.
The used voices are perfect for each character. For instance, Talorel has a more clumsy intonation and a rather unusual voice, which really fits his personality. Combine this with some subtle sound effects, and you’re in for a rather dark and gloomy game.
Gameplay
Heaven’s Hope is a point and click game where you need to help Talorel get back home. To do so, you must overcome several obstacles on your way which require you to have certain items. These key items can be found lying across town or you can only acquire them after you’ve done certain things, like changing your clothes for instance.
Objects of importance will get highlighted when hovering, revealing the several actions you can do with it. Every item can be inspected, giving you more details about the state and sometimes hinting about a possible purpose. At other times, you can talk to it or try to take it with you. This won’t always work as it might belong to someone and you probably need to do something before you get access to it. This game also has another special action you can undertake at times, namely to do a ‘holy action’. Since you’re an angel, after you’ve obtained your halo you can do certain heavenly activities, like reviving deceased lifeforms or talk to animals. Some are done automatically, while other actions need to be selected from the pop-up menu.
If you’re stuck during your quests, you can also ask help from your friends. Be warned though, their insights aren’t really that helpful as they mostly state the obvious and not really pointing you in the right direction. You’re on your own most of the time and this really increases the difficulty level. Due to the fact that there isn’t a real ‘hint’ and the not-so-obvious key items, you’ll be running around a lot, trying to find that one piece you’re missing to continue. Hardcore puzzle fans that love to dive into the story and are up for a challenge will be in for a treat, while players that are looking for a good time without too much fuss will get frustrated quite fast.
Conclusion
Heaven’s Hope is a town full of mysteries and the developers did their best to provide you with a unique storyline, combined with amazingly handdrawn graphics and fun conversations. Although these tend to slow the game down, you’ll be running around more than enough as well. If you’re looking for a challenging point and click game, Heaven’s Hope might be your new hometown.
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