Heartworm
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Heartworm Media
Heartworm - Official Launch Trailer
Heartworm - Official Release Date Trailer
Heartworm - Official Release Window Trailer | IGN Fan Fest 2025
Critic Reviews for 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 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.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
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.
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.
Heartworm is a game with a clear vision and strong aesthetic—its atmosphere, puzzles, and audio stand out and will appeal to fans of classic survival horror—but its ambition falls short due to unpolished mechanics, shallow storytelling, and lacking gameplay precision, making it more of a brief, atmospheric experience than a fully convincing modern classic.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Heartworm doesn’t break any new ground, but it succeeds as a heartfelt and atmospheric tribute to the golden era of survival horror. Its emotional storytelling, eerie environments, and satisfying puzzles make it a worthwhile journey for fans of the genre, even if the combat and some design choices can fall short. If you’re in the mood for a nostalgic survival horror experience with a bit of emotional depth, Heartworm is well worth a visit.
Heartworm is not just a love letter to classic horror games, but an odyssey through loss and the emotional toll of grief. On the surface, it has all the hallmarks of a classic PlayStation horror game, yet it also incorporates lessons learned from 30 years of game development. Beneath the surface, it explores overcoming the pain that comes with loss and how our memories of the past can differ from reality.
Heartworm is more than just a tribute—it’s an evolution. Equal parts chilling and contemplative, it knows when to whisper and when to scream. From the stunning environments to the rich audio and the elegant blending of old and new mechanics, every piece feels hand-placed with purpose. Vincent Adinolfi and the small team behind Heartworm have crafted something special—a horror experience with soul. It’s one of 2025’s finest indie titles and a must-play for anyone who ever felt their skin crawl in a PS1 hallway.
