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Heileen 2: The Hands Of Fate
The original Heileen visual novel had a unique setting and interesting cast of characters but unfortunately it wasn't really my cup of tea. The story was just way too short and the lead character got on my nerves very quickly. I am however glad that I played it as Heileen 2 continues directly where it left off and it is a much better title. As such, this review contains quite a few spoilers so if you have yet to play the original you might want to stop reading now.
After the shipwreck at the end of the last game, Heileen find herself stranded on a Caribbean island with only Rob and Ebelle for company. Marie, Lora, John and all the other characters are missing, having presumably drowned. You soon discover a magical set of tarot cards, based around the seven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues. These appear to have a profound effect on the dreams that Heileen have on the island. Apart from revisiting past memories and learning more about the backgrounds of certain characters, the choices Heileen makes also influences things on the island. Choosing the correct path in a dream can cause a helpful item to appear on the island, allowing you to progress further. With twenty side quests and fifteen endings, Heileen 2 is a much bigger game than its predecessor. Visiting Heileen's childhood memories is really interesting and there are quite a few startling revelations. It is also possible to make "wrong" decisions which can impede your progress and cause you to get one of the "Sin" endings. This provides a far better reason to replay the game so you can see how the story really ends. I didn't always agree with the tarot cards associated with certain choices but overall the experience was much more enjoyable than the first title. The visuals are the same as the first game but the dream scenarios allow for much more variety in the locations. The game also feels more polished and despite the larger script, I noticed way less spelling and grammar issues. The soundtrack and sound effects are rather limited but fits the game well. The only problem is that people who have not played the first title might not have a clue what is going on in the story. Heileen 2 does everything that a good sequel should do and now I am actually looking forward to the third game in the series. Hopefully it will once again pleasantly surprise me like this title did.
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System Requirements
TAGS: Heileen, Island, Tarot Cards, Sins, Virtues, Black, Robert, Ebele
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