Playing games like Spirited Heart by Winter Wolves is exactly what some little girls do for kicks. Spirited Heart is a quaint game targeted at female game players who like to fantasize of being a pretty lady character in a fantasy world. This 2 Dimensional (2D) life simulation game helps the young player to begin learning about living in the real world, independent of their families later in their lives. A point added to the rating for this useful learning objective.

Graphics

Characters in the Spirited Heart game look good as though they were done by a cartoonist who recently graduated from the JapaneseMangaUniversity of cartoon making. The main lady characters have long legs, short body, big eyes, small nose; all of which are traits of Japanese Manga cartoon character drawing style. This style of cartoon drawing would look great in an animated cartoon flick. Having the Spirited Heart game capitalize on that notion will certainly help this 2D life simulation game become livelier. However, the Spirited Heart game shows these art works in a non animated fashion which is a disappointment.

Game Play

Start by choosing one of the three girl characters, each of a different race human, elf, or demon. This choice will influence what advanced job the girl is best suited for as different races have different levels of skills & attributes level; naturally. The player can then manage the character towards honing her advantages. For example, choosing the location of how your game character was raised; by farmers, the artist, the general, and the noble will affect her natural skills & attributes level something that she will have to work with when she starts living on her own. Ironically, all the characters still have to start off with working meager jobs like being a waitress, tailor, guard, and etc. This situation of differentiating skills & attributes level is actually no big deal, at least not in the beginning of the game.

On the character control panel the player will use Job Options, Train Skill, Relax, relationships, and Character Sheet to easily manage the character and the outcome of the next ten years of the game character's life. Things happen in the game are measured in weekly format so the ten years will pass by after a few hours of playing. The player can have her do a lot of things like having different jobs every week, acquire new skills, go on a holiday, decide how to interact with other game characters, & etc. Thus the game is open ended. The game will end by having the character be married to someone, after ten years, a special event occurs, or etc.

Innovation & Creativity

This three fantasy race concept for a girly life simulation 2D game is a unique & a decent educational application for learning good multi racial social interaction in real life. Players who can excuse the lack of visual gratification will find some degree of pleasure by playing the Spirited Heart game. With twenty normal endings plus six special marriage endings, this game will provide hours of fun & good replay value for the interested player. This adds another point to the rating.

Sound

The background music is soothing yet melancholic as well - sounding like an expression of struggling & hardship in life more than anything else. The melodic sounds of tinker bells & flute help transcend the player into this fairy tale realm. Overall, the background music & sound effects blends well and increases the good experience of playing the Spirited Heart game.

Conclusion

Even when something eventful happen, it will be conveyed by simple text messages & pictures to the player. Hence, one should not expect a graphical standard of a 3 Dimensional (3D) life simulation game like The Sims 2 here. Just have fun & give the Spirited Heart game character what she wants when she suggests it will be a good start to playing the game. Spirited Heart is priced at $19.99 and available for MAC, PC, and LINUX platforms. A final rating of 2/5 is awarded.