Haven is an extremely sweet game. The intimacy between the two main characters is really something special. The world design however gets very stale quicker than I would like to admit, and I honestly wish the combat wasn't even in it. It has a lot of potential and I'm enjoying my time with it but I doubt I'd be bringing it up in conversation
I hoped playing this with my partner would have been the ideal way to experience a co-op title about two lovers exploring the stars, but Haven constantly found ways to wedge inbetween the intimate experience a plethora of elements that drag the journey down to earth.
Haven not only struggles to deliver the adventure it alludes to, it is a co-op game where the other player is only made to feel like a hindrance. The fact that players control a single given character, yet we both have to agree on each other's dialogue options - that only one player gets to direct the actual journey while the other merely collects starbits Mario Galaxy style - the way you each control a single looming third person camera within the house. It constantly finds new ways to feel impersonal, which betrays the intimate and adult love story of Yu and Kay so much. The moment the journey feels like it's finally abound, the momentum is halted by tutorial prompts, redundant battles, and dialogue that could really have been part of traversal.
Haven masquerades as a fun road trip for two, but it's really just a tour boat with Haven at the helm. There's one passenger seat that the players have take turns to sit on, and you're not entirely convinced Haven even knows where he's taking us. Big respect to these devs for taking such a huge departure from Furi, though.
Haven not only struggles to deliver the adventure it alludes to, it is a co-op game where the other player is only made to feel like a hindrance. The fact that players control a single given character, yet we both have to agree on each other's dialogue options - that only one player gets to direct the actual journey while the other merely collects starbits Mario Galaxy style - the way you each control a single looming third person camera within the house. It constantly finds new ways to feel impersonal, which betrays the intimate and adult love story of Yu and Kay so much. The moment the journey feels like it's finally abound, the momentum is halted by tutorial prompts, redundant battles, and dialogue that could really have been part of traversal.
Haven masquerades as a fun road trip for two, but it's really just a tour boat with Haven at the helm. There's one passenger seat that the players have take turns to sit on, and you're not entirely convinced Haven even knows where he's taking us. Big respect to these devs for taking such a huge departure from Furi, though.
Yu and Kay are compelling characters at times, but the rest of the game doesn't really do enough to justify its inclusion. I'm not really sure why there's combat in this at all, to be honest with you, and at times it feels like it's a chore that I have to go do before I'm allowed to hear more about the characters. It's not enough to put me off from the game (not yet, anyway), but I would absolutely understand if someone else feels differently.
You glide into strings and pick up fruit
Gorgeous game about a couple stranded in a mysterious planet. I'm super curious about the story yet after playing for a couple of hour the nature of the gameplay keeps me from continuing it.
The writing is nice but it almost makes me feel like a third wheel watching this couple be super cute with each other.
Might come back to it in the future, but it's not a priority.
The writing is nice but it almost makes me feel like a third wheel watching this couple be super cute with each other.
Might come back to it in the future, but it's not a priority.
The two protagonists and the perfomances of their respective actors are amazing but the environments are dull and the combat is absolutely tedious.
In short, two amazing characters trapped in one incredibly boring game.
In short, two amazing characters trapped in one incredibly boring game.
ok now this game is trash and i regret touching it. the dialogues could be written by some tumblr teenager. i want my money back.
at least it looks decent goddammit.
at least it looks decent goddammit.
I wanted to like this so badly because of Yu and Kay and the very strong first impression, but, leaving aside the exploration and movement, I just hated the stale, barely functioning gameplay loop and its manipulative resource collecting more and more with each passing minute, so I simply couldn't.
I like the romance. But aside from that, this game is just a pantomime.
I like the romance. But aside from that, this game is just a pantomime.
It sticks the landing but quickly loses its appeal due to repetitive gameplay and a relatively barren world to explore.
Easy going. This was a nice game to have to just be able to pick up for a few hours and just relax by exploring, cleaning up some ground goop along the way and enjoying the several events and lovey dovey bantering between the two protagonists. Very light feeling game with an appreciated focus on two people in a relationship who are just enjoying themselves.
Whilst that stuff left me feeling positive on the game, I also gotta admit there isn't much else beneath that. The main story is irrelevant, the forced drama between the two at one point is boring, the few other characters you talk to are so 2D and barely in it that it makes the "choice" at the end of the game entirely laughable because the game gives you zero reason for ever thinking about wanting to ever go back to your home planet. Also if you play the game more than my recommended allotted time per day then you start to realise that you're mostly on the same biome for 80% of the game and you're doing the same stuff you were doing at the end of the game that you were at the start.
And it's a tough game to recommend because of all that. I feel like they did enough of a good job on the relationship between the main characters and the world exploration that I could forgive those flaws and come out feeling good but if one of those things don't click then the entire house starts to crumble.
Whilst that stuff left me feeling positive on the game, I also gotta admit there isn't much else beneath that. The main story is irrelevant, the forced drama between the two at one point is boring, the few other characters you talk to are so 2D and barely in it that it makes the "choice" at the end of the game entirely laughable because the game gives you zero reason for ever thinking about wanting to ever go back to your home planet. Also if you play the game more than my recommended allotted time per day then you start to realise that you're mostly on the same biome for 80% of the game and you're doing the same stuff you were doing at the end of the game that you were at the start.
And it's a tough game to recommend because of all that. I feel like they did enough of a good job on the relationship between the main characters and the world exploration that I could forgive those flaws and come out feeling good but if one of those things don't click then the entire house starts to crumble.
You are presented with dialogue choices for both characters. That's pretty weird. (You're apparently not meant to insert yourself as one or the other, but instead act as some sort of god manipulating their conversations to go a certain way?)
When exploring the ship you can see both characters lounging around, meaning you're some sort of voyeur ghost. That's pretty weird.
Battle commands are invisible and only appear once you hold the button down for one of the commands even though you may not have known/remembered in what that button is for in advance. That's pretty weird.
While you are exploring it is pretty much guaranteed that you not be able to tell apart which exit is the one you came from and which is to move forward, except by going in and out of them to check. Although this barely helps either since the current area, previous area, and subsequent area will be be visually indistinguishable- That's pretty weird! (Or maybe it's just lazy.)
The game is trash. That's definitely not weird. It seems to be par for the course for indie titles in fact. Part of me strongly doubted whether this game was even worthy of having a review written for it. I mean just imagine if someone had the energy to call it out each time a game that was cobbled together on a shoestring budget and with minimal thought or effort put into it appeared on the Switch eShop. Haven actually got my hopes up and genuinely seemed like an interesting title, but that'll teach me, won't it? Remember kids: say no to indies.
When exploring the ship you can see both characters lounging around, meaning you're some sort of voyeur ghost. That's pretty weird.
Battle commands are invisible and only appear once you hold the button down for one of the commands even though you may not have known/remembered in what that button is for in advance. That's pretty weird.
While you are exploring it is pretty much guaranteed that you not be able to tell apart which exit is the one you came from and which is to move forward, except by going in and out of them to check. Although this barely helps either since the current area, previous area, and subsequent area will be be visually indistinguishable- That's pretty weird! (Or maybe it's just lazy.)
The game is trash. That's definitely not weird. It seems to be par for the course for indie titles in fact. Part of me strongly doubted whether this game was even worthy of having a review written for it. I mean just imagine if someone had the energy to call it out each time a game that was cobbled together on a shoestring budget and with minimal thought or effort put into it appeared on the Switch eShop. Haven actually got my hopes up and genuinely seemed like an interesting title, but that'll teach me, won't it? Remember kids: say no to indies.
SEXOOOOOOO
Por desgracia, no hay más juegos como Haven.
Pros:
- Posiblemente los diálogos más humanos que he tenido el gusto de presenciar en un videojuego. Excelentemente escritos y magistralmente doblados.
- Explora una temática que pasa muy pero que muy de puntillas en la industria, como son las relaciones de pareja.
- A nivel visual, sin ser apabullante, es realmente cute. Se echan en falta más razas de "animales" o una mayor cantidad de biomas, pero insuflar vida a cada uno de esos parajes es algo precioso.
Contras:
- No debería ser un RPG por turnos, simple y llanamente. Todo lo relacionado con el combate sobra en este juego.
- La mecánica de movimiento no termina de convencer, siendo imprecisa en demasiadas ocasiones.
- El tramo final es abrupto y te deja con ganas de una mayor profundización en el universo que plantea.
Pros:
- Posiblemente los diálogos más humanos que he tenido el gusto de presenciar en un videojuego. Excelentemente escritos y magistralmente doblados.
- Explora una temática que pasa muy pero que muy de puntillas en la industria, como son las relaciones de pareja.
- A nivel visual, sin ser apabullante, es realmente cute. Se echan en falta más razas de "animales" o una mayor cantidad de biomas, pero insuflar vida a cada uno de esos parajes es algo precioso.
Contras:
- No debería ser un RPG por turnos, simple y llanamente. Todo lo relacionado con el combate sobra en este juego.
- La mecánica de movimiento no termina de convencer, siendo imprecisa en demasiadas ocasiones.
- El tramo final es abrupto y te deja con ganas de una mayor profundización en el universo que plantea.
Gameplay péssima, história interessante.
A beautiful game about a startlingly simple concept, two characters in love. Explore a new world, fight when you must and above all else. Stay Together.
Meh
En la relación de Yu y Kay desde el minuto 1. Una pena que la jugabilidad lastre el conjunto, ya que el combate no es demasiado variado y limpiar zonas se acaba haciendo repetitivo a las pocas horas.
Aun así la historia invita a seguir y los protagonistas son adorables. Una experiencia de 10 horitas muy recomendable.
Aun así la historia invita a seguir y los protagonistas son adorables. Una experiencia de 10 horitas muy recomendable.
Not sure what to make out of this. I wish I could love a game with such a strong sense of style and soundtrack so magical. Interactions of Kay and Yu are very well written and the way it tends to build the alien world through natural conversations of two people in love could be nothing short of remarkable. Sadly the gameplay here is a mistake and serves only as an obstacle to climb before drip feeding you another sweet, but short and most likely insubsustantial conversation. After 3 hours the game simply didn't do enough to nurture a will to climb this wall. The soul is here, it just doesn't come together.
Haven is a wonderfully writen and voice-acted visual novel and a satisfying JRPG-esque game that's being dragged down by technical issues and a lack of scope.
I didn't regret my time with it, however.
I didn't regret my time with it, however.
La scrittura dei due personaggi è buona e trovo comprensibile la semplicità complessiva del lavoro. Tuttavia, la ridotta grandezza delle isole (inoltre, pressoché identiche), la bassa varietà di risorse e creature, la bassa libertà di movimento rispetto a quanto vorrebbe portare il concept, lo rendono ai miei occhi abbastanza mediocre.
feels like an exploratory relationship dialogue written by a 16-year-old
My concerns have come true:
The relationship and thus, the dialogues, are inconsistently written, sometimes authentically convincing, sometimes horrendously cheesy. The writing is just good enough to keep you going, though.
The worst part is the unnecessary addition of gameplay. It interrupts what drives players to keep going with tedious gameplay and combat. And while visually appealing at first, the environments are boringly generic and don’t even offer some kind of points of interest. At this rate, this game should’ve been a visual novel instead.
Its soundtrack is powerful and beautiful, but I feel like I won’t remember it in a few days.
The relationship and thus, the dialogues, are inconsistently written, sometimes authentically convincing, sometimes horrendously cheesy. The writing is just good enough to keep you going, though.
The worst part is the unnecessary addition of gameplay. It interrupts what drives players to keep going with tedious gameplay and combat. And while visually appealing at first, the environments are boringly generic and don’t even offer some kind of points of interest. At this rate, this game should’ve been a visual novel instead.
Its soundtrack is powerful and beautiful, but I feel like I won’t remember it in a few days.
Siento que la gente no le ha dado la oportunidad que se merece este juego. Es probable que aquella demo que salió en su día diera una impresión terriblemente mala de lo que realmente es capaz de mostrar Haven.
El principal problema de Haven son sus mecánicas jugables. Todas ellas están como hechas a la mitad, que están como podían haber estado otras y no habría cambiado absolutamente nada. Al final, lo que importa es la historia que nos quiere contar.
Y aquí es donde más debo defender Haven. Su historia es emotiva, su presentación está fenomenalmente hecha y va dejando entrever pequeños retazos de información según progresas que te hacen desear saber más.
La relación de Yu y Kay es el TODO de Haven. Y sí, tienen sus momentos de vomitar arcoiris, momentos en los que cambian de parecer, momentos sexies... pero, venga ya, eso ES una relación. Para más inri, es la primera vez que vea una relación de pareja ya establecida en un videojuego en la cual no hay que desbloquear escenas eróticas como parte de un sidequest o ganarse a la pareja como "recompensa". La relación amorosa está muy muy bien construida.
El juego, aunque se puede jugar solo, está claramente concebido para jugar en pareja. Compenetrándose y coordinándose en los combates y "roleando" cada miembro según el personaje con el que congenie más.
El principal problema de Haven son sus mecánicas jugables. Todas ellas están como hechas a la mitad, que están como podían haber estado otras y no habría cambiado absolutamente nada. Al final, lo que importa es la historia que nos quiere contar.
Y aquí es donde más debo defender Haven. Su historia es emotiva, su presentación está fenomenalmente hecha y va dejando entrever pequeños retazos de información según progresas que te hacen desear saber más.
La relación de Yu y Kay es el TODO de Haven. Y sí, tienen sus momentos de vomitar arcoiris, momentos en los que cambian de parecer, momentos sexies... pero, venga ya, eso ES una relación. Para más inri, es la primera vez que vea una relación de pareja ya establecida en un videojuego en la cual no hay que desbloquear escenas eróticas como parte de un sidequest o ganarse a la pareja como "recompensa". La relación amorosa está muy muy bien construida.
El juego, aunque se puede jugar solo, está claramente concebido para jugar en pareja. Compenetrándose y coordinándose en los combates y "roleando" cada miembro según el personaje con el que congenie más.
Beautiful graphics and beautiful world. I liked the characters but my main issue was the story itself I just did not like the story and the RPG gameplay imo sucked. With that being said I had some fun exploring the world but in the end it didn't work for me. This game is on Xbox Gamepass which I feel like saves this from a lower score but in general I say give this a go if you have gamepass!
France
SEXOOOOOOOOO
An amazing game but maybe a bit slow for me and my girlfriend
a historia é boa, mais de resto é bem podre
Kay and Yu have amazing chemistry. Both are Bae af.