Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption

If you're a fan of Quest for Glory, school-based adventures, or rogues, you want to sign up at Hero-U right now.

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In "Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption," players attend a fantasy university to learn the roguish arts of thievery and magic. They explore a detailed, interactive world, solve puzzles, and navigate social challenges. With turn-based combat and character development, this game offers a unique blend of adventure, strategy, and RPG elements.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 511 reviews

story174 positive mentions

grinding39 negative mentions

Hero-U captures the charm and humor of the original Quest for Glory series, making it a nostalgic experience for fans.
The game features engaging storytelling, well-developed characters, and a variety of choices that impact the narrative.
The blend of RPG elements with time management and exploration creates a unique gameplay experience that encourages replayability.

The time management aspect can feel restrictive, with many quests being time-locked, leading to frustration for players who prefer more freedom.
Combat mechanics are simplistic and can become tedious, lacking the depth found in traditional RPGs.
Some players may find the pacing slow, with repetitive daily routines that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
631 mentions
28 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The story of "Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption" is a nostalgic homage to the classic "Quest for Glory" series, crafted by the original creators, Corey and Lori Cole. Players appreciate the engaging narrative, rich character interactions, and humor, although some criticize its linearity and lack of replayability due to the fixed rogue class. Overall, the game successfully captures the spirit of its predecessor while introducing new RPG elements, making it a worthy successor for fans of the original series.
- “I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, lore, references to previous Quest for Glory games, and general play style.”
- “In terms of story, character interactions, puns, and just sheer content, this game towers over its predecessors.”
- “The dialogue is very well done, the lore is amazing, the story is fun, and the characters are great.”
- “The story is basically 100% linear across the 50-day school session.”
- “My criticisms are as follows: 1) gameplay is linear 2) I felt the pace really slow down toward the end, it got a bit repetitive and tedious, and I ended up taking a few weeks off before coming back and completing the story 3) no short-term replay factor like the original games had.”
- “Many of the quests are time locked, in that even though they are given to you, you are not actually allowed to 'solve' them until a specific, unannounced time in the future when some pre-programmed script kicks in giving you all the tools and information you couldn't have found no matter how much time you wasted looking for it previous to that.”
gameplay
111 mentions
23 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the addictive loop and engaging RPG mechanics, while others criticize its linearity, repetitiveness, and reliance on time-based mechanics that can feel tedious. The point-and-click elements combined with skill-building and relationship management offer a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic titles, but many feel that the overall execution lacks depth and variety, leading to a grindy experience. Despite its charming writing and creative characters, the gameplay's pacing and mechanics may not appeal to everyone, making it a polarizing aspect of the game.
- “I find the gameplay loop to be addictive and I found myself playing for 5 hours yesterday, telling myself that I would stop after 'just one more in-game day'.”
- “Overall, a really fun hybrid of RPG and point-and-click adventure, with a really strong narrative and world-building, many fun gameplay mechanics that come together very well, and a nice level of presentation with a lot of beautiful art.”
- “The characters are creative, the gameplay is well thought out, and the pace of the game moves along well.”
- “My main complaint was the gameplay itself, which was simultaneously too much and too little.”
- “My criticisms are as follows: 1) gameplay is linear 2) I felt the pace really slow down toward the end; it got a bit repetitive and tedious, and I ended up taking a few weeks off before coming back and completing the story 3) no short-term replay factor like the original games had.”
- “After my hour of gameplay, I had only advanced 3 days and had already worked out that the game is a massive grindfest to level your character up through a series of repetitive tasks and the same long-winded text menu reading.”
humor
93 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in "Hero-U" is widely praised for its whimsical charm, clever dialogue, and nostalgic nods to the "Quest for Glory" series, featuring entertaining characters and a rich world filled with puns and witty commentary. However, some players find the humor occasionally forced or overly reliant on puns, leading to mixed feelings about its effectiveness. Overall, the game is celebrated for its engaging storytelling and humorous interactions, making it a delightful experience for fans of the genre.
- “Hero-U is filled with entertaining characters and whimsical humor.”
- “Replete with choices, well-written characters, funny dialogue, magic and danger, this game is an absolute joy to play.”
- “It has all the humor and fun the original games had, and it's much longer and has some nice 3D graphics that are still very reminiscent of the old 2D hand-drawn settings of the Quest for Glory games.”
- “Overall, too long, dull, unfunny, and unsatisfying.”
- “Overall, too long, dull, unfunny, and unsatisfying.”
graphics
77 mentions
40 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic, old-school aesthetic and beautiful hand-drawn artwork, while others criticize the low-quality, cartoonish, and pixelated elements that feel out of place. Despite these criticisms, many users find the graphics charming and fitting for the game's atmosphere, noting that they enhance the overall experience once players adjust to the style. Overall, the visuals are seen as a blend of modern and retro influences, appealing to fans of the original series while also providing a unique artistic flair.
- “Not only does this game have the humor you love from the original 'Hero's Quest'/'Quest for Glory' series, it has the fun and great graphics of modern games.”
- “I find these graphics very beautiful; they are eye candy to me.”
- “An engrossing storyline, rich graphics, and - bonus for the Hero's Quest fans - lots of witty nostalgic nods to Quest for Glory.”
- “While the artwork is rather low-quality, and character portraits are especially disappointing, you sort of stop caring about it that much after a while.”
- “First of all, I want to mention graphics: to me it looks like the game was made by a bunch of amateurs (except dialog faces, they look neat).”
- “The graphics look like something you'd expect from a low budget and the gameplay itself pretty much is all walking around and clicking through text menu options to do stuff.”
grinding
39 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a slowdown in pacing and enjoyment, particularly in the late game. Many express frustration with the rigid time management and skill training systems, which can feel unnecessarily drawn out and lacking in meaningful engagement. While some appreciate the depth of exploration and skill-building, the overall sentiment leans towards grinding being a major drawback that detracts from the overall experience.
- “The worst part of the game is that the skill training is a bit grindy.”
- “Most of the time is spent in a very dull stat-building and time-management simulator, grinding up skills and abilities (largely for no reason) eating, studying, training, looking for money.”
- “The timer and skill grinding gets tiresome.”
replayability
30 mentions
23 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Replayability in "Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption" is a mixed bag; while the game offers various ways to approach challenges and rich social interactions that encourage exploration, the limited class options (primarily playing as a rogue) can restrict diverse playthroughs. However, mechanisms for sub-classing and multiple elective experiences, along with different romantic interests, provide enough variation to keep players engaged across multiple playthroughs. Overall, fans of the genre may find decent replay value, especially if they enjoy uncovering all the game's secrets.
- “But the scenario is replayable and as your actions influence what happens next, no storyline is identical.”
- “There is a huge amount to discover in rich social interactions and exploration, the ability to approach challenges in multiple ways, and lots of replayability.”
- “For variety and replayability, Rogue to Redemption provides the option to be a rogue or a thief (the distinction is explained in the game), a selection of 3 elective experiences (magic, first aid, or science!), and you may romance one of 5 characters (love interests of either gender are available).”
- “One of them is while Quest for Glory had a lot of replayability due to different solutions to problems depending on class and skill choice, in this game you are a rogue and there is not that much you can do about it. You'll be raising pretty much every single stat you have, and because of that, there is little reason to replay the game, since you are most likely going to end up doing things mostly the same.”
- “- limited replayability (again because we're a rogue because of our character), but I really hope this means there will be more Hero-U games with other classes.”
- “- adventure games have limited replay value, so you should probably wait for a promotion offer.”
music
24 mentions
42 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its immersive quality and ability to complement the mood of various scenes, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players find it repetitive and note the absence of voice acting, which limits the audio experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered good, with many hoping for a release of the soundtrack as DLC.
- “This game is fun to play, with an immersive world, great music and exciting non-player characters to interact with.”
- “The music complements the mood of scenes or combat just the way it should.”
- “Good music which is always nice to hear.”
- “Music is decent but gets repetitive.”
- “No voice acting; music and audio are extremely limited.”
- “The music and sound effects really almost make you forget that there isn't voice over.”
atmosphere
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's hand-drawn 2D art style effectively creates a dense atmosphere that evokes warmth, familiarity, and nostalgia, connecting players to the essence of the original titles. The atmosphere is enriched by a school setting that emphasizes time management and offers multiple solutions to puzzles, enhancing the sense of choice and consequence. Overall, it is praised as a well-crafted return to the Quest for Glory universe, filled with clever references and replayability.
- “The hand-drawn 2D art creates a dense atmosphere.”
- “Instead, it has an atmosphere of warmth, familiarity, and comfort.”
- “You can breathe the quest for glory atmosphere; there are many ways to solve the same puzzle, and you have choices and consequences.”
- “Even if that is the case in the form of the graphics oozing the atmosphere of the original games, this is not a bad deal as you honestly feel more connection to those games than if the approach was taken of doing graphics that indeed are decent and high definition, but miss out on the nature of the excellence which is these 6 games.”
- “They obviously wanted to prevent min-maxing (and failed in the process) and also wanted to enforce or educate on time management and the way time works in a school atmosphere.”
- “Supposedly a successor in both gameplay and atmosphere.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, engaging story, and charming dialogue that balances touching moments with humor. Players feel a heightened sense of passion and connection to the narrative, despite some limitations in combat choices. Overall, the beautiful artwork and heartfelt interactions contribute to a memorable emotional experience for both new and returning fans.
- “A touching and engaging game that's great for both new players and old fans of the series.”
- “I have to say, that made me feel kind of great, and leveled up (so to speak) my passion and engagement in the story.”
- “The dialogue can be alternately touching or punny.”
stability
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability with smooth performance and great visuals; however, players must disable v-sync to avoid buggy animations and inverted combat.
- “Classic adventure RPG with great writing, branching choices, beautiful art, runs great.”
- “You do however need to disable v-sync; if you don't, the animations will be buggy, and combat will be upside down for some reason.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment in its execution and advertising, suggesting it falls short of even basic visual novel standards.
- “This plays below the levels of a visual novel and is more or less a cash grab by washed-out developers. Utterly pathetic and disgusting how it was advertised.”
- “This plays below the levels of a visual novel and is more or less a cash grab by washed-out developers. Utterly pathetic and disgusting how it was advertised.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers generally find the character development to be solid, noting that the story setup and character design are well-executed, contributing positively to the overall experience.