Set in contemporary São Paulo, visual novel Pivot of Hearts explores the idea that love doesn’t follow a single path. Branching relationships are determined by tarot-based choices, a gameplay mechanic explored in my recent interview with Brazilian developer Dragonroll Studio. The game’s narrative explores love, identity, and the many forms of connection. Today, the studio announced that Pivot of Hearts will be released for PC/Mac next month.
Pivot of Hearts follows Taiwanese-Brazilian game developer Wén Xiàn as he connects with an old friend and forms new relationships that challenge how he looks at love. When I played the game’s demo, I was immediately drawn to the characters and how they connected. The visual novel explores a branching narrative with four chapters, five endings, and a colourful cast of characters. Your decisions shape your path ahead. And the tarot-like mechanic is pretty clever!
In a press release, the developer explains the keys to Pivot of Hearts’ experience:
- Narrative depth and scope: Four chapters, five unique endings, and over 100,000 words of dialogue create a branching, deeply emotional experience.
- Inclusive relationship dynamics: Romantic, platonic, and non-monogamous storylines unfold through player choice, offering a nuanced look at modern connection.
- Diverse character representation: Characters reflect a wide range of sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnic backgrounds, and body types.
- Interactive Tarot system: A symbolic card mechanic shapes conversations and choices, reflecting each character’s instincts, needs, and desires.
- Authentic São Paulo setting: The game celebrates the culture of São Paulo through local traditions, fictional metal bands, nostalgic anime and gaming references, and richly detailed urban environments based on real locations.
- Accessibility and player experience: Designed with inclusion in mind, Pivot of Hearts has planned features for accessibility-focused settings to welcome players of all backgrounds and experience levels.
“We’ve been working on Pivot of Hearts for so long and now the release is suddenly around the corner,” said Wilson Kazuo Mizutani, Lead Developer of Dragonroll Studio, in the same press release. “These last weeks are going by so fast, it is really hard to keep up with the roller coaster of emotions. But I’m proud of the game we’ve made, and hope it becomes a fond memory for everyone who plays it.”
Developed and published by Dragonroll Studio, Pivot of Hearts will be released for PC/Mac via Steam/itch.io on May 21. A demo is available now through both storefronts.
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