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''Haven'' is a 2020
role-playing video game Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
developed and published by The Game Bakers. The game was released for
PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
,
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
,
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
, and
Xbox Series X/S The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
in December 2020, while versions for
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
and
Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
were released in February 2021. It received mixed reviews from critics, who were divided about the story.


Gameplay

''Haven'' is a third-person
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...
with
survival game Survival games are a subgenre of action games which are often set in hostile, intense, open-world environments. Players generally start with minimal equipment and are required to survive as long as possible by finding the resources necessary t ...
elements. The game is about two lovers, Yu and Kay, who escape to an uninhabited lost planet called Source. The player can control either character, or play in co-op multiplayer with another person, as they search for materials and resources for the Nest, their spaceship. The two protagonists are equipped with a pair of anti-gravity boots, which are used to navigate the world and glide on "flow threads". Occasionally, players will face hostile rusted creatures. The game features real time combat, which requires the players to coordinate and utilize the skills of both Yu and Kay. At the Nest, players can craft new items, rest and heal, and cook food using the resources and ingredients collected in the world.


Plot

''Haven'' focuses on Yu and Kay, two fugitives in love that have escaped from an oppressive authoritarian society called "the Apiary", one which forces couples into arranged marriages. Running away to a mysterious planet called Source, they navigate through the strange world in search for resources while fighting hostile inhabitants along the way. Yu and Kay successfully flee through the flow bridge that connects the planets and begin a new life on Source together, but as their floating island crumbles, their ship is damaged. They begin to explore Source to work on repairing it, and realize that the Apiary had colonized Source at some point. There is also a mysterious spreading contagion called Rust. After the Apiary sends drones after them, the pair decide to video call Yu's mother, who reveals Source's strange floating island state is the result of Apiary's disastrous experiments to harvest Flow and study Rust only 20 years ago. After Kay's pendant opens a door on Source, they realize their parents probably died on Source during that incident. Eventually the pair is contacted by Lord Ozias, Yu's assigned spouse before they fled with Kay. Ozias announces his intention to come to Source and bring Yu back – and wipe their memory if they refuse him. The couple decide they have only one option: sever the connecting bridge from Source that allows the Apiary to travel there. They must repair their ship and fly into the source of both Flow and Rust. The game has several endings. If Yu and Kay have misgivings about severing the flow bridge, they decide to make a last stand against Ozias' drones, which eventually capture them. The two of them are shown being brainwashed and memory wiped but eventually content in their separated assigned lives on Apiary. If Yu and Kay decide to close the flow bridge, one of them is blasted with Rust and is permanently scarred, but they succeed in closing off Source from the Apiary and can begin their lives on Source without fear of the Apiary's interference.


Development and release

''Haven'' was developed and published by The Game Bakers, which was known for developing '' Furi'' (2016). Emeric Thoa, the game's creative director, described the game as "'' Journey'' meets ''
Persona A persona (plural personae or personas) is a strategic mask of identity in public, the public image of one's personality, the social role that one adopts, or simply a fictional Character (arts), character. It is also considered "an intermediary ...
''". The team wanted to create a game which focuses on the romantic relationship between the two protagonists because they felt that most games in the modern market do not handle the subject matter with maturity, and believed that there is room for a game based entirely on that idea. Originally, the concept of ''Haven'' featured eight couples with a diverse range of relationships but it became clear during production that the team wouldn't be able to reach their initial vision for the full cast, so they focused on only two characters. The game's name "Haven" reflected its high-concept, referring to the place where players can "be safe and in love". Thoa compared the combat to that of a
rhythm game Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
, since it was designed to be accessible and relaxing without being "intellectually exhausting". The cooperative multiplayer mode was introduced at the game's late stage of development. Other inspirations for the game include ''
Prince of Persia ''Prince of Persia'' is a video game franchise created by Jordan Mechner. It is centered around a series of action-adventure games focused on various incarnations of the eponymous Prince, set in ancient and medieval Persia. The first two ga ...
'' (2008), ''
Catherine Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
'', '' ToeJam & Earl'', and '' Phantasy Star''. The works of Shakespere also inspired the team, with Thoa calling the initial pitch "
Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...
but instead of dying they escaped in space". The design of the two protagonists was inspired by
Image Comics Image Comics is an independent American American comic book, comic book publisher and is the third largest direct market comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry by market share. Its best-known publications include ''Spawn (comics) ...
' ''
Saga Sagas are prose stories and histories, composed in Iceland and to a lesser extent elsewhere in Scandinavia. The most famous saga-genre is the (sagas concerning Icelanders), which feature Viking voyages, migration to Iceland, and feuds between ...
''. Electronic musician Danger composed the game's music. The music from Franco-Japanese animation series including '' Ulysses 31'' and ''
The Mysterious Cities of Gold , known outside of Japan as the first season of ''The Mysterious Cities of Gold'' ( French: ''Les Mystérieuses Cités d'Or''), is an animated series which was produced by MK, NHK, DiC Audiovisuel, CLT and animated by Studio Pierrot. Th ...
'' were his major inspirations when he was working on the game's original soundtrack. The Game Bakers officially revealed ''Haven'' in February 2019. The game was released for
PlayStation 5 The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
,
Windows Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
,
Xbox One The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
, and
Xbox Series X/S The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
on December 3, 2020.
PlayStation 4 The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
and
Nintendo Switch The is a video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. Released in the middle of the Eighth generation of video game consoles, eighth generation of home consoles, the Switch succeeded the ...
versions were released on February 4, 2021. On March 3, 2022, The Game Bakers announced that same-sex couple options would come to the game in a free update.


Reception

''Haven'' received "generally favorable" reviews from critics for the Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch versions, while the PC and PS5 versions received "mixed or average" reviews, according to
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...
website
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
. Kyle Campbell of ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' rated the game 8/10, calling it a "charming and unusual sci-fi RPG". He praised the game's exploration, citing the game's anti-gravity boots as "thrilling". He also called the combat "respectable", but criticized the game's "small, desolately sparse zones", and "chores" that involve cleaning the world of
rust Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH) ...
covering the landscape, comparing it to mining in '' Mass Effect 2''. Emma Davies of ''
PC Gamer ''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' rated the game 72/100, comparing the game's movement to '' Journey''. She called the game's central relationship "skillfully handled", and praised its lack of "awkward flirting and anguished emotions", saying "I could happily watch a
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series about Yu and Kay". However, she criticized the game world as lacking variety, calling exploration "more like a chore than something compelling", and also disliked that they were not shown exploring buildings, with the camera remaining outside. Kazuma Hashimoto of ''
Siliconera The GAMURS Group, simply known as Gamurs, is an esports media and entertainment publisher. Established in 2014, the group operates multiple brands focusing on the esports and entertainment news markets, including the websites: ''Dot Esports'', '' ...
'' rated the game 5/10, saying that "while the narrative may resonate with some, others may bounce off of it hard", and also stating that it "plucks bits and pieces from stories that have already been told in better, more effective ways". Saying that ''Haven'' would have been better if it only focused on exploration and the main characters' relationship, he criticized the game's deeper plot elements, such as why they fled their former space colony, the Apiary, as not making sense. He stated that "the combat functions well enough and can be fun for the first few hours". Kenneth Shepard of ''Fanbyte'' praised The Game Bakers for ''Haven's'' Couples Update, saying the addition of same-sex options "underlines that if a studio is willing and eager to do right by its queer fans, it can get the job done."


References


External links

* {{The Game Bakers 2020 video games Windows games Nintendo Switch games PlayStation 4 games PlayStation 5 games Xbox Cloud Gaming games Xbox One games Xbox Series X and Series S games Science fiction video games Survival video games Role-playing video games Romance video games Indie games Video games developed in France Video games set on fictional planets Multiplayer and single-player video games LGBTQ-related video games The Game Bakers games