Top 10 Games of 2009 - 3. Half-Minute Hero (PSP)
By transience 1 Comments
The best Japanese RPG of the year -- of the generation? -- is barely even an RPG..
Half-Minute Hero is a game where you have to beat the entire game in 30 seconds. Battles redefine the words "lightning fast", with guys just running into each other automatically until someone dies. It's completely ridiculous until you realize that it's no different than a turn-based RPG. Half-Minute Hero streamlines every RPG convention and turns it into a game you can beat in five minutes max. You can rewind time but it costs money, and the amount it costs increases each time. There are two optional titles that you can gun for each time you do it. There's a run button that drains your HP but makes it so you don't trigger any random encounters. There's hidden items, optional weapons and armour, and multiple ways to go about finishing each level.
In short, it's an RPG in name only. It's more of a puzzle game where you try to figure out how to defeat the level in record time. Speed running is as much of a goal as finishing the quest. Yes, speed running. In an RPG.
There are 50 quests in the main Hero 30 game, but there's quite a bit more to Half-Minute Hero. There's also a super basic RTS, a shooter and a strategy action game. The storyline takes place over 500 years and comes full-circle in the end for an absolutely awesome conclusion. The dialogue is as silly as the concept of the game is, often referencing internet memes or just making fun of RPG conventions. The best part are the bad guys and why they want to destroy the world.
"I'm a bug! Argh, I hate being a bug! I'm going to fix this by destroying the world."
With a great sense of humour and super streamlined combat, Half-Minute Hero is actually really refreshing despite the fact that it's stuck in the distant past. The other modes are all right, but you're playing this for the RPG. The RPG is really cool. The main character is an awesome silent main a la Crono or a Dragon Quest hero. Dude's got tons of personality thanks to entertaining characters and plots surrounding him and some awesome on-screen equips.
I can't even find things to complain about. This game is so awesome. I guess it lacks depth, but that's part of the reason that it's so awesome. Princess 30 is not the greatest game, but that's mostly because it's trying to compare to the awesome Hero 30. I'd love to see a sequel but I doubt that will ever happen. You can't really make a sequel out of a game that has 50 in-game sequels.
Yes, that's right, the credits roll after you beat every 2-minute quest. You'll beat this game 50 times before finishing it.