Embark on a voyage to discover the New World

When I first read the synopsis for Heileen I can’t deny that I was a bit concerned by what I thought it was going to turn into.

The plot is this according to the developers: “Heileen, cute 18 years old English girl. She has a quiet life, without any real problems. But one day, her uncle Otto, a famous English merchant, decides that it is time for a change, and forces her to follow him on a journey to the New World.” Fortunately, this voyage to the New World is completely innocent and Heileen (what a strange name to give her by the way) actually turns out to be a half decent, if extremely limited adventure game.

The plot still sounds like a voyage of self discovery TV movie though. It continues: “During the voyage, she’ll meet old and new friends and discover lots of secrets, and ultimately find what really wants for herself.” There are eight chapters to the game, which are mainly decided on your interactions with the crew. You’re given questions and challenges by the crew with a series of fixed answers you can use in reply. It seems your ultimate aim is to guide Heileen to the discover the New World without falling in love with the captain’s mate or being poisoned by the cook.

Heileen isn’t exactly the most exhilarating or even a particularly well-presented adventure game but it could be a good start for kids wanting to get into the adventure genre or just learn simple English with some pleasant cartoon graphics.