RSS
Half-Minute Hero
Quick, you have 30 seconds to save the world in this quirky yet wildly addictive genre-bending adventure for the PSP.
November 7, 2009 | 11:57 PM PSTby: Jeff Rivera
Kombo's Review Policy: Our reviews are written for you. Our goal is to write honest, to-the-point reviews that don't waste your time. This is why we've split our reviews into four sections: What the Game's About, What's Hot, What's Not and Final Word, so that you can easily find the information you want from our reviews.
What the Game's About
Half-Minute Hero is one of the more unique games to hit the PSP for some time, which is saying a lot considering the imaginative and varied lineup the handheld has seen lately. The game is tough to explain in few words, but simply put it's one part RPG, one part shooter, one part RTS, and one part escort missions. The game is split into four main modes, each offering varying styles of gameplay, but all ultimately feeding into one overarching storyline. In addition to the varied gameplay, Half-Minute Hero also serves up a healthy dose of humor and a unique presentation that make the game something truly unique.
What's Hot
From the very first moment you start up the game, the charm smacks you in the face. The first mode you play through is the Hero 30 mode, which puts you in the role of young adventurer looking to save the world from the Ultimate Evil who has taught several baddies a spell that can destroy the world. This spell takes thirty seconds to cast, so the hero needs to make his way to the boss and defeat him before thirty seconds pass by. Each level begins in the same way: you see who you need to defeat and where you need to go in order to face them, and it's up to you to level up enough to defeat the foe. The thirty seconds can be reset by entering towns and praying to the Time Goddess statue (and donating money to her), but each time you do it, it will cost you more. Battles are automated and you take and receive damage until you either lose or win. Winning gives you experience points, which you'll need to level up enough to defeat the level's boss. The game treats each level as its own full game, so you'll start out at level 1 and will need to power up anew each time. The only carry over from level to level is that you can bring equippable items with you (weapons and armor). The Hero 30 mode is definitely the highlight of the game.
Instead of riding the Hero 30 concept out too far, Half-Minute Hero switches gears to offer completely different styles of gameplay. The Princess 30 mode has you frantically searching for items to cure your father while the gameplay works more like a shooter. Evil Lord 30 plays much like an RTS game with a very simplified set or rules, and Knight 30 has you protecting the Sage while he chants a spell. These changing gameplay styles keep the game fresh, and each one is enjoyable and satisfying in its own unique way.
The presentation is great on all fronts. First of all the graphics are great from an artistic standpoint. During gameplay the game uses very basic backgrounds and simple sprites with basic animation. The look is decidedly retro, but it's quite appealing. Intermingled with the simple graphics are beautiful cut scenes that feature some great hand-drawn art. It's all somewhat reminiscent of early Saturn and PlayStation RPGs.
The music in the game is also a very bright spot. In stark contrast to the basic visuals, the music is deeply effective and very deliberately paced throughout the game. Half-Minute Hero has a soundtrack that holds up well against big budget RPGs, which is pretty amazing when you consider the budget and overall scope of the game.
What's Not
There isn't a whole lot to complain about, but I guess the one minor bummer is that the game's very best mode is the first mode you play. Maybe this is a good move as it seems that gamers are finishing games in lesser numbers these days than ever, but despite all modes in the games being fun, the game does peak quite early. I don't mean to imply that the modes after Hero 30 aren't great, because they are, but in the end I think most people will agree that Hero 30 is the game's strongest mode.
The simplicity of each mode can also be a sort of double-edged sword. For most players the simplicity will be welcoming, but the hardcore fan of any of the genres represented will probably view the simplicity as a sort of watering down. This criticism may not be fair, given the game's need to work with a thirty second timer, but it's bound to be a worry for some.
Final Word
Simply put, Half-Minute Hero is the perfect game to take on the go. You can play in very short spurts, or you can sit down and play for a good hour and still feel satisfied either way. I reviewed the game on a PSPgo, and I found that just having the game on there made me more likely to take the handheld with me on even short trips away from home. To me, this is exactly what a great handheld game should do. Fun from start to finish, Half-Minute Hero is a pleasant surprise on the PSP and should definitely be on everybody's list of must play games this year.
What the Game's About
Half-Minute Hero is one of the more unique games to hit the PSP for some time, which is saying a lot considering the imaginative and varied lineup the handheld has seen lately. The game is tough to explain in few words, but simply put it's one part RPG, one part shooter, one part RTS, and one part escort missions. The game is split into four main modes, each offering varying styles of gameplay, but all ultimately feeding into one overarching storyline. In addition to the varied gameplay, Half-Minute Hero also serves up a healthy dose of humor and a unique presentation that make the game something truly unique.
What's Hot
From the very first moment you start up the game, the charm smacks you in the face. The first mode you play through is the Hero 30 mode, which puts you in the role of young adventurer looking to save the world from the Ultimate Evil who has taught several baddies a spell that can destroy the world. This spell takes thirty seconds to cast, so the hero needs to make his way to the boss and defeat him before thirty seconds pass by. Each level begins in the same way: you see who you need to defeat and where you need to go in order to face them, and it's up to you to level up enough to defeat the foe. The thirty seconds can be reset by entering towns and praying to the Time Goddess statue (and donating money to her), but each time you do it, it will cost you more. Battles are automated and you take and receive damage until you either lose or win. Winning gives you experience points, which you'll need to level up enough to defeat the level's boss. The game treats each level as its own full game, so you'll start out at level 1 and will need to power up anew each time. The only carry over from level to level is that you can bring equippable items with you (weapons and armor). The Hero 30 mode is definitely the highlight of the game.
Instead of riding the Hero 30 concept out too far, Half-Minute Hero switches gears to offer completely different styles of gameplay. The Princess 30 mode has you frantically searching for items to cure your father while the gameplay works more like a shooter. Evil Lord 30 plays much like an RTS game with a very simplified set or rules, and Knight 30 has you protecting the Sage while he chants a spell. These changing gameplay styles keep the game fresh, and each one is enjoyable and satisfying in its own unique way.
The presentation is great on all fronts. First of all the graphics are great from an artistic standpoint. During gameplay the game uses very basic backgrounds and simple sprites with basic animation. The look is decidedly retro, but it's quite appealing. Intermingled with the simple graphics are beautiful cut scenes that feature some great hand-drawn art. It's all somewhat reminiscent of early Saturn and PlayStation RPGs.
The music in the game is also a very bright spot. In stark contrast to the basic visuals, the music is deeply effective and very deliberately paced throughout the game. Half-Minute Hero has a soundtrack that holds up well against big budget RPGs, which is pretty amazing when you consider the budget and overall scope of the game.
What's Not
There isn't a whole lot to complain about, but I guess the one minor bummer is that the game's very best mode is the first mode you play. Maybe this is a good move as it seems that gamers are finishing games in lesser numbers these days than ever, but despite all modes in the games being fun, the game does peak quite early. I don't mean to imply that the modes after Hero 30 aren't great, because they are, but in the end I think most people will agree that Hero 30 is the game's strongest mode.
The simplicity of each mode can also be a sort of double-edged sword. For most players the simplicity will be welcoming, but the hardcore fan of any of the genres represented will probably view the simplicity as a sort of watering down. This criticism may not be fair, given the game's need to work with a thirty second timer, but it's bound to be a worry for some.
Final Word
Simply put, Half-Minute Hero is the perfect game to take on the go. You can play in very short spurts, or you can sit down and play for a good hour and still feel satisfied either way. I reviewed the game on a PSPgo, and I found that just having the game on there made me more likely to take the handheld with me on even short trips away from home. To me, this is exactly what a great handheld game should do. Fun from start to finish, Half-Minute Hero is a pleasant surprise on the PSP and should definitely be on everybody's list of must play games this year.
November 20, 2009
