Heart of Life is a video game series in the world of SOTF-TV, first released in December of 2007 having been in development for two years prior, published by RoundEgg Games. A single player, story-based RPG, players take the role of an original character added to the cast of a past season of SOTF-TV, and are able to make their mark upon the course of the game. This almost exclusively takes the form of a partnership/alliance with another contestant, usually referred to as a 'route' by fans (and formally adopted by the developers in Heart of Life 5), the contestant and player character making their way together through the game while developing their relationship, whether that be a friendship, rivalry, or in some cases, romance.
Gameplay consists of exploration and scavenging within mostly linear environments, with carefully designed environments to roam and find items or supplies to accomplish a current goal or spend a certain amount of time. Throughout, the player is usually prompted to select dialogue options to engage in an ongoing conversation with other characters. Conversation scenes also take place where the only activity is to talk. The various dialogue options are able to influence the player's relationship with other characters, both that of their main partner and other allies or antagonists they may encounter along the way, and in some cases, result in story branches. Combat is usually a feature, though has taken many different shapes in the series, from third person shooting, combo fist-fighting, to quick time events.
The story and character focus is often a double edged sword. Due to the relatively small number of routes available in any given game, TV fans regularly feel as if their favourites have been slighted by their omission, while even those that are in favour of the featured characters can find criticism in the execution thanks to finite branches. Within the Heart of Life fandom, the weeks leading up to the 'roster reveal' of the featured cast are often a mixture of excitement, disappointment, and internet toxicity, something the developers do their best to address and mitigate, to variable levels of success. Even so, for those willing to give the game a chance even in the absence of their favourites, what awaits is a finely written narrative experience that puts tremendous effort into adding fidelity to the game and maximising emotional impact.
The player character has been both praised and criticised, depending on which entry in the series is being examined. Some players feel that the PC is too much of a blank slate at times, their personality only a reflection of those around them, or otherwise being inconsistent/capable of changing extremely abruptly depending on story branches. However, some enjoy this and feel it allows them to better project onto the character. Some of the more sophisticated games also heavily track the player character's personality against what types of dialogue options are selected, and adjust their tone, behaviour, and ambient dialogue to suit. At the top end, with well-realised personality which can be influenced by the player, a couple of the player characters are considered by some fans to be amongst the best characters in the entire series.
Core Series[]
Heart of Life[]
Release Date: December 2007
Featured Season: Three
Available Characters: Kenny Yamana, Reilly Jenkins
In production from 2005, the debut title is unique in that the infrastructure for the game was in place prior to a decision on which season it was to feature, in effect layering season three trappings over the engine already built (and as a result, some of the environments being quite generic).
Player Character: Nicknamed 'Holly' by players, though the name can be freely entered. The PC can be either male or female. They are a classmate of the students from Casterly Hill. They have the option to be either a sporty kid (baseball for male, soccer for female) or something of a nerd. Their personality can be slightly influenced by various dialogues, but is mostly determined by the branch options selected.
Kenny Route: After the introductory scene to establish Holly and the SOTF-TV briefing, the player character is prompted to investigate either a group conversation or two boys loudly talking. The talking boys are Kenny Yamana and Duane Andrews, and Holly joins along with them, enjoying an initial exploration scene serving as the tutorial. At the conclusion of the second, shorter scene, the first announcement plays and Kenny kills Duane, resulting in a storyline split.
- Condemn Kenny: Holly reacts badly to the murder and argues with Kenny, resulting in a chase scene where he runs after them with his bat. Subsequently, the game is something of a cat and mouse between Holly and Kenny, with Holly making allies only for Kenny to kill them, navigate through areas with Kenny ahead of or pursuing them, and the game finding reasons to put them in situations where both can talk but not necessarily fight, culminating in an endgame showdown. Midway through, there is a single opportunity to take the game's 'Combined Route' by allying with Reilly, resulting in Holly and Reilly working together to take Kenny down.
- Support Kenny: Either shocked or actively supportive, Holly ends up accompanying Kenny as he begins a trail of violence across the island. Holly is able to participate, becoming a gleefully willing partner, or else a reluctant tagalong that may or may not be aiming to change him for the better. Holly is eventually made to kill by Kenny if they have not done already, with refusal swapping to an alternative version of the Condemn path. Late on, Holly must kill again to save Kenny's life, which, in one of the big twists of the game, they are able to refuse to do, altering the game's final act significantly. If Holly saves his life, their friendship deepens, potentially into a romance with female Holly. At the highest level of friendship/compatibility, Kenny will take a bullet for Holly in endgame, though if Holly has become a Kennyesque player in their own right, the finale will instead be a surprisingly lighthearted fight to the death between 'perfect rivals'.
Reilly Route: If Holly instead investigates the group, they will run into Reilly Jenkins, Dave Rader, and Taila Quine, i.e. the nascent form of the alliance called Escape. The trio welcome Holly and turn to discussing what they have to do in order to make it out of the game. After a tutorial scene, other members of the group are welcome, with the first major story beat being Holly getting isolated by a player alongside two members, of which they can only save the life of one, modifying some of the later events. Holly works together with Escape, though they may be less or more enthusiastic about the plan's prospects of success. By contrast to the Kenny route, the point of divergence comes much later in the game, upon discovery of Reilly's secret 'murder journal', with the course of the rest of the game determined by the outcome of the situation.
- Defuse: The hardest outcome to achieve, as it has a number of prerequisites from earlier scenes including an above-average level of empathy for Dave. Holly is able to talk the tense scenario down and enable the group to continue working towards escaping. Male Holly is able to develop a romantic relationship with Reilly or Taila, while female Holly is able to pursue Taila and Dave. In a fraught finale, the escape group must first contend with Bestian (who will almost always kill a group member), and then face Kenny Yamana, resulting in a heart-wrenching scene where either Holly or Reilly sacrifices themselves to allow the others to complete the escape. (A third option, requiring a female Holly and a romance with Dave, results in Dave sacrificing himself, but this is largely considered to lack the same impact, not least because the Dave romance is a bit clumsily written).
- Support Reilly: Holly comes down on the side of Reilly, and during the subsequent shootout, backs her up. Holly and Reilly then partner up for the rest of the game, tracing Reilly's actual path in season three. Male Holly is able to initiate a romance with Reilly during this route. A hidden scene is accessible if Holly has been very aggressive throughout the game and personally gunned down at least two of the other members of the group during the shootout: Reilly ends up killing them. This route's primary endings consist of Reilly or Holly dying in the other's arms, depending on how endgame shakes out.
- Confront Reilly: Holly supports the group's suspicions about Reilly. A shootout still breaks out, killing Dave and wounding others, including Holly. Subsequently, Holly remains with the fractured Escape group, and there is an intense scene where they must attempt to survive the attack of the Three Musketeers (wiping out all the survivors save Holly). Reilly and Holly reunite close to the end, and enjoy an uneasy alliance into endgame, whereupon Reilly will double cross them at the last moment.
Reception: Heart of Life is well-regarded and fondly remembered as an entry point into the series. It sold well at the time and received positive reviews, commending its willingness to diverge from the true events of season three and boldness of including so many tragic slash bittersweet endings. However, the combat was felt to be poor, and the 'Confront Reilly' path was often singled out as a weak link story wise (though most agree it's worth a run through for the amazing Three Musketeers section).
In terms of the cast, Kenny and Reilly were both felt to be well-written, and the supporting cast of the Escape group is enjoyed by many, particularly Taila, whom some consider to be the game's unofficial third route (the extremely cute dynamic between Taila and sporty female Holly helps). Holly is a divisive character, with some finding the 'Condemn Kenny' version to be whiny and the 'Support Kenny' version to be, at their worst, a sanctimonious and spineless tagalong. On the other hand, the more violent 'Support Kenny' version (nicknamed 'Murder Holly') is widely loved, and the 'Defuse' path Holly also receives a lot of praise for balancing 'fixing' Escape with being a genuinely good character. More minor characters have a bit of a lukewarm reception, as few of them receive more than a single scene's worth of screentime, limiting their opportunities for development and dialogue. The Duo's treatment is often singled out as a particular disappointment, as they only appear in endgame and only receive a couple of lines each.
More than most entries in the series, Heart of Life hasn't aged very well, both in the technology and by comparison to later titles. The graphical style and animation feel quite dated on subsequent, more modern playthroughs, symptom of being on an engine that was showing its age even in 2007. There are also fewer opportunities for the player to express themselves via Holly, and the abrupt shifts in their personality at the branches can be quite jarring if the player had been portraying them very differently (or as differently as able) prior to that point. Nonetheless, it's usually agreed that the game holds up okay when not burdened by clunky shooter mechanics, though these unfortunately comprise fifty percent of the combat.
Heart of Life 7, Where It All Begins[]
Release Date: October 2019
Featured Season: One
Available Characters: Brandon Parker's group, A.C. Bones (Second playthrough only), Jana O'Brady ('Side Stories' DLC), Dalton Suzuki ('Side Stories' DLC), Teagan Jindal & Tate McCafferty ('First Couple' DLC), Terry Gaffney ('First Couple' DLC)
Heart of Life 7 had controversial beginnings. RoundEgg made no secret of the fact that the game was to focus on Parker and company, revealing this information in the very first press release after the initial teaser. While all but the wildest theorists felt sure TV's original winner would be featured, few expected the narrow lens the game would take to the group. More toxic elements of the fandom were furious about the apparent snub of A.C. Bones, accusing the company of withholding her to sell DLC later, and though it was later clarified that A.C. would be available on subsequent playthroughs of the main game, the decision still caught flak and stoked up ill-feeling.
Player Character: Named Taylor Baker by default, the PC can also be called Sam or named freely (other characters will then refer to them as Baker only, except Tommy Ellis, who always nicknames the PC Toasty), and is a student of Hope-Grey Secondary. There are ample customisation options available for physical appearance and clothing, as well as significant early opportunities to influence their personality and add a layer of personal history. In a series first, it is possible for Taylor to be transgender. There is a small easter egg if the protagonist is named Brandon where Tommy will joke about 'Brandon overflow', and make a couple of remarks around the fact he's speaking to Parker, not the PC, but otherwise the PC continues to be referred to as Baker.
The game begins with a pregame section in Hope-Grey that lasts around two hours, though it can be stretched to double that if the player is extremely exhaustive in their interactions. This was another controversy for HOL 7, as the last game to feature pregame was the maligned HOL 3, and many players disliked the idea of having to spend so long before getting into the action. The pregame segment gives the player the opportunity to learn a couple of basic mechanics and introduces the game's sophisticated decision-tracking and dynamic reaction systems: other characters remember and respond to past behaviour in much greater detail than in past entries, resulting in more fluidity in interpersonal relationships. The player has the chance to determine exactly where Taylor stands with Parker's friendship group, from being a close friend to actively antagonistic. Pregame concludes with an abduction scene, leading into SOTF-TV's famous inaugural briefing.
Upon awakening in SOTF, Taylor soon encounters Mandy Wallace and Jake Haldermann as part of the introductory scene, soon enough segueing into being held at gunpoint by Mayhew Vovchenko. This intense standoff usually ends with the arrival of Brandon Parker and Tommy Ellis, with Parker shooting Mayhew in the back of the head, though there are some variations. Taylor then joins with the group per season one's real events, though not without some significant tension if they had previously been hostile. Throughout, Taylor receives various opportunities to bond with the group and react differently to the encounters they made, up to and including killing would-be joiners to the group. This can result in Taylor being kicked out of the group if they fail to properly justify themself and especially if they act completely incongruous to their murderous ways, as they are seen to be 'playing' the rest of the group. The primary point of divergence comes in around the two thirds mark of the game's runtime, and concerns the fateful encounter with Blake Wilkins that, in the original season one, cost Tommy his life.
- The Schism: After Tommy is slain due to Parker's inaction/incompetence, Taylor puts their foot down and accuses him of being to blame. With the right dialogue and the right prior relationship with Jake, this results in the group being torn in two, and Taylor/Jake spending the rest of the game as a duo, working together to survive.
- The Traitor: The more violent version of The Schism, a furious Taylor sentences Parker to death due to being a complete liability. However, as they make to shoot him, Jake intervenes, taking the bullet intended for Parker. Taylor is disarmed by Mandy, and flees. Depending on their reaction in the solo ending to the scene, Taylor can then lean into becoming a genuine player, or a tragic figure who was trying to do what was best. Nonetheless, they are treated with hostility for the remainder of the game, and either openly hunt others or are forced to kill in self defence.
- The Dream Team: Nicknamed 'the re-run' by players, this outcome sees the group stick together, and much of the rest of the game is very similar to the real events of season one, albeit with an extra head included.
- The Saviour: Taylor manages to save Tommy, but takes severe injuries in the process. They then die of their wounds in the following chapter, and the player is placed in Tommy's shoes for the remainder of the game, marking one of few instances in a main story route where the player character dies and the game continues. The rest of the game plays similarly to the Dream Team route. It's possible on NG+ for Taylor to survive this, but the resultant route is fairly hacked together and reuses many assets, including a number of awkwardly spliced conversations. It's largely agreed that the bonus route is weaker than Saviour, and was mostly included for the shippers.
The end state of HoL 7 also features several variations. In most circumstances, Jake, Parker and Taylor will be entering into endgame as a trio, though of course Taylor could be flying solo or with Jake only:
- The Mastermind: The big twist of HoL 7 and a big part of replay value. In this ending, after the defeat of A.C. Bones in a boss fight, Jake reveals himself to have been out for number one for the beginning, shooting down Taylor (and Parker, if he remains). This sets up an emotionally charged finale between Jake and wounded/dying Taylor and Parker as he speaks out about his motives and desire to win, leading into one final boss battle and a notable moment of redemption for Parker, if he lives. On NG+, there is a specific pregame scene which can be triggered, followed by a second right after Mayhew is killed, which flips this on its head and results in Parker coming out as the mastermind, with the attendant subtle changes to various actions and pieces of dialogue beforehand.
- The Showdown: Whichever of Parker and Jake isn't the Mastermind must survive the battle with Bones, with the death of the Mastermind possibly caused in a couple of different ways. This results in Taylor and their surviving ally facing off against one another for all the marbles in a highly-emotional duel.
- Baking: Named by in effect doing what Parker did to win, Baking entails Taylor not covering their ally in a firefight (resulting in them being shot by Bones), and then hesitating for too long to shoot as their other ally grapples with Bones, causing them to accidentally shoot their ally. The final boss fight is against a weakened Bones, and the ending sequence concerns Taylor being derided and their strategy deemed to be Baking.
- Adversary: Following on from The Traitor or having been kicked out of the group earlier, Adversary puts Taylor in the unique position of essentially playing the part of the final boss of the game, complete with receiving a number of the traditional HoL boss trappings, such as an intro screen and a more stylised lifebar.
If playing as Tommy, the Mastermind and Showdown routes are available, albeit with a Tommyesque spin and different dialogue. In the midst of the final battle, the player can select a 'from the grave' piece of encouragement from Taylor, who speaks in Tommy's head and spurs him on to victory.
Early in the game, it is possible for the player to stray off the beaten path and encounter A.C. Bones as a bonus boss (referred to as 'Early Bones', 'Kitchen Bones', or 'A.C. Bonus') which is widely considered to be amongst the hardest bosses in the entire series , as the player will have had few opportunities to gather equipment and items or improve their abilities. Beating Bones at this juncture causes her to flee, dropping a shiv, which remains in Taylor's inventory on later playthroughs and unlocks an extra scene in the Bones route.
Bones Route: Diverging from the very beginning, Taylor first encounters Bones during the pregame section, sharing an awkward conversation with her. In the game, Taylor stumbles upon Bones being robbed by Dalton, and is themself mugged, whereupon A.C. and the player team up. The route itself zigzags between quiet introspection and intensive action, as prior to the halfway point neither Taylor nor Bones has a viable weapon, resulting in tense stealth and asymmetrical combat. However, the simple conversation and exploration sections are quite a highlight, particularly the segment where Taylor and Bones hunt together. The only major branch in the route comes shortly after the duo get their revenge upon Dalton as they kill another contestant and take their first steps towards becoming true players.
- I can't do this: Taylor declares that they're not able to continue with acting this way, and a hurt and betrayed Bones initiates a fight, escaping if she loses, sparing Taylor if she wins. Taylor becomes a lone wolf contestant, and is notably able to talk or think their way out of most combat from there on out. At endgame, they have the option to briefly team back up with Bones, before facing off with her in a final showdown.
- We're in this together: The pair chart a similar, kill-heavy course through the games that Bones eventually managed in the real season one, complete with quips and good cheer. This can potentially lead into a doomed romance. As the last two standing, Taylor has the option to kiss A.C., and then either break away, attempt to kill her, or kiss her again. Breaking away results in a final battle, while attempting a kill has the somewhat humourous result of both Taylor and A.C. doing so simultaneously, causing a standoff, then a battle. Trying to kiss her again causes A.C. to kill the player during the kiss, bidding them a saddened farewell.
Reception: Where It All Begins Again was released to a mixed reaction. While impressive on a technical and graphical level, many players remained unhappy that they were 'saddled' with Parker for their first playthrough, not least due to the developer's comment on the matter simply stating 'this is the intended experience of the game'. Detractors were swift to pounce on that wording and decry the game as railroady and inflexible, limiting player choice. Due to playing against expectations in such a way, HoL 7 was left with an uphill battle against early reviews and player response. At best, HoL 7 had smooth gameplay 'bogged down by poor writing'.
However, those taking the time to properly get to grips with the game had a rather different reaction for the most part. Parker's group was well-realised and felt very alive, having a surprising number of very natural ambient conversations while the group is exploring around areas. Further, many players were absolutely blown away by the Mastermind twist, helped by the reactions of a number of prominent Lets Players. Generally speaking, the story is viewed favourably, with more moderate criticism focusing on the branches being mostly set around one specific point. Unsurprisingly, fans, once they reached it, have been very fond of the A.C. Bones route, though this has doubled down on the early complaints that it can only be accessed on a New Game plus.,
Taylor Baker is a fresh entry into the upper echelons of HoL protagonists, and most agree that they are strongly written whatever the route, particularly when they are given opportunities to lean into their more scummy potential behaviour, although praise is also reserved for their chemistry with Tommy. Both their male and female voice actor have been commended for their work on the game, especially the emotional portrayals in the game's finale. On the other hand, some players were disappointed in the limited options for romantic connections, particularly given the pregame scene where they are able to establish Taylor's sexuality.
Overall, opinion on HoL 7 is now on the backswing of the pendulum as many players are reexamining their initial hostility or dismissal to view it in a much more positive light. It is likely the reception will continue to improve with time.