Heartworm

Heartworm is another top notch indie horror to add to the collection and one that perhaps feels the closest to the games that clearly influence it. The mixture of Fatal Frame combat and Silent Hill gameplay is perfectly judged and the end result is a game that not only pays homage to the classics but deserves to be considered amongst them.

Heartworm works best in its subtlest areas, leaving players to experience the tension of its beautifully creepy environments and its subtle, anxiety-inducing score and story. While some of the moments intended to put you on edge don’t work as well, the game overall is still a great piece of nostalgia and an experience worth having on your own.

Heartworm is a love letter to survival horrors of the 90’s, with a great look and feel that apes those older games brilliantly. Boring boss fights, an uninspiring tale, and some user interface niggles stop this being a full-hearted recommendation, but if you’re in the market for old school Resident Evil-like gaming, then this should fit the bill nicely.

All in all, Heartworm is a lovely journey into classic survival horror fun. Just be prepared for your heart to ache as well as freeze in fear.

For me, in terms of horror, Cat People from 1942 is way ahead of Saw 3D or other cinematic torture masterpieces. If you feel the same way, Heartworm is a genre highlight.

Heartworm is a survival horror game with (fittingly) a lot of heart, that will appeal to both PS1 veterans and modern horror fans.

Heartworm is an intriguing ode to the survival horror games of old. It looks and plays like a first-generation PlayStation title, complete with a wonderfully atmospheric soundtrack. Sam’s story feels personal and sincere, though it doesn’t quite stick the landing. What truly matters, however, is the exploration, the horror, and solving puzzles in a twisted world. Heartworm presents some very strong ideas, though it sometimes only uses them a handful of times, and the game can definitely feel too easy at points, which undermines the horror a bit. Even so, I believe Heartworm does enough to be worth the time of Resident Evil and Silent Hill fans.

Heartworm is an imperfect but emotionally powerful experience. It doesn't revolutionize survival horror, but it demonstrates a deep understanding of what made the classics special. Its greatest success lies in using nostalgia as a vehicle to explore universal themes of loss and grief.

Heartworm is a moody homage to classic survival horror, with strong puzzles and an effective retro style. It leaves an impression, but falls short of its ambition and lacks the depth to truly resonate.

It's not really scary, but Heartworm remains a fun retro-styled survival horror game nonetheless, thanks to its intriguing story and rewarding puzzles.

All in all, Heartworm is a fascinating look at memories, trauma, and our experiences in dealing with both. The limited combat options meant that the disempowerment of needing to avoid combat when possible helped to serve the feeling of unease. Unfortunately, there are some issues that bring down the experience as a whole, and I wish they would have been fixed before release. Even so, Sam’s quest for meaning in the face of anguish is a relatable one, and that’s where this adventure truly shines.

Heartworm starts off very well, presenting an intimate and personal theme like grief and its processing, a well-crafted atmosphere, and a sense of growing tension. However, when it tries to do more, this is where it begins to falter.

Heartworm delivers a moody and nostalgic survival horror experience, drawing clear inspiration from genre staples like Resident Evil and Fatal Frame. Its retro presentation, eerie sound design, and clever environmental puzzles evoke a sense of dread that fans of classic horror will appreciate. However, despite a promising setup, the game falters with a thin, disjointed narrative and several underdeveloped mechanics, leaving the full promise of its design unrealized.

Heartworm has a strong atmosphere, greatly enhanced by an excellent use of PS1-style graphics. And that’s it. That’s the only thing good about this indie survival horror experience. A survival horror experience where the only true horror is the boredom that will have to be endured while the protagonist runs around aimlessly (without anything posing any real threat). It's all topped off with occasional not-exactly-that-deep thoughts on life and death.