Where the Heart Leads Reviews
There are definitely people who will sympathize with this story but I personally find it boring and the lack of voice acting made it really hard to get through all the unnecessarily long dialogues. Personal stories are always welcomed but they should have something new to say to actually connect with the audience
Review in Persian | Read full review
Sometimes things don’t work out the way we want them to. In all of its glorious indifference, the universe can seem to lie in wait for opportunities to twist our meandering paths forward in unexpected directions. Where the Heart Leads is gentle and empathetic in its lesson that adulthood isn’t a place where one arrives…While we all may strive not to live in the past, we all have moments we wish we could do-over. That’s what makes the gift of this game all the more special: it offers an invitation to try again, with the tender reminder that life will never be perfect.
Where the Heart Leads is another narrative game representative, here capturing a 'slice of life', the story of a worldly person, with its decisions and consequences. A beautiful visual part, but limited means that take a direct toll on the narrative and execution, this being the great handicap of the game. But still, another interesting representative in this style of 'playing stories', with considerable variability and changes, being more active and branched than other games of this style, although these narrative limitations take their toll when it comes to exploiting these possibilities and replayability .
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Where the Heart Leads doesn’t want you to play and after a while, I just stopped fighting it.
Where The Heart Leads is an acquired taste. For those who demand action from their games, or life and death decision making in your narrative titles, this one won’t be for you. The stakes in this game are family sized, the decisions made at a workaday level and the cast almost ordinary. Even with a few niggles though, some smart writing and plenty of charm create a series of characters you can care for. It’s easy to get invested in their fate and to find the decisions directing their lives challenging to make.
Where the Heart Leads has a very interesting premise, but it wasn't executed so well. Although the choices have a real impact throughout the plot, there is a disconnect between the beginning, the middle and the end that generates an unsatisfactory ending. The lengthy dialogues, the long (and unnecessary) duration and the weak protagonist make the game a slow and uninteresting experience after a while.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Where The Heart Leads is a gut-wrenching and relentless look at how life’s littlest decisions and actions can have the biggest impact on one’s past, present and future. The game may suffer from its lack of voices and facial expressions, but it makes up for those with good music to set the tone and vibrant visuals. This is a praise-worthy original title from the folks at Armature Studio.
Where the Heart Leads doesn’t tell a story full of action sequences and battles with grand sweeping scenes, but it does tell a story about a man and his life, a town and its inhabitants, and it does a damn good job of making you care as you maneuver obstacles with subtle nuance in impactful ways through the power of choice.
Having only gone through one of the possibilities that Where the Heart Leads has to offer I was sold. Over the course of that dozen hours alone, the interactiveness that Whit has with the environment mixed in with the well written characters and the emotions that they bring as you live through this slice of life is both engaging and moving as I found myself happy, heartbroken, and even angry at times with some of the members of Whit’s family and community. Unlike real life though, you can go back and see how differently things could play out and I plan to travel both the higher and lower moral grounds still left untraveled.
Where the Heart Leads fills a void after the closure of Telltale, which famously popularized interactive, combat-less games that ask for decisions to be made and for conversations to be had. I could practically see an icon twirling in the upper right hand corner, saying, Sege will remember you said that. I hope Where the Heart Leads is a sign of more games in that space. If you’re looking for a game that is quiet without being boring, philosophical but not peaceful, and sweet without being trite, then Where the Heart Leads should be in consideration for your next indie binge.
The story being told may be considered boring, but it hides points that will make most people recognize parts of themselves, and find a different perspective through it.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Those nitpicks, and they are nitpicks, likely won't really bother too many players as the story of Whit and Rene is captivating enough to push through any issues. You'll get lost in a beautiful world full of relatable characters and complex relationships, and there just isn't anything quite like Where the Heart Leads out there right now. While it might not be for everyone, those who discover it will likely find themselves better for the experience.
Where The Heart Leads is a unique game that chronicles a family's entire life together, spanning generations and decades. It's ambitious, albeit flawed, but certainly interesting.
Where the Heart Leads is a comfortable game about choices, family, and appreciating what you have. "Comfortable" is really the best word for it. You can pop it on and relax for an hour or two as you guide Whit through the strange landscape that is his life. I don't think it's going to change anyone's mind if they're not fond of narrative-driven titles, but it's a good example of the genre. If you're looking for the game that's the equivalent of sitting down with a cozy book, then that is exactly what this is. Often heartwarming, sometimes depressing, and frequently thought-provoking, Where the Heart Leads is worth a playthrough if you enjoy these sorts of titles.
With more attention to detail in the writing, Where the Heart Leads could have been something truly special. As it is, it’s an intriguing journey through a regular life. Some moments outstay their welcome and others could do with being refined, but on the whole, Whit’s journey is one that you’ll quickly become invested in. The decisions you make carry serious weight, and after spending a few hours with these characters, you’ll only want the best for them.
Where The Heart Leads offers a plot as simple as captivating, with an intimate scale, lots of dialogue and some very significant choices to be made by the player. With an intriguing artistic style and greatly simplified mechanics, it should please those interested in interactive narrative experiences, but those looking for action and a far-fetched gameplay should steer clear of this game.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Review code provided by the publisher.
Good, but not surprising game about common life. With tons of sometimes useless dialogues.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The power of decision-making is in your hands as you play through a man's life in Where the Heart Leads, a new surreal narrative game exclusive to PS4 (and also playable on PS5). What choices will you make, and where will they take you and Whit Anderson, as well as a host of other characters?
Touching and moving, Where the Heart Leads is a meaningful interactive journey.
Review in Italian | Read full review