Heaven's Vault

 Switch
Heaven's Vault Image
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

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  • Summary: Aliya Elasra is an archaeologist, exploring a strange region of space called the Nebula with her robot sidekick Six, hoping to uncover the secrets of the long-forgotten past. When a roboticist from the University of Iox goes missing, Aliya begins a trail of discoveries that will lead to theAliya Elasra is an archaeologist, exploring a strange region of space called the Nebula with her robot sidekick Six, hoping to uncover the secrets of the long-forgotten past. When a roboticist from the University of Iox goes missing, Aliya begins a trail of discoveries that will lead to the very edge of her world - and the ancient secret of Heaven's Vault.

    Heaven's Vault is not your usual linear adventure game. Progress through the game in any order you choose - the game's fully adaptive narrative remembers every choice you make, every discovery and every action you take, influencing what happens next. Meet a diverse cast of characters who remember everything you say, and who's attitude to you will change with how you act. Some are friendly, some are cautious, and some are out to trick you.
    Who will you trust? What will you find? What will you learn? What will you risk? What will you lose?    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Shindig
    Mar 10, 2021
    100
    Heaven’s Vault is truly remarkable. A complex, satisfying, authentic system of translating a forgotten language and a truly open-ended narrative structure in which your every action affects how the story plays out make for an deeply enjoyable game, but it’s how Heaven’s Vault puts those things into context that’s truly impressive. This isn’t just a gamified take on archaeology, but a deep dive into the role it plays in understanding a world and its history, and what “uncovering the truth” really means.
  2. Noisy Pixel
    Jan 31, 2021
    90
    Heaven’s Vault is one of those extraordinary adventure games that will likely become more legendary in time. Much like the ancient Empire that players must uncover in the game, Heaven’s Vault is rife with intricate details where players are likely to notice something new each time they revisit the immense nebula. While not all of its gameplay ideas are effective, and Aliya as a protagonist can take a while to become likable, the adventure as a whole is staggeringly epic, one that makes you feel like a providential participant in a dynamically evolving narrative.
  3. RPG Fan
    Jan 28, 2021
    85
    Equal parts guesswork and context-driven logic, piecing together the meanings of these [Ancient] messages creates a rewarding loop.
  4. Switch Player
    Jan 28, 2021
    80
    Heaven’s Vault is a truly unique sci-fi adventure game from Inkle, combining a non-linear branching narrative with an ancient language system begging to be uncovered and deciphered. With a good length and plenty of replay value, it’s a story worth diving into.
  5. NintendoWorldReport
    Jan 29, 2021
    80
    Overall Heaven’s Vault is a very interesting and unique game that you should consider giving a try, especially if you have any interest in linguistics. While issues with the dialogue and a less than stellar space flight mechanic hold the game back from being truly great, there is enough good here to make it well worth your time. The relationship between Aliyah and Six is realistic and fun to see where it goes, and the environments and world building featured are top notch. If any of this caught your attention that may be a sign that you should be heading out to do some archaeology amongst the stardust.
  6. KeenGamer
    Jan 29, 2021
    80
    If you're looking for a more casual and story-driven experience, Heaven's Vault will scratch that itch and then some with it's nebulous, well-written narrative and memorable characters. This game fits well on the Nintendo Switch platform and looks great, too, so if you've wanted to slow things down and enjoy an epic story, then what are you waiting for?
  7. TheGamer
    Jan 28, 2021
    50
    Heaven’s Vault is a game that was made with love and passion, that much is clear. This is a fascinatingly unique concept for a game, and the Ancient text must have taken a team months upon months of planning and work to put in place, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a fun or engaging experience when stretched out into hours of vague and unsatisfying puzzling.

See all 13 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. Terrax
    Jun 24, 2021
    10
    I grew up on point and click puzzle games but this game blows puzzle narratives out of the water and sets a new and high bar. The charactersI grew up on point and click puzzle games but this game blows puzzle narratives out of the water and sets a new and high bar. The characters and dialogue are charming and intriguing, you will find yourself emotionally invested in the cast and their goings-on and conspiracies. All this laced together with a fantastically vast array of monumental ruins to explore and slowly translate down a sense of understanding from.

    This game despite having a decently long play time for a single run has -Immense- replayability. The game carries over your old correct translations, and the plots and events can branch and intermingle in so many ways. You might unleash the forbidden in one run or possibly facilitate a cataclysm in another, or even neither. As you make peace with your decisions there is always another on the horizon that will put you in just as intense of a hot seat.

    In spite of being such a "choices matter" game where your decisions are on a clock, the game is uniquely meditative in meandering around ancient ruins and sailing sky streams while making quips with your companion.

    If you've at all got a soft spot for anthropology or archeology this game will press your buttons, test your limits, and kick your sense of wonder wide open as you unfurl what is truly an unforgettable adventure.    … Expand

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