Haven (2020)

Art is incredible, character's have great personality, though the gameplay is pretty bland and the world feels so empty even though it also feels enormous.

I am so lonely

I'm just barely recommending this game because it has structural flaws, yet there are so many good things that I can't just dismiss it as a bad game. I'll elaborate. The strong point of Haven lies in the dynamic between its two characters, and in their relatively healthy intimate relationship. There's a bit of a "slice of life" aspect to it, despite the sci-fi setting. If you live alone, this game will make you feel even more alone. I believe the lore suggests that the society they ran away from is quite dystopic in some ways, which contrasts strongly with the very colorful vibe of this world, and the 'Netflix&Chill' atmosphere between the two characters. Most of the game revolves around exploration. There isn't actually that much to explore: you mostly travel from one island to another to clear the "rust", a substance that is necessary to progress through the story. There are also a few items to discover that unlock some additional interactions between the two characters. There are also occasional fights. The combat system, while not particularly deep, is pretty enjoyable and relies to some extent on real-time strategy, but it remains quite simplistic. The music, though, is …

Beautiful Game, Great Storytelling.

This was a game that I played in co-op from start to finish with my romantic partner. Each of us picked one of the protagonists (we went with both women) and stuck with that character as we played. Getting to share this story and experience together was really special, and despite some technical flaws and bumps here and there, it was a really great time. The story is very heartfelt, and we absolutely adored the dynamic between Kay and Yu. Their love, their struggles, and the conflict they had to grapple with. In our opinion, the game's story and themes hit MUCH harder when playing with a queer Kay & Yu (M/M or F/F). Particularly the themes of societal expectations of romance, and seeking a place where one can love in peace. The visuals are a real treat, colourful and vibrant, with a nice amount of variety in creatures and environments throughout the game. Though personally I wish the developers had frontloaded a few more of the interesting designs, as in my opinion most of the best creature designs and environments are only in the second half of the game. The english localization did a really excellent job with this one, as well. While there were two or so jokes or comment…

Playing this with my girlfriend. She loves it, I love it. We both recommend it to any couple. P.S you can't really play it alone so make sure you have someone.