ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman

Initially my review was negative, but the end game can be pretty good, if you like grinding and stuff you can build your equipment to avoid traps and most of the negative down there can be countered, still a bit of a pain to deal with but yeah. As a NIS games completionist i kept playing til i finish but this has to be the worst one so far i ever played from their franchise in term of the first like 20h. Extreme negative from me: - Traps, traps, traps, traps, did i mention traps? Also they are invisible - Take couple hours to do the first 60 floor dungeons, my total level over 1000, kinda breeze til 59, then at 60, won't spoil who you encounter but the ennemies levels are like 80-90 on the floor before, this room, a boss with monsters, level 500-600. got oneshoted by a clound allie she had from 3 tiles away, but well doesnt matter anything in that room would just have oneshot me anyways. Should have put the caravan on floor 59 and left, but i was really not expecting this level of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. Annoyances: - Hunger all the time, gotta eat eat and eat - Gear durability, gotta keep switch stuff all the time - Inventory limit, even boosted at currently 20 it still feel pretty bad - i've been killed one time being thrown in the side map for some reasons, felt like a bug but idk. (on floor 4x so i also lost all my stuff and money again) - Give money for your wife, but money keep going down since she spend it, for immersion i guess.. but when you die not only you loose all your stuff you had on and your money but your deposit go down.

fun

A fun, wonky, janky, weird game full of strange equipment, hit-and-miss writing, nice moments, boring moments, incremental power gain and no small amount of progress robbery. Only, some of your progress is non-robbable. That's the part you probably want to prioritize; thusly, you'll get through every struggle sooner or later. The game's a bit overloaded with ancillary features that aren't really necessary or even particularly interesting, but that's just one of the consequences of game design focused on tossing as many cool things as possible into a big vat and stirring it together with art and code and voice acting and stuff until it's a game. They apparently cut some content, which sucks. Game's still got a good amount of hours of fun to it, though, and some neat ideas. Oh, it's a roguelike, by the way, in the "similar to Rogue" sense, not the "you die and stay dead" sense. Though you die a lot, you don't stay dead. And there are ways to keep some of your stuff when you die. It's complicated. You wander around dungeons and whack (or shoot) monsters. You can use special moves when appropriate. Eventually you get hungry and need to eat or start losing health. Some pretty oldschool gameplay. Kind of fun. Mostly recommended for fans of NIS, goofy writing, occasional wholesome moments, badass hero-ing, tokusatsu sentai hero stuff, and games that are like Rogue. Be prepared to invest a fair number of hours if you want to see the end.

still one of my favourite games of all time, it's cheesy as hell but it will make you feel like a hero

A quirky game with a funny story. An enjoyable time

Developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Inc. in collaboration with Codeglue and published by NIS America, Inc., ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman is a distinctive roguelike RPG that combines strategic dungeon crawling with an energetic parody of classic Japanese superhero shows. Its premise is delightfully ridiculous: just before the legendary Unlosing Ranger can face the notorious Darkdeath Evilman, he is struck down by an unexpected accident, leaving an ordinary bystander to inherit the hero's transformation belt and the impossible responsibility of saving the universe. From that moment onward, the game embraces outrageous humor, colorful personalities, and exaggerated scenarios while gradually telling a story about perseverance, growth, and earning the title of a true hero. At its core, the gameplay revolves around randomly generated dungeons that challenge players to think carefully before every move. Every expedition requires managing limited resources, studying enemy patterns, and making tactical decisions that can mean the difference between success and failure. Since each dungeon layout is procedurally generated, no two adventures feel exactly alike, keeping the experience fresh throughout the lengthy campaign. While defeat is inevitable at times, the game cleverly transforms failure into an essential part of progression. Rather than forcing players to restart from nothing, the persistent Total Level system ensures that every run contributes to long-term character development, making each setback feel like another step toward eventual victory. Character progression is impressively deep and offers far more flexibility than many games in the genre. Equipment plays a significant role not only in improving statistics but also in changing the hero's appearance, reinforcing the fun superhero theme. The Body Modification system adds another strategic layer by allowing players to strengthen different parts of the protagonist through a grid-based enhancement mechanic. Combined with countless weapons, armor pieces, and accessories to discover, the customization possibilities are extensive. Players who enjoy experimenting with builds and optimizing every aspect of their character will find plenty of rewarding systems to explore. The headquarters between dungeon expeditions serves as more than just a resting point. It gradually expands into a functional base where players can organize equipment, recruit allies, upgrade facilities, and prepare for increasingly dangerous missions. Supporting characters contribute useful bonuses and unlock additional features that enhance future adventures, creating a satisfying gameplay loop where preparation becomes nearly as important as combat itself. Watching the base grow alongside the protagonist reinforces the feeling of building an organization capable of standing against overwhelming evil. Combat remains engaging because it emphasizes positioning, planning, and efficient use of abilities instead of relying solely on higher character levels. Every encounter demands attention, especially when stronger enemies and elaborate boss battles appear. Boss fights introduce unique mechanics that require adapting strategies rather than simply overpowering opponents with better equipment. This variety prevents the dungeon-crawling formula from becoming repetitive, encouraging players to constantly rethink their approach as new challenges emerge. One of the game's greatest strengths is its personality. The writing constantly balances absurd comedy with sincere moments of determination and friendship. It affectionately pokes fun at superhero conventions while still celebrating the genre's themes of courage and self-sacrifice. The supporting cast is filled with eccentric characters whose exaggerated behavior contributes to the game's lighthearted atmosphere, making conversations just as entertaining as the battles themselves. Despite its comedic tone, the story manages to deliver meaningful character growth that gives emotional weight to the protagonist's unlikely journey. Visually, the game reflects its handheld origins with colorful sprite work, expressive character portraits, and charming animations. Although it lacks the graphical sophistication of modern RPGs, its vibrant art direction and memorable character designs have aged surprisingly well. The soundtrack complements the action with energetic battle themes and cheerful melodies that reinforce the heroic spirit while matching the game's humorous style. Together, the audiovisual presentation successfully captures the feel of an exaggerated superhero adventure. The biggest obstacle for newcomers is the game's complexity. Multiple interconnected progression systems, extensive customization options, and roguelike mechanics can initially feel overwhelming. Learning how everything works requires patience, and some unlucky dungeon layouts can occasionally create frustrating situations. However, players willing to invest time into mastering its mechanics will discover a remarkably rewarding experience with substantial depth and replay value. ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman remains one of the more original entries in the roguelike RPG genre thanks to its inventive blend of tactical gameplay, persistent progression, and unapologetically eccentric storytelling. It successfully transforms a simple parody into an engaging adventure filled with meaningful customization, satisfying strategic combat, and an entertaining cast of characters. Although its older presentation and steep learning curve may not appeal to everyone, fans of challenging dungeon crawlers and quirky Japanese RPGs will find an experience that remains both memorable and surprisingly addictive long after the credits roll. Rating: 8/10

This is a Nippon Ichi game with a bit of a twist on their usual TRPG chinanigans. It's kind of a mix between a true rogue-like dungeon crawler and a strategy game. Enemy characters will move towards and engage you once you enter into their cone of vision, so avoiding fights is also a strategy. You can pick up items found in a dungeon, and these will give you additional abilities or stat boosts - the way the magic/specials work in this game is a bit odd - you have to prime them, then use them. So a special will take two turns to use - you can prime them move around and then activate them once they will hit an enemy, so there's a strategy around the use of those too. When you defeat a dungeon and exit, you'll return back to level zero when you go back into a dungeon. Still, your base stats will have improved, so it's a case of going through the dungeons lots of times, getting strong enough to return to the real Earth (as you end up in Bizzaro Earth as part of the story). The story is typical NIS style, quirky with a sometimes off-beat sense of humour. It's fun enough to stop you from skipping, and the main sections are voice-acted well enough. Overall I think it's well worth the £17 asking price (definitely better than the £70 over-priced Disgaea 6) and different enough from the usual NIS titles to justify its existence. For this reason, I give it 8 Laharl Laughs out of 10. Muhaaaaaaaahahahahahahaha.

is good

ZHP Is an excellent mystery dungeon style dungeon crawler. It has a fun stat-leveling and progression system, and is overall quite casual in terms of difficulty - so it makes for a fun experience with low stakes. The humor is great, if a little dated, and the story was a blast to play through. My only complaint is that there's no post-game content. Basically. the story ends and that's that - you can replay it as many times as you want to see the different endings, but besides there there's sadly nothing else to do. And I want more, damn it! One can only hope this can get a sequel, just like Phantom Brave will be getting after 20 years!

NIS makes another hit with ZHP! There's a ton of satire in the writing, but it's a whole lot of fun to play and get stronger on step by step. As always, part of the fun in these games is to learn the combat system and how to optimize leveling up to grow stronger. Others say that 16 dungeons were removed, which is saddening, but thankfully I was not able to fully notice this issue since I'm new to the series.