Timing Hero: Retro Action RPG

About

Timing Hero: Retro Action RPG is a Casual game with a splendid story, excellent game mechanics, delightful graphics, and exceptional music. However, it features lots of grinding and includes too many ads. Marketed as a Fantasy Battle Royale, players can enjoy this Action RPG Hero Monster Game with heroic battles and engaging challenges.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

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

Timing Hero: Retro Action RPG screenshot

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,648 reviews

gameplay81 positive mentions

monetization73 negative mentions

Addictive gameplay with a simple premise that keeps players engaged.
Unique retro graphics and sound design reminiscent of classic games.
Fair monetization model that allows free players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.

Frequent ads after every death can disrupt gameplay and frustrate players.
Some players experience crashes and bugs that hinder their ability to play.
The energy system limits playtime, making it difficult for players to enjoy extended sessions.

gameplay
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
41%
3%
The gameplay is characterized by its simple yet addictive mechanics, offering a smooth interface that is easy to learn but challenging to master. Players appreciate the retro graphics and unique combat mechanics, which emphasize timing and skill, although some express frustration with grindy elements and occasional unresponsiveness in dodging. Overall, the game provides a rewarding experience with a variety of character classes and upgrade systems, making it engaging for both casual and dedicated players.
- “The gameplay interface is smooth and easy to understand, yet it's very difficult to master.”
- “Great game, loving the retro graphics and even though the gameplay seems simplistic, it has depth and makes it much more intense and rewarding the deeper you get.”
- “Amazing gameplay, works well with the pixel graphics, would definitely recommend if you're looking for a time-consuming, addictive game.”
- “Gameplay too simple.”
- “Everything but the dodging mechanic is repetitive and could definitely use some work.”
- “Boring as hell, can't get far without dying and the dodge mechanics are slow and untimed.”
graphics
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
39%
3%
The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their nostalgic retro style, reminiscent of classic Game Boy visuals, with many users appreciating the pixelated aesthetic and smooth animations. While some critiques mention the simplicity and potential for improvement, the overall sentiment highlights that the graphics effectively complement the engaging gameplay and evoke a sense of nostalgia. The art style is often described as charming and well-executed, contributing positively to the game's overall experience.
- “The graphics fit in quite nicely and the gameplay sort of reminds me of the older Game Boy games.”
- “Amazing retro graphics and gameplay.”
- “I love the game and its graphics.”
- “It has about as much content as an EA game has at launch, just slightly worse graphics.”
- “But ultimately rather boring and repetitive, especially the dull graphics and constant intrusive ads.”
- “Some graphical glitches obscured most of the game and made it completely unplayable.”
monetization
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
8%
88%
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the frequency of ads intrusive, particularly after dying, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the option to earn in-game currency through watching ads, others express frustration over the necessity of in-app purchases and the lack of a straightforward way to remove ads entirely. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and offers a nostalgic feel, the aggressive monetization tactics have led to dissatisfaction among a significant portion of the player base.
- “Pleasing retro design, and there's an actual game here - not just a procedurally generated attempt to milk you for microtransactions.”
- “In-app purchases aren't in your face, and it's actually really fun and takes some skill!”
- “I love how the in-app purchases are not required to play the game.”
- “This is a good game if you have to kill time or just want a nostalgic feel, but the only bad thing is it costs money and there are in-app purchases. I wrote this 2 years ago, but now that there are ads every time I die for a game I paid for, I can't justify a 5-star rating.”
- “Good game concept but terrible design, heavily focused on in-app purchases and annoying daily notifications.”
- “Interesting concept obliterated by ads and in-app purchases.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
39%
6%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its catchy and nostalgic 8-bit style, reminiscent of classic arcade and retro games. Many players appreciate the fun and engaging soundtrack, although some have noted issues with looping and a desire for more diverse tracks. Overall, the music significantly enhances the game's aesthetic and gameplay experience, contributing to its addictive nature.
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “The nostalgic feel to this game is perfect, great music.”
- “The music is great and reminds me of good old 8-bit gaming.”
- “The only thing that's annoying is that the music isn't looped well, but it's still an awesome game!”
- “The soundtrack is pretty catchy, although it often isn't a seamless loop.”
- “I would like it to have more diverse music and more satanic vibes though.”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
52%
11%
The game's story is generally viewed as simple and not particularly original, with many players noting its brevity and lack of depth. However, some appreciate the retro aesthetic and find the storyline enjoyable enough to enhance the overall experience. There are calls for more substantial narrative content and updates to improve the story mode, indicating a desire for a richer storytelling experience in future iterations.
- “The graphics are amazing, and it has a great storyline.”
- “This is a very fun game and a short but sweet story.”
- “Great game, awesome way of battling, cool plot and monsters, and I love the retro style of the game.”
- “This is not an RPG; it is a glorified grind session with a lack of story, besides three slides of story that only play when you first open the app.”
- “The main story is really short, so if you ever make a sequel to this great game, make the story somewhat longer than the first game.”
- “After beating the story, the game gets a bit repetitive.”
grinding
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The reviews indicate that the game involves significant grinding, which can be both tedious and rewarding. While some players appreciate the depth and customization options that come with grinding, others find it overly slow and repetitive. Overall, the grinding aspect is a central feature of the game, appealing to those who enjoy leveling up and mastering mechanics, but may deter players looking for a more streamlined experience.
- “Although it is very grinding reliant and the artifact limit is expensive to upgrade, coming back to the game every day will grant you enough gems to upgrade the limit further.”
- “The grinding is way too slow.”
- “This game is mostly just grinding to get a higher level, but it also has a lot more substance to it than most grinding games, making it a very fun time waster.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding it both interesting and well-designed. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to elicit laughter and engage players through its comedic elements. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.
- “Really interesting and funny!”
- “It's funny, I have been playing for 3 minutes and I think that this game is incredible.”
- “Pretty funny, and well designed.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting various bugs such as scrolling issues, combat disruptions when offline, and problematic dodging animations. Additionally, some players have experienced significant setbacks, including losing progress due to save file loading failures. Overall, the game suffers from notable stability problems that impact the user experience.
- “Scrolling is buggy and combat is affected until the internet is connected to resolve it.”
- “I take issue with some of the buggy dodging animations.”
- “It's buggy; I lost all my progress when loading my save file.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game offers a mix of opinions on replayability; while some players find it addictive and enjoyable with good replay value, others feel limited by the lack of playable characters and the inability to reset them, leading to a less favorable experience.
- “An addictive retro delight with great replay value.”
- “Great speed and replay value.”
- “I wish there were more playable characters and the ability to reset characters, since once you finish with one character, you can't really continue playing as them.”
- “The replay value is not great.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game features impressive pixel art and character design, drawing inspiration from classic Final Fantasy titles, which enhances the overall experience. Reviewers praise the engaging plot and strong character development, making it a standout choice for players.
- “The amazing pixel art and character design make this game a must-try!”
- “Character design and skills are heavily inspired by FF NES and GB games.”
- “Great plot, great character development.”
- “Character design and skills are heavily inspired by NES and Game Boy games.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
- “I found the characters to be one-dimensional and unrelatable.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Overall, the game's optimization for mobile devices is generally appreciated, though some users feel it could be improved. While the gameplay remains enjoyable, there are criticisms regarding excessive commercialization and poor optimization in certain areas.
- “Good gameplay, optimized for mobile devices.”
- “I think it could be better optimized, but the game is fun and that's really all I care about.”
- “The game is badly optimized and feels overly commercialized.”
- “Performance issues make the game frustrating to play.”
- “The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent lag and crashes.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively evokes nostalgia through its monochrome visuals, 8-bit music, and pixel art, creating a simple yet challenging experience. Players appreciate the emotional depth brought by the nostalgic soundtrack and the variety of unlockable characters.
- “Using a monochrome color palette, 8-bit music, and pixel art made me feel nostalgic. The game is simple yet very challenging.”
- “The game features enough characters to unlock, and the highly emotionally evocative nostalgic music enhances the experience.”