Haven Critic Reviews

I could probably write a dissertation on everything Haven does right, but the truth is, Haven is something you must feel. Your relationship with Haven will change over time, the nuances left on you only realized long after the controller has been put away. Haven is the game every game developer wishes they could make and every gamer wishes they could play for the first time every time. It cannot be understated how beautiful Haven is in every sense of the word. Please don’t just play Haven — feel Haven.

Haven is a delightful character-driven action-RPG that absolutely deserves your attention. From the graphical style to the soundtrack, to the excellent writing and voice acting and the myriad interconnected systems at play, the game is polished, charming and just the right amount of challenge. If you habitually mash the ‘skip cutscene’ button then this perhaps isn’t for you, but if you want to lose yourself in a great story with wonderfully realised characters, don’t hesitate to pick this up.

Haven exudes an amount of confidence that’s not often seen. Every piece falls into its place and there is never a moment to suggest that developer The Game Bakers had any doubts about the direction in which it wanted to take the game. Its satisfying exploration of interconnected levels, light survival, story-driven visual novel elements, and rhythmic combat all serve the greater experience. It boasts some of the most organic writing we’ve seen in a while and strong protagonists with excellent chemistry. Kay and Yu embody weakness and strength, childlike wonder and maturity, and kick ass together when the need arises. It’s hard to dislike them. Regardless if you’re in it just for its story or want to see everything it has to offer, Haven always finds a way to reward you and never wastes your time.

Haven took me by complete surprise with its relatable characters and emotional love story. Gliding from island to island is endlessly fun and is a great way to take in its bright art direction. While there are some performance issues, the overall story and exploration had me hooked from beginning to end. If you’re looking for a romantic and fantastic narrative Haven has a beautiful world ready to explore.

Haven is a great comfort game. Relaxing music, pleasant color palette, dialogues that are often light but never empty. Yu and Kay’s adventure on source never fails to be entertaining, and if the combat seems a bit shallow at first, it will certainly put you to the test as you progress. Some things could be better, of course; but after the excellent Furi, Haven is another proof of The Game Bakers’ competence.

Haven is a charming and unusual sci-fi RPG about love prevailing above all else, although between its thrilling gravity boot rides and respectable combat are long spans of monotonous resource gathering and clean-up.

Haven is a unique title; more than likely, you’ll never have played anything quite like it. Exploring the world is lovely and relaxing, though making progress can feel frustratingly slow in the game’s early hours. Once the story really gets started though, it’s impossible to walk away. Players will love getting to know Yu and Kay and slowly uncovering the story of how they ended up together in their dangerous predicament. Haven is slow-paced, but it’s beautiful and captivating. If you want something to enjoy while tucked under a warm blanket, this might just be the comfort you need.

Even with iffy combat, Haven ends up being a dose of pure joy, letting you experience a well-written whirlwind romance with lovable characters, or just letting you hover around a planet at fast speeds, enjoying satisfying gameplay as you swiftly gather up more Flow or escape corrupted creatures. Top it all off with sweet visuals and one of the year’s best soundtracks, and you have a unique blend of adventure and RPG games that provides a terrific experience. Indeed, you’ll more than likely fall in love with it.

Even though Haven is based on loose and shallow gameplay, the relationship between the protagonists Yu and Kay carries the game over these obstacles with ease. The cute love story is authentically written and successfully enchants players in its process.

Haven is an RPG that depicts two people living together on a lonely planet. Through their communication, the player learns not just about their love and insecurities, but also what kind of world it is they are inhabiting. While the ending may feel a bit anticlimactic, putting the state of mind of a couple into gameplay makes for a truly remarkable experience.

Haven is a fun mixture of visual novel storytelling, walking simulator exploration and just a dash of action-adventure. The main focus is on the couple and their story of survival on an alien planet. With that in mind, it's not a game for everyone, but it is a fun adventure to take.

Great break after a busy day. With or without a partner, you will experience this respite together with at least Yu and Kay. The story in a dreamy landscape is worth it.

A charming surprise and should mark the genre of adventure game thanks to the quality of the writing, the few mechanics borrowed from RPGs, the possibility of playing as a duo and its accessibility.

A relaxing adventure that's at its best when focusing on the romance.

It just doesn’t seem they put as much love and detail into the gameplay as they did the character writing and world building. In the end, while not a must play, Haven is still worth a glance if you’re looking for a feel-good experience.

In spite of the general tedium of its gameplay, Haven is a truly poignant and memorable story of two lovers against the world. It has a rare combination of intimacy, tenderness, humor, and fear all in one. Whether it's the central relationship, the social implications of its universe, or its final, gut-wrenching decision, Haven is sure to stick with players in one way or another - just as long as they can look past its much more mediocre gameplay and repetitive cycles.

The main goal of Haven is to relax you, and all gameplay mechanics work in harmony to help convey the beauty of living in a happy, trusting relationship. Exploring an alien planet indeed is calming, but monotony creeps in after a couple of hours.

The title has many qualities, especially aesthetic. However, once the graphic slap is over, the various flaws of the game present themselves to the player. The sublime artistic direction and the worked out narration are extremely attractive, however, the slowness and repetitiveness of the game means that it will certainly not be appreciated by everyone. But for the player ready to take his time, Haven is a true meditation exercise because of its relaxing and minimalist side.

Haven is a really enjoyable time if you have a significant other to play with you. It is a decent experience alone, but many of its core systems are designed to be enjoyed with another person. Severe problems with its narrative tone later into the game that sabotage its themes dampened my enjoyment, and I still struggle to understand why the game twisted itself that way. There is so much to like about this game from its clean cel-shaded look, its ethereally evocative soundtrack, its compelling voiceovers for the main couple, and its intuitive co-op friendly user interface. I am left simply mixed at what could have been a strong title in a largely untapped subsection of modern RPGs.

The best description for Haven would be that of a game developed by a very talented team of people, who dreamed big, but had a budget that was simply not enough, as the concept can even scare larger, more experienced studios. Due to all that, it feels as if stuck in the second chapter of a much, much larger game. Its alien world is beautiful, the gameplay is far from bad, and the way this focuses in the protagonist duo and their romantic relationship is pulled off quite well (for the most part), but in the end, the severe lack of content, as well as challenge, soon turns this into a repetitive, and painfully boring chore.