Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption

Having discovered the game by accident I was suprised to discover that it is from the authors of one of my favorite game series - Hero Quest (also known as Quest For Glory). The description was intriguing so I bought it and played it for 4 days straight until finally completed it today. The game is a mix of an adventure game (light version without pixel hunting and all item actions are contextual), simple and a time management game akin to academagia. Main character is a thief that was given a chance to become a hero by studying in Hero university. The plot revolves around character slowly becoming a hero (or if player chooses just a more competent thief) by interacting with fellow student and teachers, exploring the castle (filled with secret passed of course) the school is located in. The gameplay is about managing time for training, exploring, socializing and completing tasks. The game has simple combat system that fits perfectly the theme of a game. Most of the quests can be completed differently and can be skipped if player chooses to. The downsides that I've notices are: * Uneven pacing - some days there is not enough time to do anything and some days (closer to end of the game) you have nothing to do except to train. * Too much puns, it gets better in later stages of the game, but at the start they quickly become annoying * One dungeon is a slog - it is filled with enemies that are too long to kill and it takes forever to sneak around them * Some puzzles are time gated, but heavily hinted from the start, you never know if you're missing something or you just have to wait a day. * It is too easy to complete everything. But still, for me, this is one of the best games I've played recently, sure it has its faults, but in the end it is really fun to play.

This is a wonderful little game, with an upbeat story about growing up and choosing how to spend your life. The characters are charming and likable and there is a varriety for optional romantic encounters. Combat is more puzzle-like, you need the correct items to beat our opponents and time their use. Most of the game revolves around planning your day. You have only a limited amount of time for classes, training your skills, exploring your surroundings and helping (or not helping) your fellow students. This can be overwhelming at first, but once you are able to plan your school-day, you will be the king of Hero-U. You should also take notes from the dialogue, because there will be tests, where this knowledge will be useful. Sometimes there won't even be straight answers, so somtimes you have to read between lines. If you hate stuff like this or reading in general, this game is not for you. Reading is half the fun of this game. The environments and music are also wonderful, although the 3D-Modells look a bit off, especially when your character starts running. Also in addation to the story: again, this is a game about growing up, so this will be a personal and not an epic journey. The game is about your relationship to the characters and how you choose to interact with them. They are the plot. If you need a tight three-act-structure, this game is not for you. There are some darker scenes, but overall I would think that the game is still also suitable for younger players, who just need some patience and curiosity for learning the games mechanics and finding all the secret locations it's hidding. And if you are curious yourself and ready to be curious, this game is also for you.

Absolutely splendid. Done just like another quest for glory game. Has all the great style and gameplay of 2 and 4 mixed together which were my absolute favorites. It's definitely it's own game in it's own right but integrating a bunch of QFG lore and doing it in the spirit of QFG was super on point. Highly recommend purchasing. lets get this game to at least break even sales wise so we can get the next game running.

I would like to go more in-depth but given the limit GOG has put on reviews these days I unfortunately don't have that luxury. This game is best served for people who enjoy grinding stats and preparing for challenges often within a time limit just like the "Quest for Glory" series. As such I will be comparing it to the latter's fifth entry. Compared to "Quest for Glory 5" this game gives the player a lot more information when it comes to relationships, which is good for achievements and if you wish to romance someone, but puzzingly enough gives you less information regarding stats. I would tell you to read the HeroU manual but the descriptions are too vague. I only found out that Moxie can be worth as much as 30 Stamina because I came across that information while trying to figure out why an achievement hadn't triggered for me. Speaking of achievements, I would like to commend the creators of the game for doing an excellent job with them. I often do not like doing achievements because they do not feel like I achieved anything or they are too numerous to the point where they feel like busywork. I also appreciate that you do not have to romance everyone to get 100%. Furthermore, there is a page in Shawn's journal dedicated to keeping track of achievements during that run to help you with figuring out your correct save. You cannot complete all 20 achievements in a single run, however. The combat is probably a dream come true for those who like to play as a Rogue, unfortunately the game doesn't really explain its strengths. The HeroU manual covers most things but doesn't mention sneak attacks. Without that knowledge I'd probably rate the game an 8/10 rather than a 9/10. You'll want to sneak behind your enemy and it'll do twice the damage. Bosses typically start out aware of you so you cannot use sneak attacks against them. As for bosses, some of them are more engaging for pacifists and others are more engaging for non-pacifists so everyone should have something fun.

I've only been able to play this game in bits and pieces up until now. I've reserved my critique until I could give the game a chance, and now I am satisfied that I have given it so, because it now has me pulled in and focused. I don't have a ton of time for games anymore as I am a professional, working on industrial products. So, anyhow the game gets going slowly, but there is a bunch of promise in the personal interactions between characters and how they all unfold. This is a neat addition to the other games the Cole's have produced, and even a bit unexpected. I wasn't a big fan of the time elements, when I started this game, but it all grew on me and became part of the strategy. For what it's worth, there is a lot of Nostalgia value in this game if you have played any of the Quest for Glory series, and enough tie-ins to keep it those memories relevant. The important thing is to play it through, because it gets much more interesting as you play through the game. Secret passages, and Dungeons, actually make this game a lot bigger than meets the eye. I'll be looking forward to other games in this series if they are made.