Errant Heart

Creating fictional universes with different rules and unique characters is a very difficult thing to do, regardless of whether you plan to use it in a movie, book or video game. It takes a lot of work to make everything seem like it belongs there, especially if there are sci-fi/fantasy concepts involved. Thus, even the shortest works of fiction deserve some praise.

Errant Heart is a semi-interactive visual novel that takes place in a fictional European city during the 1940s, and it tells the story of a young girl who wants to follow her dreams as a painter. The game is more about reading than actually taking decisions, but there are multiple routes you can follow, so it’s not a very linear experience, or at least not completely.

The name of the girl is Lisa Moretti, and she leaves home in order to pursue her passion in a different city. However, something strange happens as she walks through her new town, and she is suddenly confronted with the realization that other dimensions are possible. Not only that, but she can even visit them and watch them unfold in parallel with the real world.

Since most of your time is spent reading and watching the story unfold, it’s important for the writing to be strong, otherwise boredom settles in. Thankfully, it would appear that the creators have really given the plot some thought, which means that you can really imagine the whole thing and enjoy every line of dialog as it appears on your screen.

Speaking of which, the artwork is mighty interesting as well, at least if you are into anime and its specific style. The characters might be a tad weird for those who are not accustomed to the big eyes and weird hair styles, but then again there are more important things than that in the game. Moreover, there’s voice acting as well, plus a soundtrack that goes really well with the general mood.

In the end, Errant Heart can easily keep you busy for a few hours, especially if you are a fan of the genre and you enjoy long stories. Moreover, the artwork is neat as well, and you can also see different story routes by making certain decisions.