Heroes of the Seven Islands - Quick Review

Heroes of the Seven Islands is one of those indie RPGs that feels like it crawled out of a forgotten 90s sketchbook as it's bright, scrappy, earnest, and absolutely wearing its inspirations on its sleeve. It’s a hand‑drawn, party‑based, turn‑based RPG set across a fairytale archipelago, and while it’s modest in scope, it’s surprisingly charming and more substantial than its doodly aesthetic suggests.

The entire game is illustrated on paper, scanned, and coloured digitally, giving it a rough, comic‑book look that’s instantly distinctive. It’s not “polished” in the AAA sense, lines wobble, proportions shift, but that’s the point. It feels handmade, personal, and oddly nostalgic. The world of Émeyralia is bright, whimsical, and full of that “kid reading a fantasy comic on the bus” energy.

The tone is light fairytale, but the premise has teeth: Furax the Indestructible, a fleshless interdimensional horror, is spreading despair across the seven islands. To stop him, you gather the seven keys from the seven rulers. It's classic RPG structure, but delivered with a wink.

Combat is turn‑based but snappy, leaning more toward Might & Magic‑style blobber battles than modern tactical grids. It’s simple, readable, and satisfying in that “one more fight before bed” way. Exploration is non‑linear: you can follow the main quest or wander off into villages, dungeons, swamps, caves, and cemeteries. Side quests are sprinkled everywhere, and the game encourages poking into corners just to see what weird little drawing the developer hid there.

Pros

• Hundreds of unique hand‑drawn illustrations give the world a quirky identity.

• Non‑linear structure lets you roam freely.

• Fast turn‑based combat keeps things breezy.

• A comfy but challenging tone—it’s not punishing, but it’s not a pushover either.

• A clear affection for 90s RPGs, especially Might & Magic.

Cons

• The art style, while charming, may feel too rough for players expecting clean pixel art or modern polish.

• No controller support

• The music is simple and repetitive—pleasant, but not varied.

Heroes of the Seven Islands is a heartfelt, handmade RPG that knows exactly what it wants to be: a cosy, colourful, slightly scruffy throwback to 90s fantasy adventures. It’s the kind of game where the charm comes because of the imperfections, not in spite of them. If you enjoy small‑team passion projects, old‑school turn‑based RPGs, or anything that feels like it was drawn in the margins of a school notebook, this is absolutely worth your time.

XPN Rating: 3 out of 5 (SILVER)

Heroes of the Seven Islands is available now!