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Heart of the Woods

Heart of the Woods

|United States|Visual Novel, Indie

9.5 /10

Aww Amazing!

Niche

984 ratings
Rating sources
Steam · Player score9.5/10982 ratingsIGDB · Player score7.0/102 ratings
Trailers & screenshots
Why play it

A fantasy yuri visual novel filled with magic, fairies, and a ghost girl. When Maddie and her best friend, Tara, journey to a remote forest village to investigate rumors of the supernatural, they find a whole lot more than they bargained for.

Story and worldbuilding

Maddie Raines has had enough. After years of serving as manager, editor, and general business-handler for her best friend Tara's popular paranormal vlog channel, she's finally ready to move forward with her own life. But when she agrees to take one last trip with Tara to the mysterious village of Eysenfeld, she's suddenly swept up in a dangerous supernatural crisis that will change the course of both of their lives forever. A strange young woman named Morgan has promised them undeniable proof of real paranormal phenomena, and what she has to offer eclipses anything they’d ever seen before. However, out of all the strange occurrences the three of them bear witness to, one in particular captivates Maddie in a way she’s never been before: the ghost of a young woman. This woman is Abigail, the victim of a centuries-old injustice now bound eternally to the forest surrounding Eysenfeld. Drawn to Maddie in a way she can’t explain, Abigail reveals herself to another person for the first time in more than 200 years. While Tara and Morgan investigate the mysteries surrounding the village itself, Maddie begins to form a bond with Abigail that grows to be more intense than any bond she’s felt before. As she learns the truth about Abigail’s death and imprisonment, she realizes that it falls to her and her friends to break the curse that has ruled over Eysenfeld for centuries. But more importantly than that, it falls to her to finally free the woman she loves.

Game highlights
Rating momentum

Aww Amazing!: 9.5/10 across 984 ratings. This score says: bump it to the top of your backlog.

Play style

Leans into Visual Novel, Indie, Adventure — a quick read on whether that fantasy matches what you usually enjoy.

Reviews

7 media reviews

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PSX BrasilJosé Viana · 19 Feb, 2022
7/10

Heart of the Woods is a perfectly fine visual novel, a good introduction to those that have never played an OELVN. However, it has clichés and a story that is divided between a romance that doesn't seem very believable and a mystery with a predictable outcome, not reaching its full potential and ends up leaving something to be desired.

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CFG GamesMichael Spadafore · 4 Aug, 2021
6/10

Heart of the Woods is an amazing story that's brought down by how unstable the Switch port is. When this is patched it will be easier to recommend it.

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Digitally DownloadedMatt Sainsbury · 8 Jul, 2021
9/10

Heart of the Woods is a beautiful and romantic visual novel, with a wonderfully winding plot and brilliant set of characters. Without giving anything away, the first hour or two isn't indicative of the rest of the game, and once you push through that slow, senseless start, something beautiful, sweet, and, yes, a little sexy shines through the paranormal, gothic and mystery elements.

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LadiesGamers.comC J Lehr · 8 Jul, 2021
10/10

Heart of the Woods is one of the better Yuri titles I’ve played so far. It carries the player into a world featuring the supernatural, romance, and friendship. The characters and their interactions are unusually satisfying and believable. I hope more games from these creators make it to the Switch!

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cublikefootClaire Ferrin · 8 Jan, 2021
8/10

Heart of the Woods is a solid visual novel blending mystery, romance, and fantasy all into one package. And it does this with some excellent art and music to match, worth a look for romance VN fans.

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Gaming FyxAlex Gelinas · 3 Oct, 2019
10/10

Heart of the Woods is an exceptionally good visual novel – perhaps one of the best I’ve played in years. I can only hope that Studio Élan continues to put out fantastic, lovingly crafted experiences for years to come.

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oprainfallDiego Hernandez · 18 Feb, 2019
10/10

Heart of the Woods is the quintessential modern day fairy tale. With enough love, drama and touches of fantasy to make for a ride like no other. The best part is that it’s only $14.99 to enter this attraction. The future is bright for Studio Élan so get in on the fun early. Congratulations to the team on the launch!

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