Heartsbloom
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
🌺 It’s Heartsbloom: the most romantic day of the year! And one of the busiest if you happen to run a potion shop. Help 29-year-old witch, Mila Foxglove, handle a flurry of customers as well as her conflicted emotions as she navigates her first Heartsbloom ever with a boyfriend.
✦ This short visual novel was created for the Ace Jam 2024! ✦
- 🌺 Around 30 minutes of gameplay (~7,000 words)
- 🌺 A somewhat flustered asexual main character
- 🌺 Her very cute, very sweet incubus boyfriend who loves to bake
- 🌺 3 CGs
- 🌺 Some negative self-talk (fair warning)
- 🌺 An exploration of social pressure, anxiety, and self acceptance regarding asexuality
- 🌺 Two endings based on your choices (neither is bad, don’t worry!)
✦ Note
This game includes discussions of sex (or, more accurately, the lack of it). Nothing even close to being explicit but, again, fair warning.
✦ Writing and Programming:
Destiny Howell - Twitter | Website
✦ Art:
Sterki Herz - (Art blog) Tumblr | Twitter | Website
✦ Music:
Fablefly Music - itch; 1, 2, 3
✦ GUI:
NovelKit - itch
✦ Sound Effects:
🌺 Freesound.org (InspectorJ, Flem0527, 775noise, UnderASpell, DustyWind, Anthousai, Andromadax24, magnuswalker and Gerent.)
🌺 "Heartbeat, Regular, Single, 01-01, LOOP.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org
🌺 "Chime_01.wav" by Andromadax24 of Freesound.org
✦ Spanish Translation:
buncil_18
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- Spanish Translation + Dev Notes87 days ago
Comments
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Super heartwarming! This game made my ace self so happy. I loved the story, the setting, the characters, and the cute art. <3
Nitpick: I’m not sure if the text speed bar in settings/options is working properly, as I fiddled with it a few times but didn’t notice a difference. Definitely didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the game though!
I loved everything about this game! The art, adorable storyline, A BLACK ACE WOMAN!!!!! Need I say more? The only thing this game is missing is more game. I could play a full version of this for hours.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It was very much made in a burst of, "If you can't find it then make it" energy so I'm very happy it's reaching people excited about finding this kind of story with this kind of character. Thanks for the very kind comment :)
This was a wholesome and beautifully crafted visual novel! I loved the characters, and the overarching message of self-acceptance, set against the backdrop of a cozy, charming fantasy world. The humorous moments made me laugh out loud, while both endings were very powerful and moving!
And thank you for using Fablefly Music's tracks for this game! If you'd ever like some custom music composed for a future project, feel free to email me. :)
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Even when I'm writing about sensitive topics I like to keep it fun when I can and I'm glad that came across.
Also, I really love your music and I was stoked to get a chance to use it in this project. I'd love to work with you in the future if it's ever feasible!
Hiii, jq37, I realy enjoyed your submission to Ace Jam 2024; your game is so hearwarming and the worldbuilding is too unique, I really want to see more of this fantasy universe you've made. Besides that, i'm interesed into translating your visual novel to spanish so spanish speakers can enjoy it too, i'm new into this field and i've been doing it for free. If you want to see my work, I recently translated "Someone to Hold Me".
Anyways, i'll leave my email if you're interesed: buncilT18@gmail.com
Thanks for playing and for the nice comment! I just sent you an email.
Hi, could you please mark the files with the OS they're compatible with? (The checkmarks next to "Executable" on the Edit Project page) It's impossible to download/play the game with the itch app otherwise :)
The art here looks so cute!
Whoops! It should be fixed now. Lemme know!