I Am The Hero
- January 16, 2017
- Crazyant
I Am The Hero is love letter to classic brawlers, though it’s not as good as those of yesteryear. It lacks a story and it’s over too quickly, but it could scratch that fighter itch if you’re looking to kill a few hours.
"I Am The Hero" is a pixel art, beat 'em up game with a dynamic narrative. As the unnamed protagonist, players fight their way through various enemies and bosses to uncover their past and true identity. With a variety of moves and upgrades, players can customize their fighting style to suit their preferences. The game features a unique story system where choices made during gameplay affect the story's outcome.
Reviews
- The game features great pixel art and a colorful aesthetic that many players find appealing.
- The combat system is engaging, allowing for long combo chains and a variety of moves that can be satisfying to execute.
- The soundtrack is enjoyable and adds to the overall experience, enhancing the fun of gameplay.
- Controls can be unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially during intense enemy encounters.
- The game lacks depth in its story and character development, making it feel shallow and forgettable.
- Many players report issues with enemy AI and level design, which can lead to repetitive and unchallenging gameplay.
- gameplay78 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a beat 'em up experience focused on juggling and combo mechanics, offering a mix of fun and frustration. While many players appreciate the stylish visuals, tight controls, and variety of enemies, some criticize the repetitive nature of combat and design flaws that can lead to chaotic situations. Overall, the game encourages replayability but may leave some players wanting more depth and refinement in its mechanics.
“The gameplay is tight, the combos feel just like the ones in Street Fighter, the visuals are beautiful, the music is badass (a mix of metal with techno like the Doom OST), there's a good amount of variety in the enemies, and it supports local co-op.”
“Eye-catching graphics with excellent animations, perfect controls, frantic combo-happy gameplay, and tons of unlockables to boost the replay value.”
“I am the hero is a short and sweet beat-em-up that mixes an accessible yet comprehensive gameplay system with some challenging gameplay and a unique aesthetic.”
“Unfortunately, there's a number of design decisions that, when combined, make for questionable gameplay.”
“Gameplay devolves into finding a safe place to stand long enough to launch as many enemies as you can into the air and juggle them there for as long as possible.”
“Here just bland/boring and repetitive gameplay; and when that happens, I start to ask myself, why am I even playing?”
- music51 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its energetic and fitting soundtrack, often described as a blend of metal and techno that enhances the overall gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the quality and artistic presentation of the music, some have noted a lack of variation, leading to moments of repetitiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“One of the best things about this game is the soundtrack; it just helps with how fun it is to play this game.”
“The gameplay is tight, the combos feel just like the ones in Street Fighter, the visuals are beautiful, the music is badass (a mix of metal with techno like the Doom OST), there's a good amount of variety in the enemies, and it supports local co-op.”
“The artistic presentation of the game is simply attractive, and the fast-paced music blends in quite nicely.”
“On the not so bright side, music is generic and a bit boring and it seems to be a bit short.”
“It's not a very long game unless you go for 100% completion but still very fun to play through nonetheless; my only major complaint is the lack of music variation within the game. Last time I played, I felt like I was hearing the same guitar riff over and over, so hopefully some variation will be added, but for an indie game, this is very well done!”
“Smooth, deep combat and sharp, well-crafted levels and enemies ensure that this bite-size experience is an enjoyable one even despite its repetitive soundtrack and poor English translation.”
- graphics50 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant pixel art style, colorful visuals, and excellent animations that enhance the overall presentation. While some players find the graphics eye-catching and fitting for the beat 'em up genre, others criticize them as lazy or clunky, suggesting that the visual appeal is sometimes overshadowed by control issues. Overall, the art style and graphics are generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's charm and atmosphere.
“The graphics are nice, and the tilted 2.5D design and art style is pretty cool.”
“The visuals, music, and overall presentation are beautiful.”
“Graphics and character designs are spectacular!”
“Nope... the controls aren't responsive, the combos don't feel good to hit, the enemies' AI is dumb and the graphics are just lazy instead of decent pixel art.”
“I love the style, flair, and speed of the graphics, but the controls are just too clunky and I always feel like I'm fighting the controls.”
“The passion in this game is obvious in every aspect, from the art style to the animation and gameplay, but the flaws may turn some people away.”
- story36 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as weak and lacking depth, with many players finding it plain and unimmersive, primarily serving as a backdrop to the combat-focused gameplay. While some appreciated nostalgic elements and emotional moments, the overall narrative is criticized for its brevity and lack of characterization, clocking in at just 2 to 3 hours. Despite these shortcomings, the game offers engaging combat mechanics and various modes that may appeal to players looking for action over story.
“Even though the game doesn't directly show it, the story of the game is quite nostalgic and many of us could relate.”
“I loved the story and the ending got me right in the heart.”
“Though the story is weak, it has a well-made combat system, online and arena modes, unlockable skills and characters, making me strongly recommend the acquisition of this incredible game.”
“The story is rather plain, not very immersive; after all, the game is purely focused on the violence, and that's what it hands over to the player.”
“It completely lacks story and characterization.”
“From the start, the story immediately dismisses itself as there is no true motivation.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, with many players enjoying the funny jokes and amusing translations that enhance the experience. The humor is complemented by cute graphics and engaging gameplay, although some found the translation difficult to understand at times. Overall, the humor adds a charming layer to the game's beat 'em up mechanics and visual style.
“Amazing beat'em up kind of game, really nice visuals, fluid combat and controls, and I really love the humor of the game, totally worth grabbing.”
“The graphics are cute, the jokes are funny, the gameplay is pretty solid and flashy for a beat 'em up.”
“It also has swaths of style in the presentation and bits of humor with all the enemies and some attacks.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers solid replayability through its robust gameplay mechanics, numerous unlockables, and various difficulty modes, appealing particularly to experienced players. However, its short length and lack of online co-op for story mode may limit replay value for some, making it feel more suited for a brief experience rather than a long-term investment. Despite these drawbacks, the engaging graphics and controls contribute positively to the replay experience.
“Replayability is very encouraged, and the gameplay is robust enough to support it.”
“Eye-catching graphics with excellent animations, perfect controls, frantic combo-happy gameplay, and tons of unlockables to boost the replay value.”
“[Great gameplay mechanics and controls, graphics look unique and pleasant, replay value with rewards and encourages multiple playthroughs].”
“Though short, I Am the Hero offers some replayability and online co-op, which is neat.”
“--Lack of online co-op: story mode co-op would have added replayability.”
“For the asking price, there's a lot of content to go through, but seeing as the game is quite difficult on the first difficulty, factoring the other two modes into the overall replay value may not go well for anyone but the most experienced beat-em-up fans.”
- character development6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game features spectacular graphics and character designs, some players feel that the character development lacks depth, as it seems to prioritize style over substance. The vibrant animations and environments are praised, but there is a sentiment that the game "tries too hard" to impress, which may detract from meaningful character growth.
“Good animations, character design, environments, the whole shebang.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its buggy mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate its potential, they note that it lacks the stability needed for a more solid gameplay experience.
“I really wanted to like this game, but it has buggy mechanics.”
“If you want a game where you can juggle, but don't have to, and want a game that feels more solid overall, albeit slightly buggy, check out Devil's Dare.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but it has buggy mechanics.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally praised, with users highlighting good performance and a variety of options available to enhance their experience.
“The game offers excellent performance options that allow for a smooth experience on various hardware.”
“I appreciate the extensive optimization settings, which let me tailor the game to my system's capabilities.”
“The optimization features are impressive, ensuring that the game runs seamlessly even on lower-end machines.”
Critic Reviews
I Am The Hero (Nintendo Switch)
I Am The Hero is love letter to classic brawlers, though it’s not as good as those of yesteryear. It lacks a story and it’s over too quickly, but it could scratch that fighter itch if you’re looking to kill a few hours.
60%I Am The Hero Review
I Am The Hero Review
60%I Am The Hero Review
Fans of the beat em’ up genre will find I Am The Hero to be an accessible and relatively engaging experience. However, it falls a bit short of being something for everyone.
60%