I love games that make me think. That probably sounds like a ridiculous statement, but I mean games that really ask me to consider what I’m doing and what it all means. Heaven’s Vault is a very thought-provoking, introspective game. In fact, it was on my Steam wishlist for a while, but instead of picking it up there, I wound up playing it on Switch. Go figure.

Heaven’s Vault is a tough game to describe in terms of genre. The best way I can explain it is like an adventure and exploration game without combat or platforming. To compare it to something you’re already likely familiar with, think Tomb Raider but without combat or jumping, just archaeology and puzzle-solving.

You play as Aliya, a young archaeologist who is searching for answers to the world’s history. At first, you are on a mission to find where a scholar has gone but as you follow his trail deeper, mysteries await. You explore areas, talk to NPC’s, and decipher inscriptions found on artifacts you uncover. Deciphering the language takes some time and trial and error, however, the game does a decent enough job over time of telling you whether your translations are correct or not.

There are various NPC’s that will also aid you in narrowing certain things down. As you play, these NPC’s may help you find other artifacts, sites to explore, or even open up story paths. Heaven’s Vault is meant to be played through more than once, and with New Game Plus your correct translations carry over, so you can start the second “loop” with plenty of knowledge under your belt.

There is also exploration in the form of piloting your ship through currents in space called rivers. You can explore the various areas in space to find ruins, sites to explore, wrecked ships, and more. As you explore, both in your ship and on planets, you can talk with your robot in a dynamic sort of conversation mechanic. Some conversations may require you to answer quickly, while others give you time to think and ponder the conversation.

These casual conversations as you explore are helpful to make Aliya and the robot Six more believable as characters. Aliya’s dialogue and inner monologue are also fantastic at building up the world around you. She also provides insights into things as she deciphers the language, and as she learns more about history, so do you.

The art style is beautiful, and the parts of Aliya’s dialogue that are voiced, are well done. I wish they had voiced every bit of dialogue because sometimes it moves very quickly, even with the text speed turned down. Plus someone with reading impairments is going to have a hard time, even if they can decipher the language puzzles by looking at similar pictograph images.

I think the best part of Heaven’s Vault though is the sense of discovery. It makes you feel like you are truly an archaeologist, discovering ancient cultures and civilizations through exploration and logic. The world feels like it is steeped in history, and as a disabled man who can’t go to excavations or lost jungles to explore… it simulates the feeling of actually being an archaeologist very well.

It might not be as flashy as Indiana Jones or Lara Croft’s adventures, but Aliya’s experiences navigating the Nebula are most definitely worth your time. There were a few minor frame issues here and there, but I absolutely recommend the Nintendo Switch version. Taking this on a long car ride and losing yourself in the Nebula would be exceptional.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Heaven’s Vault was provided by inkle for this review.

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Heaven's Vault

$12.49 USD

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Engaging Gameplay Concepts
• Beautiful Visual Style
• Lots of Replay Value
• Serene Atmosphere
• Fantastic Sense of Discovery

Cons

• I wish Everything was Voiced Over
• Minor Frame Issues