Half Minute Hero: The Second Coming
- April 4, 2014
- Opus
- 17h median play time
Get on SteamHalf Minute Hero: The Second Coming is a fast-paced action RPG where players must defeat enemies and complete objectives within thirty seconds. The game features multiple character classes, each with unique abilities, and a variety of stages with different challenges. Cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes are also available, allowing players to team up or compete against each other in short, intense matches.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
PSP
Reviews
- An incredible follow-up to the first game, offering hours of engaging gameplay with a mix of time attack, story secrets, and high score challenges.
- The game features a lovely cast of characters, cute sprites, and a fantastic soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
- The inclusion of a level editor and multiplayer capabilities adds significant replay value and fun to the game.
- The moving castle/fortress system feels forced and detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- Some achievements are bugged, which can be frustrating for completionists.
- The dialogue can be lengthy and tedious, slowing down the fast-paced nature of the game.
- story265 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in "Half Minute Hero 2" is a significant evolution from its predecessor, featuring a more robust and cohesive narrative that spans multiple protagonists and eras, while still maintaining a humorous tone. Players appreciate the deeper character development and engaging plot twists, although some find the pacing slow and the dialogue occasionally tedious. Overall, the game successfully blends parody with genuine storytelling, offering a mix of comedy and drama that resonates well with fans of classic JRPGs.
“The story itself is surprisingly nice for a comedy game filled with references to classic JRPGs.”
“This game fixes practically every problem that the original had and packs it all into a lengthy campaign with a story that doesn't simply parody the genre, but pays tribute to JRPGs of all eras while at the same time weaving an original, entertaining story in its own right.”
“The story retains the same balance between parodical comedy and semi-serious drama, though it is significantly deeper this time around.”
“While the core gameplay remains fun, I can't say that about anything else about the game; the story and dialogue this time around are awful, and I do mean completely awful.”
“You can finish a quest and then start reading pages upon pages of boring, mediocre translation, which happens every single time you start and finish a quest.”
“The story is something that is commonly seen that doesn't have a unique twist, and the way they portray the revenge story was poorly written; the messages it conveys are terrible, and the story lacks a cohesive direction.”
- gameplay106 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Half Minute Hero: The Second Coming" builds upon its predecessor by introducing new mechanics and a more complex level design, while maintaining the core "hero 30" concept. Players will find the gameplay to be a mix of fast-paced action and puzzle-solving, though some may feel that the removal of alternate gameplay modes from the first game detracts from its overall variety. Despite some criticisms regarding complexity and pacing, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics, humor, and the inclusion of the original game, offering a substantial amount of content for fans of the genre.
“It builds off of the first game well and adds plenty of mechanics and systems that make it a joy to play.”
“The gameplay keeps the core mechanic of the first game and greatly expands it, being basically hero 30 with classes, a new revamped allies system and skills.”
“The gameplay is a nice balance of speed vs safety, which if you find too difficult can be overcome by grinding, but in my playthrough I never found that I needed to grind to get past any level.”
“Horrible game mechanic where you only have 30 seconds to grind gold to buy another 30 seconds, and each time the cost rises so it's just pressure, nothing to enjoy here.”
“The gameplay is pretty much the same, with the second coming being far more linear and continuous unlike the somewhat discrete levels in the previous work.”
“The 'metagame' added is a grindy RPG (not sped up) with linear plot, repetitive gameplay, forced backtracking to unlock all items, etc. exactly the kind of games the first game was mocking.”
- music52 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its high-quality soundtracks and the involvement of renowned composers. With a total of 85 tracks clocking in at nearly two hours, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that enhances the game's fast-paced RPG experience. Overall, the music is characterized as both catchy and emotionally resonant, making it a significant highlight for players.
“The music in this game is so awesome, I never get bored of it.”
“This game feels like a love letter, to whom I'm not entirely sure, but the amount of guest artists and musicians brought on board for designing characters and the soundtrack is staggering.”
“The soundtrack is one of the best I've ever heard, composed by multiple people, including Motoi Sakuraba, the artist who made the Dark Souls soundtrack.”
“The only complaint I have is the music transition while fighting against the enemies when not on any mission, as it gets rather repetitive.”
“If you have played a cave shmup game 'Deathsmiles' before, you will immediately notice that one of the soundtracks in this game sounds a bit too familiar.”
“But the most upgrade is the music; my favorite is Coo's song.”
- humor49 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of clever dialogue, quirky scenarios, and playful parodies of JRPG tropes, often eliciting chuckles through subtle, tongue-in-cheek humor rather than overt jokes. While many players appreciate the balance of comedic and serious elements, some feel that the sequel lacks the charm and humor of its predecessor, with a shift towards more serious storytelling that diminishes the comedic impact. Overall, the game is recognized for its engaging and funny narrative, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of its humor compared to earlier installments.
“The story is funny, and there's a lot of quirky scenarios to enjoy, and I liked the different games within.”
“It's an over-the-top JRPG that pokes fun at the genre's recurring tropes in a humorous way.”
“Many characters from the previous game make a reappearance in some form; in fact, the bumbling but lovable knight is back as a constant party member, and his interactions with the goddess are hilarious.”
“An interesting idea that turned out to be just cheap RPG Maker fodder with rambling and painfully unfunny dialogue.”
- grinding32 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews present a mixed perspective on grinding in the game, with some players appreciating the fast-paced, streamlined approach that minimizes traditional grinding, while others criticize it for being overly grindy and repetitive, especially compared to its predecessor. Many agree that while grinding can enhance character progression, it often feels forced and detracts from the overall pacing and enjoyment of the game. Ultimately, the necessity and enjoyment of grinding seem to vary significantly among players, with some finding it integral to the experience and others viewing it as a tedious chore.
“The developers made a grindy game, something that the predecessor was inherently mocking (being a clever parody of JRPGs and all).”
“The second one is dull and grindy (exactly the thing that the first game was mocking), there's endless and ultimately meaningless dialogues which slow this game down to a crawl, while it should be relatively fast-paced.”
“The 'metagame' added is a grindy RPG (not sped up) with a linear plot, repetitive gameplay, forced backtracking to unlock all items, etc. exactly the kind of games the first game was mocking.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players noting a lack of significant improvement over the original, while others appreciate the retro 16-bit aesthetic reminiscent of classic JRPGs. Although the visuals may appear dated and similar to RPG Maker creations, they complement the game's fast-paced gameplay and engaging soundtrack. Overall, the graphics may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking modern visuals, but they align well with the game's nostalgic charm.
“Self-deprecating but cool old school graphics, and a really interesting soundtrack.”
“Music, graphics (retro 16-bit), and gameplay elements are all a big upgrade over the original.”
“The graphics follow the original Half Minute Hero's retro look, although this time around, the style is much closer to 16-bit RPGs of the SNES era.”
“If you can stand the honestly meh (borderline poor) visuals, you can enjoy an excellent parody of JRPGs and rather fun gameplay as well.”
“The graphic style has lost its 8-bit pixel charm, and whilst I understand they need to make it better and different from the original offering, it just doesn't work and looks like any other game made using RPG Maker.”
“-graphics may look like they are 20 years old, but the soundtrack is... very modern.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, enhanced by features such as achievements, speedruns, custom maps, and multiplayer options, although the latter may suffer from a lack of active players. While the core gameplay remains similar to the original, improvements in graphics, story, and character development, along with community-created content, provide additional incentives for completionists and fans of the genre. Overall, players can find significant replay value, particularly through various challenges and the exploration of open-world elements.
“The custom maps, multiplayer, and other goodies (various sets that will warrant you extra hours if you are a completionist) give it some replayability, also way more than your average RPG.”
“Community maps are awesome and could add a lot of replayability.”
“Not much different than the first one but does have more graphics and a bit more replayability in a way.”
“Lack of replay value.”
“Replayability is there if you're trying to get all the achievements or do speedruns for the missions once the main campaign is finished.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming moments, clever humor, and the presence of beloved characters that evoke nostalgia and genuine feelings. Players appreciate the blend of comedic and heartfelt scenes, with some moments being particularly touching and capable of eliciting tears. Overall, the game offers a charming narrative filled with likable characters and a mix of silliness and emotional depth, making it a memorable experience.
“It's a heartwarming experience with a lot of cute and sometimes really clever comedic scenes (there's one that happens on a boat as soon as it leaves port that floored me).”
“Since this game is more story-centered, I can't do it justice. Play it by yourself, you won't regret it; it has a lot of charm, characters are likable, and some moments actually made me cry.”
“If you want to laugh and shed a tear for the characters you play as and meet along the way.”
- character development3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features enhanced character development compared to its predecessor, with a more cohesive plotline, unlockable costumes, and an emphasis on storytelling that balances humor and drama. It builds on the previous title by incorporating elements reminiscent of classic RPGs, allowing for deeper character exploration and engagement.
“Starts off from where the last game left off, but this time around it parodies the RPGs from the SNES and PS1 era with more drama and character development.”
“Unlike the previous title, you get an art gallery, unlockable costumes for the time goddess, and a more cohesive plotline with cutscenes and character development.”
“This time around there’s more space for character development and a bigger emphasis on story, all while maintaining the game’s humorous mood most of the time.”
“Starts off from where the last game left off, but this time around it parodies the RPGs from the SNES and PS1 era with more drama and character development (similar to that one quest in the first game).”
