Review of Nova Hearts

Nova Hearts is a game with fantastic art, evoking a Sailor Moon-esque aesthetic that I adore. The story is overall likable, and the characters are fun and largely relatable. It's clear a significant amount of time and love went into the game, with the animations (especially in combat) being incredibly well done, almost to an overdone degree at times. The cast is also very diverse. The primary issue is the combat. It is excessively slow, turning what should be a quick one-minute fight into a five-minute drag. This lack of flow in combat significantly detracts from the experience. Furthermore, a shocking number of enemies can one-shot you or take you out with ease.

Despite being a dating sim, the player feels they have no real choices outside of who to flirt with. This limited control is disappointing. The romance options seem inconsequential because choices do not affect the ending, and I don't believe the game has multiple endings. Given the slow combat, I have little interest in a second playthrough. Maybe the game should have a “Speed up button.” The player character is also too predetermined. Moreover, any romantic interest seems forced to fit a developer-set mold rather than what the player might prefer. The LGBT inclusion, I think, is poor and forced. It feels like the game is trying too hard to convince the player it has representation instead of properly weaving it into the narrative. A well-written story doesn't need constant, in-your-face reminders of its themes or character traits. For example, it's as if Star Wars decided to continually draw attention to the fact that Finn is Black. It's like, "Yes... I can clearly see that."

The cost to upgrade is far too expensive. If the combat pace were improved, the game would flow better and make it a more enjoyable experience. Overall, despite my issues, I enjoyed this game a lot. It’s fun, the graphics are fantastic, and Nova Hearts really shines on the Nintendo Switch.