If you were a fan of the [b]Quest For Glory[/b] (and other point-and-click adventure) games of the 90's, then you'll probably feel right at home with Hero-U.
[h2]The Good[/h2]
This feels like it's made by people who love good stories, and love to immerse others in them. The characters, dialog, locations, atmosphere, and overall storytelling contribute to an engaging experience that pulled me in like a book I didn't want to put down. It doesn't take itself too seriously, weaving heartfelt narrative themes with threads of lighthearted banter, cheesy rhymes conscious of their own cheesiness, and a peppering of dad jokes. I find this nuanced balanced increasingly rare in books, not to mention in games, so I was quite tickled to encounter this gem.
Visually, I appreciated the lo-fi, semi-pixelated look of most of the game, which gave it a retro, nostalgic feel. A lot of care and talent went into the design and artwork, much of which is meticulously hand-drawn. The locations and maps don't have that random, procedurally-generated feel, but seem carefully curated and planned.
The music completes the storytelling. It's never too epic for the encounter or too whimsical for the occasion. I don't know whether the score was written by multiple talents, or a single... either way it's always 'just right'. Dynamic enough to engross, but tasteful so as not to distract.
[h2]The Bad[/h2]
The game lacks some of the polish and production value of the original QFG/Sierra games . I found the hi-res, 3D-modeled player, NPCs, and other random 3D elements to be out of place with the rest of the pixel-rich artwork. The overall visual experience felt a bit disjointed.
In the end, these are minor (and arguably tedious) considerations, but worth noting.
[h2]Worth It?[/h2]
Absolutely.
All in all, Hero-U is a fun throwback that I enjoyed playing and would love to see a sequel to.
