Slay the Spire fans looking for a romantic addition to their turn-based battles can await Nova Hearts this January 17th.
The 2nd game from Lighthouse Crew, the studio behind the grim tactical roguelike Othercide, RockPaperShotgun details that Nova Hearts is a turn-based battler where newly superpowered, attractive people battle each other for good, evil, and romance.
Embark on a thrilling journey through the ever-shifting halls of Slay the Spire, where strategic deck-building meets intense roguelike action. With its dynamic challenges and endless combinations, test your skills and adaptability to ascend to greatness.
Regarding its premise, Destructoid reviews Nova Hearts following a young teen after a “mysterious cosmic force” gives her and several attractive people in the town superpowers (likely a tongue-in-cheek allegory for puberty), prompting them to use their powers for romantic domination.
Though its adorable monsters and well-to-do teens starkly contrast Othercide’s grimdark remnants of humanity battling eldritch monsters, Nova Hearts embodies much of the same tactical combat that brought the previous entry such acclaim. With the trailer showing the player controlling a host of (potentially romanceable) paladins and wizards against fluffy orb-shaped dog creatures, it appears much of the combat will follow managing team synergies while defending against attacks like in Slay the Spire.
Furthermore, Nova Hearts focuses more on its texting and dating elements in taking a break from the energetic battles for some visual novel-esk choices about texting and teen romance. Whether dating will be a sideshow to the game’s combat or the ultimate end goal of the player’s romantic conquest through Nova Hearts remains unclear.
Frankly, with more games seeking to mix romance into their genres, like Lakeburg Legacies incorporating matchmaking into their medieval settlement management, it’s hard to ignore the increased trend of making games with an increased focus on romance and dating. Though Lakeburg Legacie’s dating soon lost its hilarious charm after the 50th match, hopefully, Nova Hearts can retain its appeal in incorporating the Slay the Spire combat that the roguelike so nail-biting and replayable.
Even so, Nova Hearts is sure to offer a fast-paced, if romantically spicy, turn-based battler players can get their hands on this January.
Is Nova Hearts Connected to Othercide?
Given the cheery tone and overwhelming focus on teen romance, it’s hard to theorize the game is set in Othercide’s setting. To give it some credit, Nova Hearts could show the start of the world’s collapse by introducing cute monsters that would later become the eldritch nightmares in Othercide and the superpowered teens becoming the protagonists of the grim roguelike.
Even so, the vibrant flavor of colors and the magical girl transformations teased in the game’s trailer feel utterly alien to Othercide’s nightmare world and unnerving blobby creatures. Beyond Nova Hearts including Othercide characters as romanceable DLC, it’s hard to see much connection between the two starkly different worlds.
Embark on a thrilling journey through the ever-shifting halls of Slay the Spire, where strategic deck-building meets intense roguelike action. With its dynamic challenges and endless combinations, test your skills and adaptability to ascend to greatness.
Further Reading
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