Set in the 19th century, Herald will take you on an adventure aboard HLV Herald, a majestic ship set to sail to other lands. As a steward of the ship, it is your duty to maintain peace and good relations among the crew by helping them solve their issues with each other. However, there are secrets and mysteries that surround the Herald and uncovering them is in your hands.

The drama of the 19th century

Herald is a point-and-click adventure game that has more to it than what you would think at first. In this game, you will be playing the character of Devan Rensburg, a man of mixed heritage, who joins the crew of the ship HLV Herald as a steward. Through him, you will be able to encounter all the other crew members and passengers of the ship while uncovering secrets along the way. The game not only is shrouded by mystery but also bravely tackles social issues that are prevalent during the era and up until today. To name some, it approaches topics of racism, colonialism, religion, and even suicide. With the various and unique characters are the different issues that come with them. While you will mostly play the role of Devan, having conversations with the people aboard the ship will give you the chance to see things from their point of view, even going as far as to enter their headspace. You will find yourself curious and interested in each character’s motives, drives, and beliefs, all of which will be important factors when it is time for you to decide what action to do next. This is an interactive game where all your responses will affect the outcome in the end so you will have to think very carefully. To give you an idea, there will be times where your words will be the deciding factor of a person between life and death.

Setting the mood

The game is able to rebuild the world during the 19th century, adorning its characters with elaborate fashion and surrounding them with an equally vintage setup. Its 3D graphics will give you a unique experience that makes the game more engaging, making you enjoy exploring the ship further. The background music and sound effects are also on point. While the movements are a bit slow, it does not ruin the experience at all. In fact, it kind of gives a touch of suspense to the gameplay, enforcing the mystery that you need to uncover as you progress.

An ambitious adventure

Herald is a game full of complexities when it comes to its storyline. It will leave you intrigued and eager to uncover more while at the same time, making you engage in intellectual discussions that will pique your interests. If this were a book, we would say that Herald is a page-turner.