Demo horror game for Windows
Heartworm is a demo of a soon-to-be-released horror game for Windows by developer Vincent Adinolfi. In this game, you control a young adult woman in search of answers regarding the Afterlife. People you loved died, which prompted a quest to find a way to contact them.
As a result of your search, you arrive at a place with supposed connections to the Great Beyond and face whatever lies there. In this spooky house and environments, you’ll soon understand you need to survive. Just like other horror games such as The Vermander Curse and Ligaw, it has 3D graphics but with a retro style.
A different take on retro-graphics
Heartworm differs from many indie games, where “retro graphics” are little more than “pixel art”. In this case, it’s an exciting take on early 3D graphics, much like the original Alone in the Dark game.
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Even though it will appeal to nostalgic and retro-gaming fans, some features, like the main character’s portrait, are high-res and modern. It’s a shame they didn’t apply the same principle to the font since sometimes it’s difficult to read.
Evocative gameplay elements
This game is a throwback to the mid-1990s era when 3D was kicking off. Whereas the action develops in a 3D setting, the camera angles are fixed. There are enemies to deal with, but the tense atmosphere is the main attraction here.
It makes you feel you don’t know what’s waiting on the other side of any door in the house. It also makes you think about how you’ll deal with whatever it is.
A homage to the past
Heartworm is heavily inspired by 90s games like Tomb Raider, Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark and has no shame in showing their influence on the game. Not only are graphics similar to those games, but also the way you navigate and interact with the world.
For some people, this might be a no-go thanks to the graphics, but beyond the aesthetics lies an intriguing story and premise. The only disappointment is that it’s only a demo, but it’s a great way to test the game and regularly check for updates prior to its full release. It’ll undoubtedly be worth the wait.
