Haven

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 73 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 103
  3. Negative: 13 out of 103

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  1. Luigichief
    Feb 18, 2021
    7
    The game drinks heavily from the source of JRPGs in general and despite this it can be quite unique.

    Haven's story is totally character-driven, and it's not even focused on their development but on the interactions between Yu and Kay. I love the interaction of characters and I sometimes complain about the lack of them in stories, what they did here was very unique, especially if we    The game drinks heavily from the source of JRPGs in general and despite this it can be quite unique.

    Haven's story is totally character-driven, and it's not even focused on their development but on the interactions between Yu and Kay. I love the interaction of characters and I sometimes complain about the lack of them in stories, what they did here was very unique, especially if we consider that the game already starts with them together, it is a lesson for many entertainment media (especially Japanese ones I would say ). The conversation with Yu's mother and the drama between her and Kay was very realistic and very good (it's the highlight of the game towards the end). The dialogue with the guy who was supposed to be Yu is very good. It is strange to think that the game has 4 characters and 2 of them appear in only 1 scene each, the two supporting actors could have more appearances, in flashbacks at least. What brings me to my biggest criticism, not showing the past was something that bothered me a lot, just that the protagonists comment directly and some scenes appear on the loading screens. The loading screens are very good, you can imagine a whole mini story on them, sometimes they are just funny or even dramatic, in short, the variety of them is very good. The game has 2 endings, I made the 'right' choice and I only saw the 'good', although it was a bit bittersweet, as Yu was a little silly, they paid the price of freedom, which was fair and the epilogue is cool.

    Amazing how ALL the lines have VA, and he is very good.

    I didn't understand anything about Opening but I liked it. The ending of the game is cool too.    … Expand
  2. Maxwell10
    May 1, 2022
    10
    Story 5/5
    Music 5/5
    Artstyle 5/5
    Combat 3/5
    Worth to play 4.5/5

    This game has a smooth gameplay for sure.The combat system is a bit simple but still satisfying. And the story.. well this game is focused on characters story with a simple gameplay which is a good thing because nowadays we forgot that games doesn't need to have an action scenario in order to be called a good game.
  3. OMIbiswas
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    The game is very relaxing and heartwarming... It's a love story of a couple...
  4. mmrventricle
    Dec 9, 2020
    8
    Haven is a character-focused game. Whether you like the game or not will almost completely depend on whether you like the protagonists.

    This game goes for a natural, unscripted style for the writings of the conversations, which means you can either love them for how realistic they sound, or hate them for how cringe they make you feel, and for me I found the former to be true far more    Haven is a character-focused game. Whether you like the game or not will almost completely depend on whether you like the protagonists.

    This game goes for a natural, unscripted style for the writings of the conversations, which means you can either love them for how realistic they sound, or hate them for how cringe they make you feel, and for me I found the former to be true far more frequently than the latter. Yu and Kay are the most realistic pair of couples that I can remember in a video game, they have consistent personality traits, they have good chemistry, they have running jokes between themselves, etc. The amount of contextual dialogues and their trigger conditions are also impressive -- once I was controlling the girl and the guy happen to follow behind her and she commented on if he was getting a good view. There are also a lot of mundane scenes about the characters' daily lives that don't serve any plot purpose which I somehow found interesting.

    One thing I disliked about the dialogue is that there are a lot of dialogues about fictional science or technology. It would be another thing if they discussed real science, but fake science discussion is completely non-engaging and make me roll my eyes more than anything else.

    The combat is a mixed bag. It's a turn-based system where both you and the enemy take turns at the same time (which reminds me of Final Fantasy 13 of all things). There are 3 actions you can take: melee attack, ranged attack, and shield. The enemies can be resistant or vulnerable to some of these attacks, and some enemies require timing. There is some strategy to it, but I think it simply isn't fun. The characters will also speak after every action, and since you make roughly 1 move per second per character and there are 2 characters, you will hear around 2 quips per second for the entirety of the duration of combat.

    The majority of the time in game will be spent traversing. Most of the time the movement mechanics is a glorified auto-run, and there is no jump button at all making it pretty frustrating for vertical traversal as any tiny ledge stops you. Instead there are set locations where you can take flight along a given path, and that's how you are supposed to reach high places. Overall it's nothing special but nothing especially offensive either.    … Expand
  5. Litleboony
    Dec 13, 2020
    8
    Wonderful playable story with little in the way of goals to make it a relaxing experience. The focus on romance without including its pursuit as part of the narrative is comfortable and cosy, while watching Kay and Yu’s relationship grow throughout the game was heartwarming and I was always excited for the next cutscene. Only downside was the tediousness in travelling to and from the nestWonderful playable story with little in the way of goals to make it a relaxing experience. The focus on romance without including its pursuit as part of the narrative is comfortable and cosy, while watching Kay and Yu’s relationship grow throughout the game was heartwarming and I was always excited for the next cutscene. Only downside was the tediousness in travelling to and from the nest to far away islets if you weren’t prepared to spend ages cleaning up rust.… Expand
  6. MotoWolf
    Dec 5, 2020
    10
    Dear developers! Please accept my gratitude for such a great game! It is a pity that many people did not appreciate it and the rating of Metacritic did not reach 80( for me, the game became a real mini-masterpiece! Once again, I am convinced that you do not need to have million-dollar budgets and arrange a hype to release a decent, interesting and deep game! No need for graphics thatDear developers! Please accept my gratitude for such a great game! It is a pity that many people did not appreciate it and the rating of Metacritic did not reach 80( for me, the game became a real mini-masterpiece! Once again, I am convinced that you do not need to have million-dollar budgets and arrange a hype to release a decent, interesting and deep game! No need for graphics that squeeze all the juice out of your computer, PS or XBOX. The main thing is an approach, live characters who want to experience, sympathize. The game should not have a beautiful cover. The game must have a soul! And You, all those who worked on this game succeeded! The game is live!
    Personally, I am very much looking forward to new masterpieces from Your team! Keep it up! 1010!    … Expand
  7. tacobales
    Dec 8, 2020
    10
    Really fantastic art style and music , if youre a persona fan , jrpg fan or just a fan of just good stories this ones a banger. Camera is a bit hit or miss.
  8. Tonsias
    Dec 5, 2020
    10
    seen the trailer, fell in love. The music and especially the intro are very well done. The characters are very well written and very well set to music.

    I like the style and it harmonizes with the music.

    Very nicely done, I'm thrilled.
  9. LongDonJohn96
    Dec 6, 2020
    10
    What a fantastic Xbox Gamepass game. The music is appropriate and atmospheric, the gameplay feels new yet familiar, this is especially true for the combat system, but the best of all the great things about the game is the synergy between the two main characters. I've played almost all of the games that the general public dubbed the best of the decade, and yet none of them have shown meWhat a fantastic Xbox Gamepass game. The music is appropriate and atmospheric, the gameplay feels new yet familiar, this is especially true for the combat system, but the best of all the great things about the game is the synergy between the two main characters. I've played almost all of the games that the general public dubbed the best of the decade, and yet none of them have shown me such an honest and well-written relationship as Haven can. Truly a recommendation.… Expand
  10. Damazy1234
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I absolutely loved the game. True, it did have small flaws from time to time, but I didnt mind them. There are a ton of things to experience, always accompanied by the gorgeous artwork. Give it a try! !!SPOILER ALERT DOWN!!

    The only flaw that I can point out is that Ozias appears at one point of the game, and then just dissapears and doesnt come back later again. He was kinda a big deal. Definetly reccomend it!    … Expand
  11. kriptexxx
    Jan 26, 2021
    9
    You know you are in for a treat, when you are amazed before reaching the menu.
    This game has possibly the most beautiful intro ever. Also, it sets the tone for the game perfectly.
    The game is all about love and connectedness. You feel this in the intro. You feel this in the conversations. You feel this in everything you do. The whole game is built around this concept. You are crafting    You know you are in for a treat, when you are amazed before reaching the menu.
    This game has possibly the most beautiful intro ever. Also, it sets the tone for the game perfectly.

    The game is all about love and connectedness. You feel this in the intro. You feel this in the conversations. You feel this in everything you do. The whole game is built around this concept. You are crafting together, fighting together and travel/fly together (while you hold each other's hand).

    And while the gameplay is simple, the maps are beautiful and the mechanics are good enough to keep it interesting. Although, at some point it got a bit boring and I felt that I am just grinding, but then it picked up the pace again to deliver a smooth finish. I don't know how is it playing alone, but playing it with your significant other compares to nothing. It is an experience worth having.

    The only reason I am not giving 10/10 is because no matter how much fun the game is, it is still flawed. The camera is probably the best example, which often behaves weirdly.    … Expand
  12. Digiclone
    Dec 10, 2020
    5
    the visuals and music are great as expected from The Game Bakers, but the gameplay side was very weak for me, after playing for like 4 hours you won't see anything new, just the same itens, the same enemies and etc, not much happens in the story too. Also the map was so bad, I beat the game in 13 hours and almost 2 hours was me being lost entering wrong islands trying to go somewhere. Idk,the visuals and music are great as expected from The Game Bakers, but the gameplay side was very weak for me, after playing for like 4 hours you won't see anything new, just the same itens, the same enemies and etc, not much happens in the story too. Also the map was so bad, I beat the game in 13 hours and almost 2 hours was me being lost entering wrong islands trying to go somewhere. Idk, sometimes it feels this game tried to deliver a message but nothing really happened, it felt like the Journey game from playstation but just focusing in a chill experience with cool scenarios, music and a cute couple… Expand
  13. Ziadelhariry
    Jan 9, 2021
    9
    Haven is a game that heavily depends on it's characters which is good as the characters are amazing the dynamic between yu and Kay is one of the best, Haven is probably the best romance in game history, however it lacks a bit in it's gameplay Which I often found boring after after 2or 3 hours of playing but that's just normal I guess
  14. solokuhn
    Mar 10, 2021
    8
    It's impossible to separate the different aspects of Haven; the music, art style, graphics are beautiful and compliment the story perfectly. The game tells you from the beginning that this is not a challenging game. However as Furi's difficulty ties directly to the story, Haven's easy to grasp gameplay and mechanics are connected to Haven's main focus, the relationship between Yu and Kay.It's impossible to separate the different aspects of Haven; the music, art style, graphics are beautiful and compliment the story perfectly. The game tells you from the beginning that this is not a challenging game. However as Furi's difficulty ties directly to the story, Haven's easy to grasp gameplay and mechanics are connected to Haven's main focus, the relationship between Yu and Kay. When you are right for each other nothing feels impossible, but it's not a breeze either.

    I enjoyed my time with the game thoroughly, and enjoyed getting lost in a lovely relationship between two people fighting for freedom.

    My only gripes with this particular game is that I would have welcomed more depth in terms of it's gameplay, both the movement and the combat could have been enhanced ever so slightly so players craving a challenge could sink their teeth into some optional content (available only to those who will go to that length), however I do think that the fact that this is not present in the game was intentional since it might not relate to the core aspects of the story.    … Expand
  15. GandalfCzarny
    Jan 3, 2021
    8
    Warm, honest and lively relationship between our lovers is what creates that game. I swear to god, that I never saw such charming and lovable couple, as Yu and Kay. From gameplay perspective it's fine - I love exploration of Source, and discover it's history. The only thing that I hate is chaotic and awful fight mechanic, that looks like waterdown version of Final Fantasy. But other thanWarm, honest and lively relationship between our lovers is what creates that game. I swear to god, that I never saw such charming and lovable couple, as Yu and Kay. From gameplay perspective it's fine - I love exploration of Source, and discover it's history. The only thing that I hate is chaotic and awful fight mechanic, that looks like waterdown version of Final Fantasy. But other than that I think that I honestly love this game. One of biggest suprise of this year… Expand
  16. ounot
    Dec 7, 2020
    8
    O jogo tem diálogos interessante é poucos repetitivos, gameplay com mecânica diferente mas legal.
  17. Amaya1337
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Preface:
    I remember times when I was scrolling steam, hoping to find anything good and worth playing. I don't know whether it’s me a boring person or I got an adult or something went wrong with the game industry, but I can hardly find the game that will impress me as much as it did Haven.
    Firstly, I can say that you can always play in Haven with your intimate friend if you have two    Preface:
    I remember times when I was scrolling steam, hoping to find anything good and worth playing. I don't know whether it’s me a boring person or I got an adult or something went wrong with the game industry, but I can hardly find the game that will impress me as much as it did Haven.
    Firstly, I can say that you can always play in Haven with your intimate friend if you have two controllers.
    Haven is a delightful game about lovers who escaped their fate and changed it thanks to their efforts.
    The plot is simple, and it’s even an advantage.
    In Haven, we have two characters under control. They are a bright and charismatic couple whose decisions lead them to an unknown planet. Kay is a biologist and Yu is a mechanic and pilot. Throughout the game we watch how relations between Kay and Yu are going up and down, changing and developing.
    Gameplay is pacifying and calm, but sometimes makes you worry. You will explore beautiful parts of the planet to fix your ship and settle down. On this planet the ship is your new home, you will cook, craft, sleep, talk and negotiate plans.
    Exploring the game world is not only vital but also interesting. You will go out of the ship every day to find food, materials, and other things. The pace is not fast, but you always want to know what awaits you the next day or at the next place.
    Fighting system is not usual because if you play alone, you control two players at once. There are not many techniques of strikes, exactly two and shield. However, all enemies have a weakness to some strikes and you must use it to win. Some boosters will improve one of your abilities on the battlefield.
    Graphics is nice and stylish. The colors are calm and not vibrant. The color scheme is done well so you will always notice who is a foe and who is a friend.
    Music is awesome. I liked it from the first start of the game. Danger did an amazing job. Music not only beautiful itself, but also perfectly fits in gameplay. It causes you to feel strong emotions. I was literally crying like a kid while listening to the game intro video every time I launched Haven.
    I finished the game in 5 days and played 3 hours each day. I feel happy and sad at the same time. It is very a touching story about how true love should look. Haven feels like a breath of fresh air nowadays. If you want to escape your daily routine or boring life or maybe you feel very lonely you must dive into this game. I guarantee Haven will reward you with unforgettable feelings and emotions.
    Thank you for your attention    … Expand
  18. cleverTOM
    Apr 12, 2022
    10
    story that touched my heart, with relaxing gameplay and interactions, simple combat but it doesn't spoil the moments of danger at all. i loved it.
  19. ughidontknow
    Dec 5, 2020
    7
    I played the game on Game Pass for PC. Visually it's pretty nice and simple. I enjoyed the voice acting, the dialogue seems to be natural between the two characters with banter and affection. I wasn't able to play much of the game itself due to the movement mechanic giving me severe motion sickness, which is unfortunate because I would have otherwise enjoyed the game I think.

    So just a    I played the game on Game Pass for PC. Visually it's pretty nice and simple. I enjoyed the voice acting, the dialogue seems to be natural between the two characters with banter and affection. I wasn't able to play much of the game itself due to the movement mechanic giving me severe motion sickness, which is unfortunate because I would have otherwise enjoyed the game I think.

    So just a heads up if you're like me and get motion sickness in cars or on boats, this game might not be for you.    … Expand
  20. MatMontre
    Dec 7, 2020
    10
    Wonderful dialogues, cute couple, amazing soundtrack. Chara design and enviro are really pretty. But above all, showing an established couple with all the connection and deep love that comes with it is so fresh, I’ve never seen it like this in a game, ever.
  21. M0mu5
    Dec 19, 2020
    10
    Haven is a gold nugget, a whiff of optimism, I can only strongly advise to play it. The story is moving, the characters endearing, it's the first time I've seen a video game that represents an intimate relationship as well. The gameplay is not to be outdone with an RPG aspect serving the narration and a surprisingly relaxing movement mechanic. For the sake of comparisons that areHaven is a gold nugget, a whiff of optimism, I can only strongly advise to play it. The story is moving, the characters endearing, it's the first time I've seen a video game that represents an intimate relationship as well. The gameplay is not to be outdone with an RPG aspect serving the narration and a surprisingly relaxing movement mechanic. For the sake of comparisons that are absolutely irrelevant but totally necessary, I will mention that this is the second game to make me shed a tear just by listening again to the (fabulous) soundtrack after Undertale.
    In short, Haven is a feel-good game like few exist !    … Expand
  22. CasucalReviews
    Dec 12, 2020
    1
    Not my type of game, i tried it because i was extremely bored, but this got me even more bored.
  23. Steyraus
    Dec 26, 2020
    2
    This game feels like it was built from the ground up specifically for games journalists. One of them games that just want game awards and IGN GOTYs. I mean the game has two difficulty modes easy and very very easy. Biggest problem is it is boring and dull looking. Very very boring.
    The game is barely interactable it's all listening to cringy Dialogue and bad voice acting. And when you're    This game feels like it was built from the ground up specifically for games journalists. One of them games that just want game awards and IGN GOTYs. I mean the game has two difficulty modes easy and very very easy. Biggest problem is it is boring and dull looking. Very very boring.
    The game is barely interactable it's all listening to cringy Dialogue and bad voice acting. And when you're not doing that you're travelling around the world that looks identical from one end of the other floating over stuff to complete objectives and doing mobile style mini games.    … Expand
  24. realnewshere
    Dec 14, 2020
    1
    Can you make more boring game than this? I think you can't!
  25. Kingdomhear
    Dec 19, 2020
    10
    Appena finito...semplice ma allo stesso tempo complesso... disegni bellissimi personaggi scritti molto bene...davvero un gran gioco
  26. Arkane7
    Oct 16, 2022
    2
    This should have been a great game with such an interesting premise. However, it falls flat on many levels. Clunky controls, lacklustre graphics and presentation and well as boring characters. The voices are ok as is some of the music. All in all, the gameplay just isn't interesting enough and neither is the story.
  27. rolandborder
    Dec 15, 2020
    10
    This game is just amazing in terms art, music, characters and they relationship, its a wonderful romantic story, so if u like this type of games u should play it. The only problem is rushed ending
  28. Angel865
    Dec 18, 2020
    10
    TL;DR if you like visual novels or a legitimately unique story, then buy Haven it is well worth the price. If you are not sold, then keep reading and let me explain.
    Graphics
    Haven graphics are simply astounding the watercolor look that “The Game Bakers” chose was an amazing choice. It is incredibly bright and vibrant. 20 years from now Haven will still look good because of the style    TL;DR if you like visual novels or a legitimately unique story, then buy Haven it is well worth the price. If you are not sold, then keep reading and let me explain.
    Graphics
    Haven graphics are simply astounding the watercolor look that “The Game Bakers” chose was an amazing choice. It is incredibly bright and vibrant. 20 years from now Haven will still look good because of the style they chose. The only real negative are the character models which are just okay.
    Sound & music
    The voice acting overall is excellent. The music is the real selling point and best described as electronic. Those who have played “Furi” will recognize it. Haven is much more upbeat. It does not have the same bass that “Furi” had. It also lacks that sense of looming danger and high stress tension. The music in Haven is far more upbeat and lighthearted. Something you can listen to while riding your bike or going for walk or run.
    Gameplay
    The gameplay is just average to be honest. It follows a rock, paper, scissors gameplay. You have four buttons: pacify, impact, blast, shield and that is it. This all happens in a turn-based real-time arena. The other part of the gameplay is to collect fruits or other materials to fix the ship as it is the main overarching plot point that follows you all the way to the end of the game. It is simple but it gets the job done and it does not overstay its welcome. The game is about 8 to 12 hours long. So, no combat fatigue. One last note unlike “Furi” Haven is an amazingly easy game. the game straight up tells you right from the get-go that the combat is quite simple and there is really nothing that stressful for you to overcome.
    Story
    The story revolves around Kay and Yu as star crossed lovers who escape from their sci-fi society to live out on a paradise planet called Source far away from the “Apiary” that is the name the sci-fi Empire they came from. The story is made intentionally vague and only slowly unravels to reveal their backstory and the society they both ran away from. For the most part it is light-hearted, but the story ramps up when Kay and Yu must face the consequences of trying to escape the Apiary. That is about all I want to say about the story. I genuinely believe that you should experience the story for yourself.
    Conclusion
    Haven over all is an excellent game 8/10 I will remember it and I will play again and not immediately delete from my computer. I hope that you all will give it a chance if nothing else buy it on sale. The games in only $25 dollars and is well worth your time. Such a genuinely feel-good game is something that I think everybody needs to purge the toxicity of 2020 and start something new.    … Expand
  29. Chermen10
    Jan 6, 2021
    10
    Очень душевная игра. Мне нравится этот стиль, и он гармонирует с музыкой. Игра расслабляет и успокаивает. 10 бурацких медынь из 10.
  30. Josa01
    Jan 15, 2021
    8
    No soy el mejor escribiendo reseñas pero bueno aquí voy, haven muchos y pocos lo tomaran como un juego aburrido en el cual solamente se puede caminar y hacer una que otra cosa, pero para otras personas, es una forma de reflejar la vida, que puedes hacer en la vida si estas en una situación similar a la de Yu y kay, es algo que debes sentir y reflejar en experiencias de la vida, te pone aNo soy el mejor escribiendo reseñas pero bueno aquí voy, haven muchos y pocos lo tomaran como un juego aburrido en el cual solamente se puede caminar y hacer una que otra cosa, pero para otras personas, es una forma de reflejar la vida, que puedes hacer en la vida si estas en una situación similar a la de Yu y kay, es algo que debes sentir y reflejar en experiencias de la vida, te pone a pensar disfrutar los paisajes, (Incluso si los gráficos al mínimo) Haven te da una probadita de lo que es probrablemente disfrutar la libertad con alguien mas, ya que no estamos obligas en si a hacer mucho, solo en algunas cosas, como comer, o recordar onda etc. Me encantaría darle una calificación de excelencia a este videojuego, lamentablemente, no puedo decir lo mismo de su optimización, no esta mal, pero puede ser mejor, ya que en una gtx 1660 super ryzen 5 3600 y 16 de raam, en 1080 p en gráficos altos a veces cae abajo de 60, no es por ser alguien mala onda y malo, solo diría que ese apartado puede mejorar, sin embargo la experiencia después de mis 20 horas jugando haven, es bastante satisfactoria, y siempre lo voy a llevar en mi corazón, comparando incluso algunas situaciones con mi vida personal. llegando a una conclusión a que haven puede tener mi calificación de 8.5, ya que cumple en mucho a mi parecer, tal ves para otros no ( las personas que prefieren juegos rápidos y frenéticos) a mi si, la historia te llega a lo mas profundo.
    Ya que tu puedes saborearla, "SENTIRLA". Y vivirla, en el juego a tu manera. Excelente juego :).    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

79
#79 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 22
  3. Negative: 1 out of 22
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2021
    70
    The main goal of Haven is to relax you, and all gameplay mechanics work in harmony to help convey the beauty of living in a happy, trusting relationship. Exploring an alien planet indeed is calming, but monotony creeps in after a couple of hours. [02/2021, p.46]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2021
    80
    Great break after a busy day. With or without a partner, you will experience this respite together with at least Yu and Kay. The story in a dreamy landscape is worth it. [Issue#309]
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Jan 8, 2021
    80
    Haven is a fun mixture of visual novel storytelling, walking simulator exploration and just a dash of action-adventure. The main focus is on the couple and their story of survival on an alien planet. With that in mind, it's not a game for everyone, but it is a fun adventure to take.
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