With the world readying itself for the imminent arrival of Final Fantasy XIII it’s the ideal time to sample this glorious parody of the Japanese RPG genre. But does Half Minute Hero have the depth to make it an enjoyable experience or is it merely a one-joke game? Delve into our Half Minute Hero for PSP review to find out.
The traditional Japanese role-playing game is the perfect subject for a spoof; with its fresh-faced teenage protagonists, random battles and melodramatic plotlines, it’s a genre which is positively ripe for a decent mickey take and Half Minute Hero is certainly up to the task.
With its intentionally pixelated visuals and witty script, this handheld release gleefully pokes fun at the RPG genre’s myriad shortcomings. However, these appealing aspects aren’t Half Minute Hero’s main selling point – that honour goes to the innovative game mechanic which sees each quest last approximately thirty seconds – hence the title.
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All of the usual exposition and scene-setting are jettisoned as soon as the clock starts ticking; half a minute is all the time available to save the world from total destruction. Granted, time is magically halted whenever you enter a village and it’s even possible to call upon the ethereal powers of the Time Goddess to reset the clock (for the right price in gold) but essentially you’re working against a strict limit which gives the game an incredibly tense feel.
In fact, to call this an RPG is erroneous; it’s actually more like a fast-paced arcade title with the bear minimum of role-playing window-dressing. Certain missions require you to visit a certain character or collect a particular item to progress, but essentially you’re guiding your hero on the fastest path possible to glory. Half Minute Hero even awards you a grade for the swiftness of your performance.
Once you’ve cut your way through the main quest mode you can tackle the other supplementary portions of the game which are equally enjoyable but slightly less substantial. In fact, Half Minute Hero’s biggest failing is that the core gameplay does become somewhat repetitive after a while; the challenge doesn’t falter but there’s a good chance that your interest will.
However, those of you that adore RPGs – and let’s not forget that despite Half Minute Hero’s playful jibes, it’s just as much a love song to the genre as it is barbed criticism – will appreciate the humour and lap up the tightly-paced gameplay which basically condenses every RPG you’ve ever owned into 30 action-packed seconds.
