Heartworm is a short, retro-styled survival-horror game whose fixed cameras, eerie soundscape and memory-testing puzzles capture much of the genre’s late-1990s appeal. In PlayStation Universe’s PS5 review, Garri Bagdasarov awarded it 6/10: the atmosphere and puzzles impressed him, but sparse exploration, backtracking and an unclear story kept the experience from fully coming together.
What is Heartworm?
Heartworm follows Sam, who is grieving the death of her grandfather and searching for a way to contact him. An online message board leads her to a remote house associated with the afterlife. The game frames that search as psychological horror, set in a surreal suburban world rendered in low-resolution 3D. Its official site names Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Dino Crisis as inspirations from the late 1990s.
On PlayStation, the game offers fixed-camera and over-the-shoulder perspectives, classic-style puzzles, exploration and limited combat using a camera as a weapon. Optional tank controls add another deliberate nod to older survival-horror design. These are recognizable ingredients; the question is whether they combine into an engaging adventure or mainly evoke games that did it earlier.
Heartworm’s official site describes the premise, setting and influences. The PlayStation Store listing details its perspectives, controls and gameplay features.
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What works best in Heartworm?
Retro presentation and sound
Bagdasarov says the visuals evoke the intended era, while the sound design and soundtrack are among the game’s strongest elements. That combination gives the unsettling setting much of its character. The low-resolution look is not just a coat of nostalgia: it supports a deliberately old-school horror mood.
Puzzles that reward attention
The review praises puzzles that expect players to remember clues and, at times, take notes. This approach asks for more active attention than simply following an objective marker, and it fits the game’s classic survival-horror ambitions. Players who enjoy connecting details across rooms and revisiting clues may find this the most satisfying part of the adventure.
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Where does the PS5 experience fall short?
Exploration and backtracking
In Bagdasarov’s experience, some areas feel empty and exploration often yields little. Progress also involves substantial backtracking. Revisiting a location can be satisfying when a newly understood clue changes what the player can do there; the review’s concern is that too much of the journey feels like retracing steps without a worthwhile discovery.
A story that relies on optional reading
The central motivation—Sam’s grief and her attempt to reach her grandfather—is clear. The reviewer found the broader story harder to follow unless players read inventory files and diary entries, and felt that the ending left questions unresolved. Players who prefer narrative context delivered clearly through scenes may find the story frustrating; those willing to read optional material may get more from it, though the review still considers the conclusion incomplete.
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Simple combat and limited enemy variety
Sam uses a camera to stun or defeat enemies; conventional weapons are not part of the combat described in the review. The system is simple, enemies may return, and Bagdasarov criticizes both the limited enemy variety and the lack of challenge. Combat is therefore a supporting mechanic, not a deep action system.
How long is Heartworm?
The PlayStation Store estimates a 4–6 hour playthrough. GamesRadar+ repeated the same estimate in its October 2, 2026 coverage. The available sources do not specify a completion style or conditions for that estimate, so treat it as a store-provided guide rather than a guaranteed time for every player. The PlayStation listing also notes multiple endings.
Rank #4
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Is Heartworm worth playing on PS5?
Heartworm is best suited to players who want a compact, deliberately old-school horror adventure and value eerie presentation and clue-driven puzzles more than fluid exploration, deep combat or a fully explained story. Its camera options, tank controls and named genre influences make the lineage explicit; the review’s 6/10 assessment reflects the gap between a strong retro-horror mood and the less compelling exploration and narrative that surround it.
For readers deciding whether to buy, the most useful distinction is between enjoying a throwback’s form and expecting it to refresh that form. The review finds the visuals, sound and puzzles effective, but sees the sparse spaces, repeated backtracking and unresolved story as meaningful weaknesses rather than minor interruptions.
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Release and platform notes
Platform and date details vary by source and region. The localized PlayStation Store page lists PS4 and PS5 and displays January 10, 2026 as its release date. PlayStation Universe reports an October 2, 2026 US release and lists PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series S/X and Xbox One; GamesRadar+’s October 2, 2026 coverage describes a console launch and also mentions Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. These source-specific listings should not be read as one universal release schedule.
PlayStation Universe’s PS5 review was published October 5, 2026. GamesRadar+’s coverage was published October 2, 2026.
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