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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: RPG Developer: Opus Corp. Publisher: Xseed Games |
When players buy an RPG game they are expecting to get a single mode of game play. “Half-Minutes Hero” is basically a collection of
four game play modes that revolve around one of four different characters; the Hero, the Princess, the Knight and the Evil Lord. These
stories span over hundreds of years, but they are all connected by the fact that Ultimate Evil is back and is trying to end the world and it
is up to the player to stop the bad men.
The one mode that is the most popular in the game is Hero 30. Players start as a boy who is charged with the task of saving the world.
Some unknown evil is wandering around the countryside giving other evil people a spell to destroy the Earth in 30 seconds. It is up to
the player to stop this from happening. Other than briefing players on the situation every time they start a quest, the Time Goddess
gives players an additional 30 seconds every time they pray at her statue, but praying is going to cost money and it increases every
time.
Players are able to earn gold by battling the monsters roaming the maps. Just like other RPGs, players walk around the map, enter
random battles and are transported to the battle screen. Rather than choosing attacks, the player and the monster will run at each other
while HP flies off of each character. This continues until one of the characters’ health meters is empty. In the end, Hero 30 is by far the
best mode available in the game, though it may not sound like much fun until players sit down and try it.
The second best mode in the game is Princess 30. In this mode the King has become ill and it is up to the Princess to go out into the
dangerous world and find the items that will save her father. Of course, the Ultimate Evil has a hand in everything that is going on but no
one knows how. The Queen is only willing to leave the castle door open for 30 seconds, so players will have to leave the castle, get
past all of the monster, get the item and get back to the castle.
This works with a team of castle guards carrying the Princess around on a small throne. She is armed with a crossbow and it is up to
the player to decide how fast or slow she is moving while firing with the face buttons. If players stay on the road they will go faster.
When creatures hit one of the soldiers, they will be lost for a little while and the Princess will move slower. When players become
friends with the Time Goddess, she will offer a special carpet that uses up coins, but gives players some additional time.
The final two modes in the game are a lot easier to explain. Evil Lord 30 is a real-time strategy game. Colored bad guys come at the
player and they need to summon the appropriate troop to stop the incoming attack. It is like a game of rock/paper/scissors. Players
have 30 seconds to beat the bad guys, but they can stop by the Goddess to replenish the time with cash that has been earned.
Meanwhile, Knight 30 flips the script of the game a little bit and makes players want the clock to reach zero. A Sage is trying to cast a
spell to rid the entire area of monsters, but he needs 30 seconds to finish the spell. As long as he is standing there the spell is in
progress and the clock is counting down. The Knight can knock the enemies back, but he needs to pick up the Sage occasionally and
run him to a safer area on the map. Although the Sage can be carried, the clock stops during the move.
The Knight mode is interesting enough and players will enjoy running the Sage around the world, but it was a little bit too easy.
Meanwhile, summoning in Evil Lord was a little boring at times. Players will only mash the buttons until everyone was defeated and
players will never feel like they are on the verge of running out of time because the Goddess accepts nearly every offer.
The game also has a multiplayer mode, which is basically Hero 30 where players fight monsters and a boss but not each other with a
few tweaks. To start, the clock doesn’t stop counting down when someone goes into a town. Also, players start every game with
nothing. Players are going to have to run into battle and earn enough money for a sword to earn enough money to get some time to
earn enough money to keep playing. In the end, players will probably end up fighting the boss together and one of them will be named
the True Hero based on how the players fought.
For those who enjoy the RPG genre, “Half-Minute Hero” is a refreshing game that mixes together all of the quirks the genre is known
for. For those who are new to the RPG genre, it is easy enough to get to learn and enjoy. Also, there are a lot of other game play types
to play. There is a little bit of a stumble in the presentation, but none of that takes away from making this a great portable game that
PSP owners should try.
four game play modes that revolve around one of four different characters; the Hero, the Princess, the Knight and the Evil Lord. These
stories span over hundreds of years, but they are all connected by the fact that Ultimate Evil is back and is trying to end the world and it
is up to the player to stop the bad men.
The one mode that is the most popular in the game is Hero 30. Players start as a boy who is charged with the task of saving the world.
Some unknown evil is wandering around the countryside giving other evil people a spell to destroy the Earth in 30 seconds. It is up to
the player to stop this from happening. Other than briefing players on the situation every time they start a quest, the Time Goddess
gives players an additional 30 seconds every time they pray at her statue, but praying is going to cost money and it increases every
time.
Players are able to earn gold by battling the monsters roaming the maps. Just like other RPGs, players walk around the map, enter
random battles and are transported to the battle screen. Rather than choosing attacks, the player and the monster will run at each other
while HP flies off of each character. This continues until one of the characters’ health meters is empty. In the end, Hero 30 is by far the
best mode available in the game, though it may not sound like much fun until players sit down and try it.
The second best mode in the game is Princess 30. In this mode the King has become ill and it is up to the Princess to go out into the
dangerous world and find the items that will save her father. Of course, the Ultimate Evil has a hand in everything that is going on but no
one knows how. The Queen is only willing to leave the castle door open for 30 seconds, so players will have to leave the castle, get
past all of the monster, get the item and get back to the castle.
This works with a team of castle guards carrying the Princess around on a small throne. She is armed with a crossbow and it is up to
the player to decide how fast or slow she is moving while firing with the face buttons. If players stay on the road they will go faster.
When creatures hit one of the soldiers, they will be lost for a little while and the Princess will move slower. When players become
friends with the Time Goddess, she will offer a special carpet that uses up coins, but gives players some additional time.
The final two modes in the game are a lot easier to explain. Evil Lord 30 is a real-time strategy game. Colored bad guys come at the
player and they need to summon the appropriate troop to stop the incoming attack. It is like a game of rock/paper/scissors. Players
have 30 seconds to beat the bad guys, but they can stop by the Goddess to replenish the time with cash that has been earned.
Meanwhile, Knight 30 flips the script of the game a little bit and makes players want the clock to reach zero. A Sage is trying to cast a
spell to rid the entire area of monsters, but he needs 30 seconds to finish the spell. As long as he is standing there the spell is in
progress and the clock is counting down. The Knight can knock the enemies back, but he needs to pick up the Sage occasionally and
run him to a safer area on the map. Although the Sage can be carried, the clock stops during the move.
The Knight mode is interesting enough and players will enjoy running the Sage around the world, but it was a little bit too easy.
Meanwhile, summoning in Evil Lord was a little boring at times. Players will only mash the buttons until everyone was defeated and
players will never feel like they are on the verge of running out of time because the Goddess accepts nearly every offer.
The game also has a multiplayer mode, which is basically Hero 30 where players fight monsters and a boss but not each other with a
few tweaks. To start, the clock doesn’t stop counting down when someone goes into a town. Also, players start every game with
nothing. Players are going to have to run into battle and earn enough money for a sword to earn enough money to get some time to
earn enough money to keep playing. In the end, players will probably end up fighting the boss together and one of them will be named
the True Hero based on how the players fought.
For those who enjoy the RPG genre, “Half-Minute Hero” is a refreshing game that mixes together all of the quirks the genre is known
for. For those who are new to the RPG genre, it is easy enough to get to learn and enjoy. Also, there are a lot of other game play types
to play. There is a little bit of a stumble in the presentation, but none of that takes away from making this a great portable game that
PSP owners should try.
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