Tin Hearts Preview

Tin Hearts is a puzzle adventure game that was developed by Rogue Sun, a studio formed by three of the devs at Lionhead that worked on the Fable game. Tin Hearts is a narrative puzzle that tells the story of Albert J. Butterworth, an award-winning inventor of Victorian times, and the love and compromises he had to make to get to where he aimed for. This game is reminiscent of titles like Lemmings or Mario vs. Donkey Kong, where the player is tasked with leading characters to the glowing door — goal — through various environmental obstacles that get in the way. In Tin Hearts, players are guiding wind-up toy soldiers from their ornate storage box through the wooden toys, books, tools, and other items that are in his workshop. The soldiers will walk, bumping into all the items that are in their way.

There are wooden blocks placed around the level, each of them having a differently-shaped hole in each that designates where they can be placed. Just because a block is there doesn’t mean that you require it to solve the puzzle. So it will take some planning and observation to see how the toys move around the level to figure out what blocks you need to place to get them to go where you want; you can also use environmental objects like framed pictures to reflect the soldiers in a certain direction. Keep in mind that the toy soldiers aren’t stuck to staying on the table, like Lemmings — they can easily fall to the floor. Though if this happens, you can easily retrieve them by clicking on their storage box; they will reset here and start on their route again. You also have the ability to manipulate time, so if you want the soldiers to move faster so you can see if your placement works, you can always speed up time. 

To move the wooden blocks around, I found it takes some practice to master. I played using the keyboard and mouse, though there is full controller support available. You select the block by clicking on it, and then you can lift it up and set it down by sliding your mouse forward or back. To move the block, use the WASD keys to line it up with the post where you want to place it. Some of the wood pieces will need to be rotated to make the holes line up, so you will use the Z button to do this. As you progress, you can walk around the room and collect blocks from other areas in the workshop, which makes it easier to get them exactly where you need, but it is kind of fun flying your wooden piece around the level. Though, as you try to figure out exactly where you need to place it, it can get hectic if you are trying to place the block quickly before the marching toys get to it.

The visuals in Tin Hearts are absolutely beautiful — the game is full of life-like graphics, and even the table and wooden objects have grooves and scratches on them. I love how you see worn paint on objects around the room, and even the puzzle blocks that you use look like they could use another coat of paint; this makes the game look incredibly realistic. With various colourful toys on display and visions of your daughter Rose interacting and playing with the blocks, you really feel like you are in a toy makers' workshop; it truly feels magical!

The instrumental music that you hear while trying to solve puzzles is relaxing and very calming. Composer Matthew Chastney — who has worked on the trailers for JOKER, Brigerton, and Chernoble — has done a great job creating a soundtrack that works perfectly for a puzzle game like Tin Hearts. The music works well for when you are flustered and need to focus on figuring out the solution to get these toy soldiers where they need to go. It also fits the story that is full of nostalgia and warmth as you explore this magical, alternative timeline. 

Tin Hearts releases on the 20th of April 2023 for the Epic Games Store, Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. I look forward to playing the game when it releases and seeing the finishing touches that get added before it arrives. I think this title will be great for anyone who loves puzzle games with a great story and beautiful hand-crafted look. With all the elements combined, this game has a special magical touch that evolves a feeling of childlike wonder.