Heroes Rise: The Prodigy

About

"Heroes Rise: The Prodigy" is a superhero-themed text-based role-playing game where players must make choices to determine their character's path to greatness. As the Prodigy, players will face challenges, make alliances, and confront enemies in their quest to become a powerful superhero. The game features multiple branching storylines and numerous endings based on the player's choices.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 720 reviews

story260 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Engaging and well-written story that captures the spirit of superhero narratives.
Offers a variety of choices that allow players to shape their character's personality and moral alignment.
Provides a nostalgic experience reminiscent of Choose Your Own Adventure books.

Many choices feel meaningless and lead to the same outcomes, reducing the sense of agency.
The game lacks significant character customization, particularly in terms of powers and backstory.
Some plot twists and character developments feel forced or predictable.

story
816 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
64%
4%
The story of "Heroes Rise: The Prodigy" is a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting its engaging narrative and character development, but also criticizing its linearity and lack of meaningful choices. While some players found the plot twists and superhero themes compelling, others felt that the choices often led to the same outcomes, diminishing the interactive experience. Overall, the writing is praised for its depth and immersion, but the game is seen more as a narrative-driven experience than a true interactive adventure.
- “This game has a good story, and on the face of it, if you treat it like a linear narrative with some exciting twists and turns, it’s an excellent read.”
- “The story is amazing and makes me not want to stop playing.”
- “The story is multilayered and additional material makes it feel immersive compared to other games.”
- “However, it’s not supposed to be a linear story, and yet, apart from some changes if you decide to play lawless rather than lawful for example, the vast majority of the game plays out the exact same way every time.”
- “Don't be suckered in by the promise of an 'epic interactive novel where your choices control the story' - this game is painfully linear from start to finish.”
- “Unfortunately, the main storyline is the same no matter what choices you make, so those decisions only impact the final score.”
graphics
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The game is entirely text-based, lacking any graphics or sound, which has led to mixed reactions from users. While some appreciate the focus on storytelling and character development, others feel the absence of visuals detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players emphasize that the game's strength lies in its narrative rather than its graphical presentation, appealing primarily to those who enjoy interactive fiction.
- “Visually, it stands proudly in the interactive fiction camp: a verdant land where graphical resolution is limited only by the imagination, and GPUs never melt.”
- “Shows that sometimes you don't need graphics to make a good game; it focuses on story, and it's simple and fun!”
- “In this generation with our never-ending quest for true-to-life graphics, sometimes we forget what really matters: the story and the experience.”
- “Clearly the graphics are not impressive.”
- “No graphics, no music, just you and the words on the page.”
- “But first, you're going to have to get over the fact that this game has no graphics whatsoever.”
replayability
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
75%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting significant value due to character imports and branching storylines, while others criticize its limited depth and lack of meaningful choices. Many agree that it offers enough incentive for multiple playthroughs, especially for fans of interactive fiction, but some feel it ultimately leads to similar outcomes regardless of choices made. Overall, the game is seen as having moderate to decent replay value, particularly for those who enjoy exploring different character approaches and relationships.
- “Importing your character into the next two games adds a lot of replayability.”
- “Because I got three hours out of one playthrough, I think the game is worth its full price even if you'll only go through it once (though, of course, there is massive replay value here).”
- “The world and its characters are memorable and interesting, and there's some replayability in it as well, because the choices you make can lead you to several storylines - although they all end up in the same place, more or less.”
- “It's entertaining one time through but (like most of its genre) has extremely limited replayability.”
- “Heroes Rise: The Prodigy offers a fun ride in an interesting world, but it has low replayability, mainly due to its lack of depth in the choices you get to make.”
- “Straight to the point of almost nonexistent replayability.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players describing it as a profound and intense experience that fosters deep connections with characters and their journeys. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, from tension to tears, as players navigate challenging choices that impact the narrative. Overall, it is regarded as an emotional roller-coaster that effectively engages players through its storytelling and character development.
- “This game takes you through a perfect emotional ride because you get invested in the character you created through their relationships and motivations.”
- “This has been one of the most emotional, roller-coastering rides of my life, and it happened in a video game.”
- “I've never felt more emotionally connected or invested with a character and story like this before, and considering I am an aspiring writer and have created whole worlds and characters of my own before, that's a very nice feat.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The game features no music or graphics, relying solely on text to convey its narrative, which some players found atmospheric despite the absence of audio. While many expressed a desire for a musical score or sound effects, they noted that the engaging characters and storytelling could still be enjoyed without them. Players are encouraged to use their own music if desired, emphasizing the game's focus on imagination and text-based experience.
- “Do not mind the absence of images or music: this is an interactive novel and it has kept me in front of my computer until I finished the story.”
- “(hint, you can use your own music while reading, so no problem on that, but for the pictures, eh...you just have to use your imagination).”
- “I especially love that there is no fancy music or animations, just cut and paste words that you read.”
- “It is text based, and by that it is only text, not even background music.”
- “No graphics, no music, just you and the words on the page.”
- “Be warned, there is no music playing and no pictures.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The gameplay is primarily text-based and resembles a visual novel, relying heavily on binary choices that often limit player control, which some players found frustrating. While the mechanics are explained clearly, the overall experience feels archaic compared to earlier text games, and the narrative may appeal more to those who prioritize story over interactive gameplay. Despite these criticisms, players noted that the game offers good value for its price, providing an engaging story for those willing to embrace its limitations.
- “They also managed to explain the mechanics of the game pretty well without it being super overbearing.”
- “I paid 8 dollars and enjoyed at least an hour's worth of gameplay for every dollar I paid.”
- “Mechanically though, it is much more similar to visual novels, as the player navigates using a series of multiple choice prompts to branch the story instead of a clunky text parser.”
- “The game uses its mechanics to do literally the opposite of what it's supposed to do: it tells you, 'you are not in control of your character.' There were points in the story where they present you with binary decisions and gray out the other option.”
- “The plot, character development, and most importantly gameplay were comically archaic, given that 'text games' with exceptional examples of the above have existed since the early 90s.”
- “If you've made a text-based game whose central mechanic is simply player choice and it has less respect for that choice than a AAA game like Fallout: New Vegas, then you've dropped the ball.”
character development
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the heroes possess intriguing flaws that enhance their growth, the villains are often seen as uninteresting and clichéd. The narrative is well-structured and cinematic, but the lack of meaningful choices and engaging character design detracts from the overall experience. Despite some strong elements, the game struggles with outdated storytelling techniques and character tropes that may not resonate with all players.
- “The story is well thought out and the character development plays similarly to a movie.”
- “Heroes Rise has a great story, fantastic character development, and indeed, your imagination is the key to this game.”
- “Although I was a bit disappointed in the mostly uninteresting villains this game had to offer, the heroes themselves had enough downfalls in their personalities to keep me intrigued in their character development.”
- “The plot, character development, and most importantly gameplay were comically archaic, given that 'text games' with exceptional examples of the above have existed since the early 90s.”
- “The book is also riddled with various clichés and cringe-worthy character development (I mean, come on, a villain named Lolli that controls a prostitution ring?).”
- “The plot, character development, and most importantly gameplay were comically archaic, given that 'text games' with exceptional examples of the above have existed since the early 90s.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is frequently highlighted as a standout feature, with players noting its ability to evoke laughter through absurd scenarios and clever choices. Many find the blend of funny moments with engaging storytelling to be both entertaining and touching, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. The absurdity of serious characters interacting with humorous elements, such as referring to a hero as "grimdark," adds to the game's comedic charm.
- “Some of the choices you can make are hilarious.”
- “Funny, exciting, engrossing, and frankly, touching.”
- “It was hilarious imagining serious people and heroes referring to my hero as grimdark.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to the absence of a skip feature, which makes achieving 100% completion feel repetitive and time-consuming, as the outcomes often yield only minor variations.
- “It's an interesting visual novel, but the lack of skipping for generally the same results with minor changes makes getting the 100% completion super tedious.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy undermines its promise of meaningful player choices, leading to frustration among users who feel misled by its marketing.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Despite the absence of music and graphics, the game successfully creates a compelling atmosphere through its complex and intriguing characters, leaving players engaged and immersed in the experience.
- “The characters were complex and intriguing; although there was no music or graphics (like I expected), it was very atmospheric.”

Buy Heroes Rise: The Prodigy

Heroes Rise: The Prodigy
$4.99
See offer on Steam

Videos

96%1.7kreviews

Choice of Robots

2014

Role Playing

89%296reviews

Choice of the Deathless

2014

Role Playing

This game contains adult content

76%2.4kreviews

Always Sometimes Monsters

2014

Role Playing

+11

78%147reviews

Heroes Rise: The Hero Project

2014

Role Playing

Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York Image

This game contains adult content

69%1.7kreviews

Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York

2019

Role Playing

85%222reviews

Community College Hero: Trial by Fire

2015

Role Playing

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series Image

This game contains adult content

72%6.7kreviews

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series

2014

Action Adventure

+12

87%5.7kreviews

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

2021

Role Playing

$Major\Minor Image$

79%358reviews

Major\Minor

2015

Role Playing

95%1.2kreviews

Crystalline

2018

Role Playing

Heroes Rise: The Prodigy

Platforms

About

Buy Heroes Rise: The Prodigy