![]() ![]() While the family based narrative of Where the Heart Leads is the primary story here, there’s a secondary tale which runs throughout. Considering how many choices you get to make, it’s quite a feat. It’s a game that respects the player’s choices and the order in which they’re made. If you don’t do this and instead talk to other characters, you’ll unlock other dialogue options while missing out on conversations with the mother regarding the post. For example – in Where the Heart Leads’ first chapter, Whit’s mother will ask him to retrieve the post from the mailbox. Sometimes you’ll have an option to do two things and the order in which you do them effects the dialogue you’ll have later. It sometimes matters in which order you talk to characters. It’s also impressive how well pieced together these choices and decisions are. Whether every character has a happy ending is entirely up to the player and what direction they guide Whit’s life and choices. Do you keep someone’s secret that could impact the whole family or do you reveal it to those it could affect? Do you let your brother Sege’s creativity run wild or do you try to reign him in? When opportunities arise, do you choose to jump at that chance or do you put your family first? Some of these options have only superficial results while others have far reaching consequences for the future. At hundreds of junctures in the game, you’ll have to choose between 2 or more options. This is where the decision making of Where the Heart Leads comes into play. Through some impressive character/world building and clever writing, it’s easy to get attached to the cast and want to do best by them. In the grand scale of gaming narratives, the events these characters go through could be described as low stakes – making enough money to pay the rent, balancing life at home with the kids, supporting family members, overcoming a sudden accident, working out who will be the breadwinner in the family – but it’s surprisingly impactful here. Where The Heart Leads does throw a lot of challenges and opportunities at Whit and his family, much of which will be relatable to parents. Here he can talk to a cast of recurring characters and take on whatever challenges life throws at him. For the most part though, you get to control Whit from an almost-isometric view as he moves around the self-contained memories. Parts of the narrative are delivered via cut scene-like conversations in which you have no control over, other than to choose what to say when presented with an option. The entirety of Where The Heart Leads plays like a 3D point and click adventure. These sections of remembrance form chapters of his life, the decisions taken in which form the basis to the next. ![]() He reminisces about odd jobs taken around his town and looking for work as a new Dad to his 2 kids. ![]() He remembers his teen years spent with his childhood sweetheart Rene and his life with his parents on their farm. Via dreamlike visages, he first thinks of his childhood alongside his free spirited yet troubled brother Sege. Trapped and with nowhere to go, Whit begins to reminisce about his life. Things don’t go according to plan and Whit finds himself at the bottom of a massive pit. Throwing caution to the wind, Whit cobbles together a makeshift rescue platform from a winch and a bathtub and attempts to rescue the canine from the catastrophe. What’s worse is that the family dog has fallen in and is trapped on a ledge. Stepping out to investigate, Whit and his family discover a sinkhole on their land. The game begins on a farm as a storm rages and the ground shakes. Where The Heart Leads follows the life of the lead character called Whit. ![]()
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