Terror of Hemasaurus
- October 17, 2022
- Loren Lemcke
- 3h median play time
Terror of Hemasaurus is a beautiful and entertaining game with tons of satisfying destruction and chaos. It also tries to teach a very important message about climate change and how the human race has to act before it is too late.
In "Terror of Hemasaurus," players control a giant monster wreaking havoc in various cities, fighting against military forces and completing destructive objectives. The game features a destructible environment, multiple playable monsters, and various upgrades to enhance your creature's abilities. With a retro aesthetic and a sense of humor, Terror of Hemasaurus is a nostalgic twist on classic monster movies and games.
Reviews
- Terror of Hemasaurus is a fantastic homage to the classic Rampage games, offering satisfying physics-based destruction and a humorous, satirical storyline.
- The gameplay is fun and engaging, with various mechanics that keep the experience fresh, including unique ultimate abilities for each character.
- The game is great for couch co-op, allowing up to four players to enjoy chaotic destruction together.
- The story mode is relatively short, taking around 2-3 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- Some players find the political messaging in the story to be heavy-handed and detracting from the overall fun of the game.
- The gameplay can become repetitive after a while, as the core mechanics don't evolve significantly throughout the game.
- story393 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Terror of Hemasaurus" is a short but entertaining satirical narrative that blends dark humor with social commentary, particularly on themes like climate change and societal absurdities. While some players appreciate its comedic and absurdist approach, others find it preachy or lacking depth, with mixed opinions on its execution and relevance. Overall, the story mode, lasting around 2-3 hours, is seen as a fun addition that enhances the chaotic gameplay, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its unconventional themes and humor.
“The story mode has a very dark absurd style of humor that I enjoyed.”
“The story is a fantastic observational satire on climate change, the media, billionaires, humanity, developing a game about said things, getting feedback about said game, and playing such a game.”
“The story is surprisingly pretty good, with a tiny character arc for Hemasaurus himself in the end.”
“Story mode has some bizarre, early-2000's-sprite-comic political messaging that boils down to 'both sides are either willfully evil or stupid enough to be tricked and everyone sucks except me, the cool observer.'”
“The 'story' is a weird, somewhat gross, semi-satirical, juvenile, meta story about an over-the-top video game that's being censored and a cannibal cult trying to destroy the world to save it.”
“The depth of the commentary is 'why don't humans use solar panels to stop climate change,' with no nuance or thought towards actual logistical or societal problems or solutions to climate change; it's presented with the kind of rage that feels immature and isn't remotely thought-provoking.”
- humor193 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Terror of Hemasaurus" is widely praised for its dark, satirical, and absurdist tones, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the game's clever writing and meta-commentary on societal issues, making it both entertaining and thought-provoking. Overall, the combination of chaotic gameplay and a humorous narrative creates a fun experience that resonates with a broad audience, from families to seasoned gamers.
“The story is freakin' hilarious and made me laugh out loud several times, and I love the physics because you can chain objects together to fill your screen with destruction.”
“Dude, this game is freaking hilarious lmao, I love the digs at 'money grab studios'.”
“The game's story mode is hilarious yet surprisingly dark nihilistic satire that pokes fun at religion, politics, and humanity.”
“It's like humanity causes global warming and they don't care they are destroying themselves, but it ends up being very preachy and superficial; it's not funny and you don't learn anything from it.”
- gameplay189 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive, chaotic destruction mechanics reminiscent of classic games like Rampage, enhanced by physics-based interactions and a humorous narrative. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and offers some variety through different characters and objectives, it can become repetitive and lacks depth over extended play. Overall, it provides a fun, albeit short-lived, experience that shines in local multiplayer settings but may not sustain long-term interest.
“Addictive gameplay, great visuals, and a wonderful sense of humor!”
“The gameplay is fun, and reminiscent of Midway's Rampage, with a few notable upgrades.”
“Fantastic gameplay, itches that destruction urge playing games like GTA blowing up vehicles.”
“Endless mode is story-free, but again, the actual gameplay is lacking enough variety to sustain it.”
“But the gameplay is formulaic after an hour; the story feels preachy thanks to its lack of proper focus and intent, the game lacks polish and the time needed to make it live up to what it could have been.”
“These issues only appear in the endless mode, which since the endless mode has no special bells and whistles, it leaves the unpolished gameplay bare for all to see and becomes quickly unenjoyable.”
- graphics66 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which combines nostalgia with vibrant visuals and satisfying destruction effects. While some players note the repetitive nature of the environments, the cute monster sprites and overall aesthetic contribute to an enjoyable experience. The game's visuals, along with its humorous narrative, create a delightful blend that resonates well with fans of retro gaming.
“The graphics are cute, the action is fast, and the destruction is unbelievable.”
“The retro pixel graphics are crisp, and the sound and music give that feel for that classic gaming era.”
“This spiritual successor to Rampage brings charming graphics, delightfully destructive physics, and a ton of grown-up humor.”
“My only gripe with it is the cutesy aesthetic, but it's impossible to please everyone in that regard, especially with pixel art graphics.”
“Now, I wish I could play a modern version of Rampage someday, with revamped visuals and whatnot!”
“Since it's pixelated graphics, it obviously isn't going to feel like playing Death Stranding, but it also doesn't feel janky.”
- music61 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its catchy 8-bit and 16-bit retro tunes that enhance the overall experience, while others criticize it for sounding shrill and not authentic to classic gaming systems. Many players appreciate the fun and energetic soundtrack, which fits well with the game's action, though a few found it out of place or opted to mute it. Overall, the music is seen as a charming addition that complements the game's vintage aesthetic, despite some inconsistencies in quality.
“The soundtrack is fun and good arcade music.”
“The music is super cheesy but also again adds to the experience - and that's saying something, because I'm the type of player who usually mutes all music in video games.”
“The music resembles its 8-bit and 16-bit counterparts perfectly and there are zero issues with that for me since I love anything pixel related selling on Steam.”
“First, the music is done using those 'pulse wave' instruments, which try to sound retro, but they don't sound like any retro system and end up just sounding shrill. I really disliked the music a lot in this game.”
“Indie devs, if you want to make your game sound 'retro', please make the music sound like it's coming from an old-school sound chip like the AY-3-8910 or the NES sound chip or even maybe the C64 SID.”
“The music also felt very out of place, really slow and mellow, which is odd for a game about destroying everything as fast as you can.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable with fun levels, leaderboard competition, and diverse gameplay options like different monsters and an endless mode, others criticize the lack of evolving challenges and depth. Many hope for future DLC that could enhance replay value by introducing new characters, story elements, and unique designs. Overall, there is potential for replayability, but it currently varies based on individual preferences and the desire for additional content.
“Lots of fun levels, replayable, able to compete with others on leaderboards, with only a minor drawback on the politics angle, which does become pretty funny the more you play.”
“+ replay value with 4 monsters with different ultimates, and an endless destruction mode with toggle-able options to suit your playstyle.”
“No replay value, no difficulty or evolving challenge.”
“My only gripe is that I wish there was more story, more playable characters, and more unique building designs, plus adding statues and landmarks to destroy.”
“There is enough variety in this game to keep it fresh, but of course I hope the dev adds some extras to this game like more playable monsters and perhaps some DLC content with different-looking locations and more enemies to kill.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance on Windows 10 laptops and the Steam Deck, with gameplay remaining enjoyable even during chaotic scenes. While there are occasional frame drops during intense moments, these are often seen as a testament to the game's action rather than significant performance issues. Some users noted specific performance problems related to physics simulations in certain scenarios, but these are expected to be addressed in future updates.
“The game works well on Windows 10 laptops and runs smoothly on the Steam Deck.”
“It's positively marvelous: fast-paced in its action, smooth in its gameplay, beautiful to behold, and very well optimized even when the entire screen is collapsing in on itself in a bloody fireball of death.”
“I was able to get the frames to drop below 60 a couple of times, but that felt more like an achievement of my destruction than a performance problem, lmao.”
“So I got Terror of Hemasaurus a couple of weeks ago, played through it (it runs... okay? on Steam Deck, some massive performance issues after a few moments of play when around tall buildings until I go close to the top of the tower block that's seemingly causing it, which presumably are due to the physics simulations going a bit wonky on larger buildings, given how it seems to constantly have to do a 'deturbulating simulation' after every level. I'm going to presume this is a bug that's going to eventually be fixed), and had a pretty fun time!”
“Friendly to bite-sized play sessions, frequent stopping points, performance is pretty solid save for a touch of frame dipping when the screen gets especially busy (like knocking down two skyscrapers with an ultimate attack when everything is crashing and on fire with people raining out of the windows also on fire).”
- stability9 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many users report excellent performance on various platforms, including the Steam Deck and lower-end PCs, some also highlight significant bugs that detract from the experience. Despite these issues, the gameplay remains enjoyable and engaging.
“The game is a blast and runs great even with a screenful of exploding buildings, bodies, and vehicles.”
“Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
“Runs great on the Steam Deck and the performance is amazing with very fun gameplay; highly recommend.”
“Great concept, but the game is a buggy mess.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have noted significant improvements in the grinding aspect of the game, particularly with more responsive controls and a more satisfying experience when destroying buildings, making the process feel less tedious. Overall, the enhancements have made grinding feel more enjoyable and engaging.
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received negative feedback, with players expressing frustration over being forced to watch advertisements, specifically a "just stop oil" ad, during a brief gameplay experience of less than three hours.
“Less than 3 hours of gameplay where you're forced to watch a 'Just Stop Oil' advertisement.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its nostalgic feel, reminiscent of classic kaiju movies and rampage themes, creating an enjoyable experience for players.
“A very enjoyable title with a nostalgic atmosphere that captures the essence of classic kaiju movies.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in this game has been criticized for its poor design choices, particularly in the portrayal of characters, which detracts from the overall experience. While some users appreciate the interesting designs in other games, this title's attempts at parody fall flat, leading to disappointment.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game combines wicked humor and satisfying destruction, creating an emotionally engaging experience that balances dark themes with a sense of wholesome enjoyment. Players appreciate the blend of lightheartedness and chaos, contributing to a unique emotional atmosphere.
Critic Reviews
Terror of Hemasaurus (Nintendo Switch)
Terror of Hemasaurus is a fantastic time, a wild homage to Rampage that tops its predecessor in nearly every way. It’s definitely meant to be played in multiplayer couch co-op. And maybe it’ll help you understand that if our planet can’t be destroyed by daikaiju, then maybe we just shouldn’t destroy it at all.
85%Terror of Hemasaurus Review
Terror of Hemasaurus could not only be the next be the next Rampage, but a much better version of it. This city-demolishing simulator offers exciting and cathartic destruction, plus the welcome introduction of mechanics that Rampage and other likeminded games (all three of them) were missing… but these aren't really enough to help the fun last for more than two or three hours.
50%Terror of Hemasaurus Review
Terror of Hemasaurus is a beautiful and entertaining game with tons of satisfying destruction and chaos. It also tries to teach a very important message about climate change and how the human race has to act before it is too late.
95%