

The special powers, which can also be used offensively against enemies, can additionally be used to grow and destroy trees born from seeds. The plasma cannon allows Andy to shoot lightning at shadows in order to disintegrate them. Along with basic movement, such as running, jumping, and climbing, certain sections of the game give Andy additional abilities. The player progresses through the game's linear storyline by navigating various environments and solving puzzles, all whilst attempting to keep Andy from being killed by evil shadows, hungry wildlife, and perilous obstacles. The player controls Andy, who faces various dangers in search of his dog, Whisky.

Heart of Darkness is a cinematic platformer in the vein of Éric Chahi's previous game Another World. The game is completely unrelated to the Joseph Conrad novel of the same name. The game also features an original score by film and television composer Bruce Broughton. The game was supervised by game developer Éric Chahi, known for Another World, this time with a team of artists and developers. The game has about half an hour of storytelling cinematic sequences, thousands of 2D animated frames, and uses pre-rendered background scenery.

The game places players in the role of a child named Andy as he attempts to rescue his dog who has been kidnapped by shadow-like spectres. A Game Boy Advance port was announced in 2001 but it was never released. Heart of Darkness is a cinematic platform video game developed by French developer Amazing Studio for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows.
