Faculty of Art

Experimental Animation

Michelle Vu

01 Heart of The Past

Heart of The Past follows Estelle, an artist who is struggling with self-doubt. She questions whether this was the right path for her, creating a rift in her relationship with something she once loved so dearly. When faced with a task larger than herself and with the help of her partner, Hana, Estelle wonders if she can rediscover what was so important in her life in order to move past her doubts. Heart of the Past was created in RPG Maker. Art assets are made in Aseprite. All music is credited to Ricci Ebron (https://ricci.ebron.com)To download the game, please click the button below!

“Heart of The Past is a 2D role-playing, narrative game that explores the concept of reconnecting with oneself and rekindling one’s love for making art when considering to give up. The game's overall message is to have faith in one’s own abilities, and the unique voice each individual carries.The mechanics of the game involve world-building via player interactions and quest completion. Through navigating fantasy worlds full of surprises and wonder, Estelle uses her art to help others and confronts the doubts that she has kept buried inside. The title, Heart of the Past, is a reference to the inner child, the connection between one's past and present. This is showcased through the carefree feelings Estelle experienced back then when she first started her journey as an artist and the burdens she now carries in regards to how she feels about her art. However, "with my heart by my side, I don't want to give up," is the resolve that Estelle finds and as long as you keep hold of your inner child, the possibility of you reaching your dreams won’t disappear.The game is inspired by similar role-playing games such as Rakuen by Laura Shigihara, OMORI by OMOCAT, Undertale by Toby Fox, and lastly, Nintendo’s Mother 3 by Hal Laboratory, all of which feature dreamlike worlds that blur the line between reality and fantasy.”