Not Exactly A Hero: Story Game

About

"Not Exactly A Hero: Story Game" is a single-player visual novel that offers a fresh take on the superhero genre, focusing on the perspective of an everyday citizen in a world full of superheroes. With its intriguing story and beautiful graphics, players can explore what it's like to live in a superhero universe, free from typical clichés. However, the experience may be marred by occasional annoying ads.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Not Exactly A Hero: Story Game screenshot

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 988 reviews

story213 positive mentions

monetization145 negative mentions

The story is engaging and well-written, with interesting characters and multiple endings that keep players invested.
The art style and graphics are beautiful, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
The ticket system allows players to earn tickets through ads, making it accessible for those who may not want to spend money.

The ticket system can be frustrating, as players often run out of tickets quickly and may experience issues with ads not loading, preventing progress.
Some players have reported bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay, particularly when trying to watch ads for tickets.
The increasing cooldown time for watching ads to earn tickets can diminish motivation to continue playing.

story
337 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The game's story has received widespread acclaim for its engaging narrative, well-developed characters, and beautiful art, with many players expressing a strong emotional connection to the plot and its twists. While some reviews noted issues with plot coherence and the ticket system limiting gameplay, the overall sentiment highlights the story's depth and replayability, making it a standout in the genre. Players appreciate the mix of comedy, drama, and action, often finding themselves invested enough to complete the game in a single sitting.
- “The story is amazing, and even greater the fact that you can enjoy the game several times, by playing for different endings.”
- “The characters are lovable, the plot is interesting, the art is beautiful, the only thing that kind of bothers me are the ads.”
- “Yet again, another amazing game from Buff Studios, the story, gameplay, and how much you matter makes this such a good game, you play as Riley, someone who always looks down, you help your team, your city, and find out the truth behind everything.”
- “The story had a lot of lost potential and should've had more content to flesh it out.”
- “The storyline and the characters are not very well written and don't make much sense.”
- “Because this story didn't catch my attention that much, I felt like some of the choices didn't follow the meanings, plus if I made a 'bad choice' I had no option but to redo it, which takes away from the experience of 'your choices matter'.”
monetization
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game primarily revolves around a ticket system that requires players to watch ads or purchase tickets to progress. While some players appreciate the option to earn tickets through ads, many express frustration over the frequency and loading issues of ads, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to a feeling of being forced to watch ads excessively. Overall, the system is seen as a necessary evil for free access, but improvements are needed to balance ad frequency and ticket availability.
- “The thing I dislike the most is the ticket system which is basically pay to play or just watch ads to play, literally.”
- “I have to watch a horrendous amount of ads just to finish the game but I think it's worth it.”
- “The story is great, however the ads cooldown time becomes longer and longer as we watch ads consequently.”
graphics
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising the beautiful art style and stunning visuals that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers noted that the character designs and scene artwork are top-notch, fitting well with the intriguing storylines. Overall, the combination of impressive graphics, engaging narratives, and pleasing audio elements contributes to a highly enjoyable gameplay experience.
- “The story is intriguing, the visuals are top-notch, and the amount of ads is reasonable.”
- “Nice gameplay with stunning visuals.”
- “Great graphics, music, and storytelling.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The gameplay is highly praised for its interactivity, smooth mechanics, and the impact of player choices, which add to the suspense and enjoyment. Players appreciate the detailed world, creative elements, and stunning visuals, all of which contribute to a rich and immersive experience. The combination of a compelling story and multiple possible endings enhances the overall gameplay, making it a standout title from Buff Studios.
- “With a suspenseful plot, interesting characters, a phenomenal soundtrack, and very interactive gameplay along with so many possible endings, the game itself has got the whole package.”
- “The game mechanics are so smooth and it improved by a leap from the last game.”
- “The game has so much detail, hidden story, and great gameplay.”
- “This has an impact on the gameplay itself.”
- “First gameplay, got route B - the Uber driver (spoilers; I killed off Chris and Flare help). Anyway, I love the story yet again.”
- “Yet again, another amazing game from Buff Studios, the story, gameplay, and how much you matter makes this such a good game.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many players expressing that the story and character connections elicited strong feelings, often leading to tears. Choices are described as difficult and emotionally taxing, contributing to a heart-wrenching narrative that resonates deeply with players. Overall, the game successfully creates an impactful emotional experience that leaves a lasting impression.
- “The story was very heart-wrenching and the characters are easy to connect to.”
- “But it was an amazing story; being emotionally attached to all the characters made me almost cry. (I unlocked the smaks ending) but other than that, it's great.”
- “Chris's route ending was definitely my favorite; it's just so heartwarming and wholesome :) I loved Chief, Flare, and Demi as well!”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
90%
Users report mixed experiences with the game's stability, noting frequent glitches such as freezing timers, issues with ad loading, and messages being sent multiple times. While some players express a willingness to reset the game or purchase tickets to mitigate problems, others find the glitches significantly hinder their enjoyment, leading to frustration. Overall, there is a call for updates to improve stability and address these recurring issues.
- “It's a good game, with no constant ads and no glitches. I recommend playing it.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; I haven't encountered any bugs or issues.”
- “I have an issue with the ticket system. I usually enjoy the game, but when you have to wait for the tickets, sometimes the time freezes or when the time is up, the ads don't load.”
- “It glitches out and causes some messages to send twice, and if you do it at the frame tower, you lose too much time instantly.”
- “Please make an update because when I play the game, it always crashes and glitches.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music in the game is highly praised, described as phenomenal and well-timed, complementing the suspenseful plot and interesting characters. Reviewers appreciate the high quality of the soundtrack, which enhances the overall immersive experience alongside the game's graphics and storytelling.
- “With a suspenseful plot, interesting characters, a phenomenal soundtrack, and very interactive gameplay along with so many possible endings, the game itself has got the whole package.”
- “I love the art style, story, and the music/audio effects.”
- “Background music, drawings, color, and dialogues are high quality and well-timed.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a standout feature, with many highlighting the hilarity of specific epilogues and completion routes. Overall, the comedic elements contribute significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
- “This game is kind of funny and I love it.”
- “Also, the completion route is hilarious! 😆”
- “I got the 4th epilogue, I'm dying; it's so funny!”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is highly praised, with users highlighting the fabulous character designs and an intriguing, fantastic story that enhances the overall experience.
- “The character designs are fabulous and the story is intriguing and fantastic.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight a strong sense of replayability, noting that even after reaching their first ending, there are numerous opportunities to explore different outcomes and experiences within the game.
- “I'm about to get my first ending and there's a ton of replayability.”