Half Minute Hero

Half Minute Hero, Super Mega Neo Climax, Ultimate Boy - (PC, X360, PSP).

Japanese people sure love sub-titles aren't they?
note that all the versions are vastly different. specially the PSP one. i'm reviewing the PC game.

The whole game is a parody on JRPGs. The parody is funny while not hurting the important elements of the game and keeping it enjoyable on its own accord.

Story: 2/3
You are an hero chosen by the time goddess to save the world from the evil lord that casting the doom spell.
Problem is, he already started casting it.. and he'll finish doing so in 30 seconds.
Then the world will end. sucks isn't it?
Luckily for you the *time* goddess can turn back time!
too bad she likes shiny things and will charge you a fortune for each rewind.
anyway, you somehow managed to deal with the outrageous pricing policy and beat the evil lord.. only to find another creature declared himself as an evil lord and started casting the spell. know what? some dude goes around the world teaching people how to cast an spell that can end the world in 30 seconds.. and it is your mission to stop them! all of them! while sidetracking for some fetch quests every now and then!
the goddess agrees to come with you to save the world.. no it isn't because you're a chicken that lays golden eggs.. where is your faith?

Gameplay 6/6
Think of an RPG game.. just really fast!
You have towns, shops, monsters that give you XP and money. side quests etc.
All of this is stuck neatly into the 30 seconds frame without making you feel too pressured.

I'll stray for a bit.
What kind of exam you guys have before the university / college?
We have the so called "psychometric exam" that forces you to answer tons of stupid question on different themes in really tight time frame.
If you had an similar experience, you'll know that 30 seconds is a long time! much longer than it actually sound.
If you never took that kind of exam.. well.. you can get this kind of experience from this game.. just much funner!

Battles in this game are kinda automatic.
Possible actions: 1. use healing item. 2. run away. 3. charge!
As effect of the time manipulation you'll lose all your levels after every mission and you'll have to grid for them again in the next one. Surprisingly that isn't an big deal and doesn't make the game griddy because every battle takes only a second..
This isn't an understatement. It really does take one second. How do i know that *exact* time frame? more on that latter.
In addition to your XP, after every mission you'll lose all your money. No, not because the time manipulation. This is the result of one greedy goddess looking for golden eggs. :P
One thing that you won't lose, is your equipment. so you'll find yourself replaying levels and looking for all those powerful swords hidden in caves or in the pockets of quest givers.
you'll also look for companions that will temporally join you and alternative paths to your goal.
you can see more here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlxOoi-TB_A#t=108s
1:48- 9:25

Graphics 2/3
you can to choose from new, a bit out of proportion "Neo-Graphic" or an old-school pixilaized NES-like "Classic-Graphic". (on the PSP you have only Classic)
here are pics in case you skipped the youtube vid.
http://tinyurl.com/ln3olkw
http://tinyurl.com/kmwertx

neither hurt your eyes nor is stunning.. but hey, they did gave you an choice.

Replayability 5/5
This game have TONS of content!
First of all, there is the main quest. it have an length fitting to a main quest. (i.e. it isn't short).
It have split paths and many different bad endings you can get.
Even after you cleared all the missions in all the routes and got all the equipment you can still play them to get the perfect rank in all of them. (hard).
if it was only that, it would have got the replayability score, but it have much, much more.
Clearing the main story (called Hero 30) you unlock "Evil Lord 30".
in that mode you play as a Good "Evil Lord" (i mentioned it's a parody right?)
he fights against the Evil "Evil Lord" and saves the world by mistake in the process.
When you'll finish it, you'll unlock "Princess 30" where you play as an shy princess with a split personality that goes crazy every time she holds her crossbow. your father got sick and you try to find a cure for him in the 30 seconds left before your curfew. oh and you somehow manage to save the world in the process.
Beating that you'll unlock "Knight 30" where you play as an loyal knight trying to protect an sage while HE goes around and saves the world.
Finally you unlock "Hero 300", yes the hero comes back and have to fight against the ultimate evil - evil lord on a huge map without time rewinds with 300 seconds on the clock.
the story ends in this mode but when you finish it, you'll unlock yet another one. "Hero 3" yup, new version of the Destruction spell that can be cast in 3 seconds. remember how i said before that i know for sure that battle lasts not more then a second? this is how i know that! you can do two battles and have enough time to just barely reach town and pay.. i mean pray to the goddess.
that's right. 3 seconds. on the clock. no discounts. and you thought 30 seconds was strict.
And you know what? for some reason the "Evil lord" till "Knight" modes are completely different depending on the graphic setting you use while you play them. weird.
How that for an replayability?

Bottom Line:  _

sorry couldn't resist.
Final Score: 8/10, polarization -2.
Funny game with unique gameplay that will sharp your reflexes.
if you didn't like the humor, or didn't play enough classic RPGs to get the parody, expect diminishing returns.