Hero Academy

About

Hero Academy is a single player and multiplayer strategy game with a historical theme. It was developed by Robot Entertainment and was released on December 20, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Hero Academy is a historical strategy game with both multi-player and single-player options. Players can choose from different teams, each with their own unique strengths, and must protect their crystal while trying to damage their opponent's. The game features light-hearted, swords-and-magic inspired battles and encourages players to use strategy and skill to emerge victorious.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 529 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Hero Academy offers a fun and engaging turn-based strategy experience, reminiscent of chess but with unique mechanics and character abilities.
The game allows for asynchronous multiplayer, enabling players to have multiple games going at once, making it easy to play at your own pace.
The art style and character design are charming, adding to the overall enjoyment of the game.

The game is primarily multiplayer-focused with no true single-player mode, limiting gameplay options for those without friends to play with.
Asynchronous gameplay can lead to long wait times for opponents to make their moves, which can be frustrating and disrupt the flow of the game.
Many players have reported server issues and a lack of developer support, leading to concerns about the game's longevity and playability.

gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
54%
8%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its charming art style and engaging mechanics, particularly in turn-based strategy, though it lacks a single-player campaign and requires an account for full access. While many players appreciate the asynchronous multiplayer aspect that allows for flexible play, some criticize the slow pace of multiplayer matches and the lack of community support. Overall, the gameplay is seen as fun and well-balanced, with a mix of simple mechanics and depth, but it may not appeal to everyone due to its limited offline options and monetization strategies.
- “Its asynchronous gameplay was probably a turn-off for most, but for people like me, it was one of the greatest qualities of the game, being able to truly play at your own convenience when you have a chance, rather than try to stuff in entire multiplayer game sessions at once.”
- “I genuinely like this game; it has a charming art style as well as pretty sound and approachable mechanics for a turn-based strategy game.”
- “Just enough varying classes, just enough units in each class, and just enough game mechanics to make for a simple-yet-deep turn-based game.”
- “Also forces one to create an account to play normal gameplay.”
- “There was no single player campaign, just puzzles that test your understanding of the game's various mechanics.”
- “Just this kind of gameplay may ruin the fun of the game, without the freedom to play this as much as you want to, and I would like to play this game more often than 'a single move for each opponent, then swap to other games because I'm done here.'”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming art style and appealing animations, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience. However, some users criticize the optimization for PC, noting that the UI is touchscreen-based and not well-suited for desktop play. Overall, while the graphics are considered fun and engaging, there are mixed opinions regarding their execution and compatibility.
- “Really sad that this masterpiece of a tactics game shut down permanently... I have countless hours of great memories and fun with it, its awesome art style & graphics, its deep tactics, and its strong balance.”
- “I genuinely like this game, it has a charming art style as well as pretty sound and approachable mechanics for a turn-based strategy game.”
- “Great art style and periodically updated!”
- “Overall a mediocre port of a mobile game - graphics look good but the UI is touchscreen based and not optimized for PC.”
- “Plants vs. Zombies with Team Fortress 2 characters... mobile graphics.”
- “Graphics were poor, mechanics unclear.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for lacking a main narrative, with players instead facing repetitive challenges and player-versus-player gameplay. While some comparisons to Skyrim highlight potential for an interesting storyline, many users express disappointment over the absence of a single-player campaign or missions, making the experience feel hollow for those seeking a more traditional story-driven game. Overall, the focus on gameplay over narrative leaves many players feeling unsatisfied.
- “It's like Skyrim with an interesting storyline.”
- “All there is for single player are challenges, and unfortunately, I'm the sort of gamer that prefers one player campaigns, missions, story, etc.; which means for me it's quite worthless.”
- “No main story, only lame challenges.”
- “All there is for single player are challenges, and unfortunately, I'm the sort of gamer that prefers one-player campaigns, missions, story, etc.; which means for me it's quite worthless.”
- “All about the gameplay with absolutely no story. This game has some replayability to it, but only if you're willing to pay the extra few dollars for the extra teams.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players noting its quirky and entertaining animations that evoke nostalgia reminiscent of 90s games. Despite some repetitiveness, the game is described as funny and enjoyable, making it a delightful experience on both PC and mobile platforms. Overall, it offers a lighthearted and amusing gameplay experience.
- “I'm getting feelings like in the 90's when I played Battle Chess, which is caused by the fact that simple game mechanics are brought to life using very nice and funny animations.”
- “It's funny, quirky, and a ton of fun to play.”
- “Funny and entertaining, perfect to play anytime.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
Overall, the game's replayability is highly variable among players; while some find it immensely engaging with hundreds of hours of play, others feel it loses its appeal over time, particularly in multiplayer modes. The lack of a compelling story and the need for additional purchases to enhance replay value are also noted as drawbacks.
- “Tons of replayability! I played it for 179+ hours, no jokes.”
- “The nature of this game makes it one of the most replayable games around, and you'll likely continually find yourself coming back to old games.”
- “All about the gameplay with absolutely no story, this game has some replayability to it, but only if you're willing to pay the extra few dollars for the extra teams.”
- “All about the gameplay with absolutely no story, this game has some replayability to it... but only if you're willing to pay the extra few dollars for the extra teams.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with some players initially misjudging characters based on their designs, leading to a perception of them as one-dimensional. While the game features cute and cartoony character designs, it lacks meaningful character growth, and the gameplay's turn-based nature can lead to long waits that detract from engagement. Overall, players feel that character development is minimal or non-existent.
- “At first glance, the character's loud voice and design might suggest a typical bully archetype, but there's much more depth to explore.”
- “The character design is cute and adds a unique charm to the overall experience.”
- “The game features surprisingly fun and addictive turn-based mechanics, complemented by its distinctive character designs.”
- “Now in the beginning, based on his loud voice and character design, one might think this may be a throwaway bully meathead type character.”
- “A surprisingly fun and addictive turn-based 'board game', despite its, in my opinion, cartoony character designs.”
- “So not only is there no character development, but you make a move and then wait twenty minutes for your opponent to make his.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including bugs that prevent turn submissions and instances of blank game boards requiring a refresh to display properly. While players find the game enjoyable despite these glitches, the lack of developer support exacerbates the frustration with its stability.
- “The game is very buggy and states that the turn has not been submitted; you then need to click off to another game for the turn to submit. There does not appear to be any developer support.”
- “The game can be a bit buggy; for example, sometimes you're greeted with a blank board and it's necessary to refresh the game state before the pieces appear.”
- “Fun game despite the glitchy and buggy transitions.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised, contributing to an overall excellent experience alongside great animations and sound, enhancing the fun gameplay.
- “This is an excellent pit boss game with great animations, sound, and music, and fun gameplay.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is tedious, which may lead players to feel indifferent when opponents abandon matches.
- “The only positive is that the gameplay is tedious enough that you won't care when your opponent quits partway through.”