[h1]Saving the world from AI :o[/h1]
[h2]Introduction[/h2]
[i]12 Labours of Hercules XVI: Olympic Bugs[/i] is a time management game developed by Zoom Out Studios and Jetdogs Studios and published by Jetdogs Studios. As the name states, it is the 16th game in the [i]Hercules[/i] series. You take on the role of Hercules, and this time, there's chaos on Olympus. The gods, specifically Hephaestus, has created machines to help out people. However, these machines end up having minds of their own, and they rebel against humans. Thus, it's up to Hercules, his wife Megara, and their helpers to stop these bugs and find out why they've gone out of control. XD
As for the gameplay, there are a total of 50 story levels, along with 5 bonus levels and 1 super bonus level. The bonus levels are unlocked by finding puzzle pieces hidden in the story levels and then putting them together in separate levels to create a picture. As for the super bonus level, it's unlocked by completing all of the bonus levels. You can choose from the usual difficulty modes: relaxed, casual, or expert. For review purposes, I played the majority of levels on casual mode although I did play some on expert mode. You can change difficulty modes at any time. In each level, you're given a number of tasks that can range from collecting a certain amount of gold to removing obstacles. You can generate resources by collecting them on the ground and constructing buildings that produce them. Steam achievements/in-game trophies are available, but they won't count towards a user's global total until the game is out of "profile features limited".
[h2]Review[/h2]
It has been a while since I played a time management game although they are among my highly favorite game genres. It's even been longer since I last played a [i]Hercules[/i] game, but after finishing this one, I was reminded of why I only play these games occasionally. However, I'm jumping ahead. lol
[h3]Story and Gameplay[/h3]
Each story in the [i]Hercules[/i] games continues to get zanier and way out there, and this 16th game is no exception. With the topic of AI continuing to be a highly contested one, I suppose it's no surprise that there would eventually be a game which focuses on them but in an imaginary, alternate universe. By far, I think this is the weirdest story yet, but it's best to not think too deeply about how or why AI was created by the Olympic gods. The story is sufficient to move the game along.
With the gameplay, it's just as much fun as the previous games although it can feel repetitive if you've played all the other ones. The only additions I noticed were a couple of new power-ups. The core gameplay remains the same, but it works for this game genre. All Steam achievements are obtainable, but I should make a note about that particular one for beating a developer's record on 20 levels. I might have noted this in the past, but this achievement can be frustrating to obtain. Of course, the game has a guide if you get stuck although it's not the best when it comes to beating a developer's record. I had to use video playthroughs for help. Also, 20 levels is quite a lot and can be exhausting but certainly doable. I don't think the difficulty for this needs to be adjusted but rather, the number of levels to do so. 10 levels is more than doable, but I think this achievement will remain, which is the main reason I play these games only every once in a while.
[h3]Art and Music[/h3]
The art style remains the same as in the previous games. It has that cartoony, colorful look which works for the series, and of course, the sprites remain the same. The only new additions are the introduction of robots and the AI being that appears in one level.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3741943867
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3741943704
As for the music, most of the tracks are the same as in the previous games. However, I noticed a couple of new ones in the mix, so it's great that the devs added a bit of variety. All the tracks are instrumental, and they give off that adventurous vibe, perfect as Hercules, Megara, and their helpers are off on their quest.
[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
Would I recommend [i]12 Labours of Hercules XVI: Olympic Bugs[/i]? If you enjoy time management games and especially like the ones in the [i]Hercules[/i] series, then it's worth a look. Even though the gameplay can feel mostly repetitive, it works for this game and the series as a whole. For the asking price, it might be slightly on the pricey side, but you can wait for a sale, and it's part of a Steam bundle, so it can go for a good deal then. ^^
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