Heroine Anthem Zero

About

Heroine Anthem Zero is a single player role playing game. It was developed by WindThunder Studio and was released on December 21, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Heroine Anthem Zero" is a single-player Role Playing game with an intriguing story and stunning graphics. The game takes place in a beautifully designed fantasy world, where players uncover an emotionally resonant soundtrack and captivating visual art style. In this first episode, players follow the journey of Wanin the Forest Keeper and the wandering cat-girl Shama Kutami, as they fight for survival and resist the advances of evil in a world unforgiven by God.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+17

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

story23 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful artwork and character designs, creating an appealing visual experience.
The music and soundtracks are outstanding, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
The story, while heavily dialogue-driven, is engaging and humorous, with well-developed characters.

The gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, with limited combat mechanics and a lack of depth.
The game is excessively short and feels incomplete, ending abruptly without a satisfying conclusion.
There is an abundance of long, unskippable dialogues that disrupt the flow of gameplay and can lead to boredom.

story
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
68%
4%
The story of the game is heavily emphasized, featuring a blend of high fantasy and Norse mythology, with a narrative that some players find engaging while others consider it formulaic and slow-paced. While the storytelling is rich and supported by beautiful visuals and music, it can be bogged down by lengthy cutscenes and repetitive dialogue, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, players appreciate the artistic presentation and character development, but some express disappointment in the pacing and depth of the plot.
- “A highly artistic and stylish side-scrolling action platform with a deep and engaging story.”
- “The storytelling is driven by belief and musical folktale which reminds me of good old anime films.”
- “If you are looking for a story-rich experience with lovable characters, this is a great game.”
- “The story is kind of a polytheistic take on Noah's Ark, not very interesting, but as I said, the game is so short it doesn't matter much.”
- “The main issue I have with the story sequences is that the English translation isn't the best, but it's passable.”
- “The story is, however, very slow to unfold and when it does, it is conveyed as a little too complicated. I feel like I spend about 1/4 of my playtime just sitting through cutscenes that aren't even animated, just slideshows of illustrations.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and elegance, playing a significant role in enhancing the narrative and atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the exceptional soundtrack, with some tracks being described as hauntingly beautiful, while others note that the music complements the visuals and gameplay effectively. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the overall consensus is that the music and art are standout features of the game.
- “The music plays a major role in the narrative and brings the game world to life.”
- “Subjectively, one of the most hauntingly beautiful soundtracks I’ve ever heard in video games.”
- “The music in this game is absolutely wonderful.”
- “The mediocre reception of the game just didn't align with the high quality visuals and music shown in gameplay videos.”
- “No wonder they put the soundtrack as a DLC.”
- “Some long 4-min music drama that can be summarized in 2 lines but cannot be skipped.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of simple mechanics, including platforming and combat, but is often overshadowed by lengthy cutscenes and dialogue, leading to a perception of it being underdeveloped and repetitive. While some players appreciate the fluidity and aesthetic elements, many feel that the gameplay lacks variety and depth, with calls for improvements in future updates. Overall, the game is seen as decent but primarily driven by its story and visuals rather than its gameplay mechanics.
- “That's the gist of the gameplay, but despite the simplicity of it, it's pretty fluid since you can dash, double jump, and jump up walls.”
- “The team manages to deliver fun gameplay and a strong aesthetic of storytelling despite a rough development process and financial problems.”
- “Nice action metroidvanian-lite gameplay (I recommend playing it on standard difficulty though; otherwise, it becomes too easy).”
- “The gameplay is very simple.”
- “There are about 2 hours, if that, of repetitive gameplay, and noticeably unincorporated gameplay elements.”
- “This game plays almost like a visual novel, with the gameplay serving as short interludes between cut scenes.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
33%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, vibrant visuals, and atmospheric design reminiscent of classic vanillaware aesthetics. While some character designs are criticized, the overall artwork and soundtrack are highlighted as standout features that enhance the storytelling experience. However, the gameplay mechanics, particularly combat, are noted to be less polished, detracting from the otherwise impressive visual presentation.
- “The mediocre reception of the game just didn't align with the high quality visuals and music shown in gameplay videos.”
- “The art style and sprites look like they were done with much effort.”
- “Graphics - if you're into hand-drawn worlds filled with color and atmosphere with a huge bucket of anime paint flung onto the canvas, you're in for a treat.”
- “The graphics are a mixed bag; some of the character designs are terrible while others are cool.”
- “The mediocre reception of the game just didn't align with the high-quality visuals and music shown in gameplay videos.”
- “Don't let the graphics fool you; skip this one.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring witty dialogue and amusing character interactions that enhance the experience, although some of the funnier moments are optional and missable. Players appreciate the blend of humor with an interesting plot loosely based on Norse mythology, though there are concerns about potential translation issues affecting the comedic elements. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, making the game a recommended choice for those seeking both laughs and a decent story.
- “The dialogue and characters are actually pretty good; the game is funny.”
- “The humor is great and the art is amazing.”
- “If you are looking for story and humor, I would recommend it; it's so funny and has a great story.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
Character development in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with two distinct personalities that refresh the narrative and gradually evolve throughout the gameplay. While the character designs are praised for their appeal, opinions on the graphics are mixed, with some designs being exceptional and others less favorable. Overall, the combination of impressive world-building and character development contributes to a visually stunning experience.
- “Two distinct personalities keep the tone refreshing and slowly build character development.”
- “Combine that with the gorgeous character designs and art, and this becomes such a visually stunning game.”
- “The world building and character development are top notch.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of growth in the characters; they felt static throughout the game.”
- “The characters are one-dimensional and their arcs are predictable, which detracts from the overall experience.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game's optimization is praised for its solid performance, with users reporting no game-breaking bugs and smooth animations thanks to 2D skeletal techniques. Overall, it effectively captures the distinct personalities of each character while maintaining a stable experience throughout extended playtime.
- “The overall performance is great enough and captures the different personalities of each character very well.”
- “I have rock solid performance and no game-breaking bugs during my playtime (15 hrs).”
- “The 2D skeletal animation makes animations smooth, providing better game performance than sprite animation.”
- “I have rock solid Unity performance and no game-breaking bugs during my playtime (15 hours).”
- “The 2D skeletal animation makes the animations smooth, resulting in better game performance than sprite animation.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its vibrant, hand-drawn graphics and artistic design, which create an immersive experience reminiscent of anime. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the visuals and soundtrack, contributing to a captivating overall ambiance that enhances the enjoyment of the game.
- “The atmosphere is captivating; I love it.”
- “If you're into hand-drawn worlds filled with color and atmosphere, with a huge bucket of anime paint flung onto the canvas, you're in for a treat.”
- “The game designers put effort into the artistic touches, with good Asian-style graphics, cutscene illustrations, and a soundtrack that perfectly suits the atmosphere.”
- “For me, this is a good game, not for its gameplay but for its overall atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its fun and touching story, which promises a heartfelt ending. Players also note the unique mechanic where enemies engage in contact damage, adding a layer of endearing interaction that enhances the overall emotional experience.
- “A fun and touching story.”
- “I firmly believe that we can see a touching ending to the story.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the motivation behind grinding and the fun of mashing attack buttons, others feel it can become tedious over extended play sessions. Overall, it serves to keep gameplay engaging for those who appreciate a grind-oriented approach.
- “Mashing the attack button is fun, but it becomes tedious after a long time.”
- “I beat it in two sittings and even had time to do a bit of money farming to prepare for what I thought was just another boss battle.”
- “The motivation for grinding is good, but it can feel repetitive and detracts from the overall experience.”