I love love. It is beautiful to see what can blossom between people, whether platonic or romantic love. I’m a very monogamous gal — I feel best when I give everything I have to one person, who, in turn, gives everything back to me. But that’s just my personal preference. I believe love is beautiful in all forms: straight, queer, monogamous, non-monogamous… the more love in this world, the better. Visual novel Pivot of Hearts gives us a glimpse of what it is like to have queer, non-monogamous, romantic relationships. And surprise! It’s exactly as heartwarming as any other love story.
But Pivot of Hearts isn’t only a love story. It is also a story of personal growth, expanding your horizons and putting yourself out there. The protagonist is Wén (his Chinese name), AKA André (his Brazilian name), but people call him Wén/Wen because it’s shorter. He is a game programmer, working at the same studio since its early days. They are working on an RPG called Healing Quest, which is the perfect thing for him to work on because he’s also on his own healing quest of sorts.
As the game progresses, Wén comes out of his shell by meeting new friends and reuniting with lost ones. In the beginning, he seems sad, lonely, and out of place. This quickly changes when he meets the studio’s new lead artist, Cauã. Cauã makes friends fast, and Wén keeps his distance until a night out at a bar makes our sweet protagonist realize that even his new colleague, who seems to fit in beautifully, feels like a misfit sometimes. This moment start something that feels so pure, I don’t know how anyone could deny it.
Simultaneously, Wén reconnects with his headstrong friend Bárbara (after a long period of silence) through playing a tabletop RPG campaign. Two other players join, one being someone he knew from high school: Etsuko. I am immediately drawn to her, there is just something so earnest about her face. Flashbacks show how Wén felt awkward interacting with her back in the day, remembering the moments when he felt the most silly. But most teenagers go through that phase where they kind of flirt with friends, and it feels weird! As a board-certified ruminator, I really relate to him constantly replaying the awkward moments in his mind, even years after the fact. Heck, I’ve been out of high school for over 20 years and I still remember when… nope, I’m not sharing that!
There are other characters, of course. The studio employees are funny and relatable, and I love his new Bard friend he meets through Etusko/the TTRPG. They all feel so real and so down-to-earth, you can’t help but love them. There’s a hilarious moment early in the game where Wén suggests Cauã ignore the blue chairs in the office because they’re the oldest, and their colleague motions to protest — but then his chair lurches him forward! Pivot of Hearts has some great comedic timing, that’s for sure.
The game plays like a traditional visual novel with an interesting tarot twist. The traditional tarot deck of major plus minor arcana is discussed, but you only need to grasp the four signs of the major arcana as seen through traditional playing cards. As you read through Wén’s thoughts and interactions, you make decisions on his behalf. Your choices make you gain or use the cards you see in the upper left-hand side of the screen.
Each suit has a different meaning. Clubs are associated with the element of fire and creative energy. It’s the spark that initiates everything; Wén labels it as impetus. Diamond’s element is earth, and it is about wealth, but that doesn’t mean monetary. It means steadiness. The suit of hearts is also known as cups, and it is easy to remember what it represents: emotion. Spades are associated with wind and represent reason, logic, truth, and dialogue. Emphasis on logic! These four suits aren’t nearly as overwhelming as trying to remember the details of over 70 tarot cards, that’s for darned sure. This system makes tarot cards feel accessible to newcomers.
Sometimes, when you make a decision, there is a little minus symbol and the symbol of a card suit next to it. That means that to make this choice, you’ll need the right number of cards. It’s a tad frustrating when you don’t have what you’d like, but this is a game after all! And there are lots of opportunities to earn more, though you don’t always know when it will happen. A little plus symbol next to the choices would be nice. I inherently turn to impetus or steady answers, so I tend to lack in hearts and diamonds. (Strange, considering how emotional I am!) But it is a very clever system to incorporate into a visual novel, and I’m really impressed at how that was done.
The game’s visuals and music are as vibrant as its setting, São Paulo. Backgrounds are often taken from real-life locations. If you compare the images, they are wonderful artistic representations of reality. The shiny parts feel shiny and the gritty parts feel gritty, if that makes sense. The office spaces are clean and bright, while the subway stations have more texture and colour. It feels like you’re being transported from location to location. What a wonderful way to view parts of the city from afar!
The above photo and game illustration are of Paulista Avenue, a famous street in one of the most elevated areas in the city. It houses museums, cultural centres, shopping malls, cinemas, office buildings, consulates, and more. It is closed off to vehicles on Sundays so that pedestrians have the space to walk and bike freely. Paulista Avenue is frequented by both tourists and locals. You’ll notice how the illustration enhances (and adds) some colours to somehow make it feel more real. How is that even possible?!
Pivot of Hearts is something special. The main character, Wen, is extremely relatable — even to people who aren’t game developers. He is the beating heart of the game, someone you can’t help but root for because he tries so hard to do everything “right.” The game shows genuine, non-conforming relationships progressing from the start, making it easy to fall in love with the characters. The way the developer incorporated the tarot card aspect is extremely clever. The more I played, the more I enjoyed it — even while lacking spades! I firmly believe that Pivot of Hearts can change some minds regarding “traditional” relationships. It isn’t always easy, but all that matters is that your heart is in the right place.
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