I was genuinely surprised by how Heartopia crept up on me. I try to keep my eye on all the cutest life-sims, but I was pretty unaware of this one—probably because my attention was on Petit Planet and Floatopia. But with a lot of these kinds of games, I’m always a little skeptical. To a certain degree, they always feel like the equivalent of, “We have Animal Crossing at home.”
Heartopia is a bit of a mixed bag. It’s got some interesting ideas due in large part to the secondary genre it’s attempting to partake in—that of an MMO. However, it’s those same design decisions that somewhat hold it back and suck out a lot of the authenticity that’s meant to come from its cozy sim vibes.
The “story” of Heartopia is simple—you play as a character chosen by the stars to come to an idyllic town and help it grow. You’re given a house, introduced to the locals and encouraged to take every day at your own pace. That’s really all there is to it, but what’s so strange to... Read more