A team of veterans from the Japanese industry present us with a game where nothing is what it seems and the epic is really papier-mache for the entertainment of some very special heroes / clients.
Looks are deceiving. What at first glance may seem like a thing, once hands in the mass can lead, for better or for worse, to something very different. And that's what happens to this Heroland from Furyo Corporation and Marvelous AQL. At first glance we seem to be facing an RPG, but in practice this title is closer to the conversational adventure combined with a point of strategy.
Directed by Takahiro Yamane, who was also in charge of Fantasy Life, this is not a game that likes topics. Already from his own approach he moves away from the topics with an argument between the ironic and the subrealist, and with great doses of cynicism. We put ourselves in the shoes of a currito that has just been hired precariously to work in Heroland, an island of entertainment where clients can feel like true heroes. In this heavenly place, anyone can become the protagonist of their own adventure for a small fee, advancing through dungeons and defeating enemies like an expert.
The client always sends
Our task is to guide clients through these dungeons where they will face enemies (actually our coworkers) in order to ensure that they complete the combats, and in the process to maximize their fun by equipping and helping them in the right way. as efficient as possible.
Despite what it might seem, the game lacks any exploration mechanics. The "dungeons" we traverse are actually made up of conversations and battles. In the latter, the characters we guide will be in charge of fighting on their own, but periodically we can give them instructions such as focusing on an enemy, saving energy-consuming attacks or going for all.
We will also be in charge of carrying the objects that the members of the group may need (healing objects or recovery of altered states) and using them at the right time, as well as selecting the equipment at the beginning of each game. It will be our task, therefore, to watch especially when things get complicated and to be able to choose the most appropriate thing at the beginning of each exploration.
Since our tips can only be activated after a while in combat and require a timeout to rerun, one of the keys is choosing the right time to advise our clients and ensure they win.
A subrealist history
But beyond this mechanic, the bulk of the game will be spent reading, getting to know the bizarre characters that populate this universe and learning the reality of where we work and some of its secrets. A curious script, full of humor mixed with a speck of intrigue at times and large doses of surrealism; Able to hold the player's attention in general although at times it can become a bit heavy. Behind him is a team with great experience, made up of Nobuyuki Inoue and Nobuhiro Imagawa, also involved in titles like Legend of Mana or Mother 3.
Our character will generally remain silent except when there are panels to choose an answer (a mechanic from which the game itself takes advantage), but in return we will have a chattering fairy who will become our histrionic voice before our clients and colleagues. A pity that the game comes to us in English, so a minimum command of Shakespeare's language will be necessary to correctly follow the plot, which is the essence of the game.
One of the most striking aspects is its graphic finish, a mix of 2D pixel art with 3D that is somewhat reminiscent of what is seen in games like Paper Mario, but with its own personality. It is a very attractive finish, although the scenarios are somewhat simplistic and especially in the dungeons something more variety and detail would have been appreciated. It doesn't help that we will repeat scenarios many times. But in general, humor and color comes to save the day in this Heroland.
CONCLUSION
Heroland, despite what it may seem, is fundamentally a conversational adventure in which the greatest enjoyment comes from enjoying its original script. Something that does not just save its gameplay, original but somewhat limited and, above all, somewhat repetitive.
THE BEST
- The original proposal and the script, full of jokes and funny moments.
- The graphic style, simple but with a lot of personality.
WORST
- The playable mechanics, although original, are repetitive and make the player feel like a passive element of the fighting.
- It becomes repetitive.
Right
It is not the latest or most original, nor does it have the best execution, but it can be fun if you like the genre. Good, but upgradeable.
