The Indie SRPG Little Hearts, which has only been available in Japanese since its release in late 2022, is now playable in English.

The new English localization was released thanks in part to DeepL AI translation. The localization of games from Japan into English has garnered controversy in the past.

Most fans have been upsete with localizers making changes to the text that are inaccurate to the original and can be considered unprofessional. This also happens with fan translations as well.

However for an indie developer, such as the case with yugiri and Little Hearts, hiring outside help for translation is also costly and may not be worth it for a small game that hasn’t garnered as many sales as higher budgeted titles.

It’s worth nothing, however, the use of AI isn’t limited to only indie companies.

Here’s a rundown of the game:

Little Hearts is a turn-based strategy simulation game set in a fantasy world of swords and sorcery. The game is played by carefully and thoughtfully manipulating characters on the map to defeat enemies, and completing the Conditions of Victory set for each chapter will advance you to the next chapter.

The protagonist of the story and his team of 17 characters each have their own weapons, skills that they acquire as they grow, and a variety of personalities depending on the direction they choose in the ‘Class Change’ option, which gives them a significant boost in power. Make use of their abilities, defeat enemies and advance the story.

Features

• Nimble 2D dot combat animation.
• Simple and enjoyable system and balance for beginners, but a tough SRPG in hard mode.
• The story and drama of those who fight for their beliefs, rather than for good or evil.
• After clearing the game, an extra mode is provided that eliminates the element of luck and allows the player to conquer each stage of the main story.

Little Hearts is available now for PC (via Steam).