Hey gang, Valkor here. We get loads of request to review mobile games and though I get my time in when on the road, reviewing them never seemed like an option. Mobile games are casual games, quick and easy, but also a lot of fun, which makes them the perfect device to past the time when on the go. So then I thought, why not give it a go on the review front just once and who knows maybe I'll start a TOV trend. So I'm breaking the seal with my first mobile gaming app review – Hello Hero. A game I discovered is right up my alley!
Hello Hero is a turn-based social RPG that's free-to-play on Android and iOS systems. In the game you gather a crazy assortment of heroes that range from gingerbread men, guitar playing cactus, pawn chess pieces, spear wielding sharks, plus hundreds of crazy type characters that you can collected after finishing a quest or purchasing. Once your initial team is set up then it's off to the battlefield. Hello Hero starts out as a top-down; however the screen can be adjusted for a side-scroll appearance. Your characters automatically move forward and attack, but using each characters skill effectively will get you through some of the roughest battles. Some have one while others have two and they can only be used once and then all skills are tossed into a cool down, with the slowest being the one skill you just used. After your enemy is defeated, then you're rewarded with either gold, new armor or a weapon (higher levels will yield better loot). You continue this way through ten stages within the level tackling standard enemies, mini bosses until you face the main boss, then moving onto the next stage. Each battle uses up stamina points and when you're out, you can either buy more stamina or wait until it fully refreshes.
So what happens when you run out of stamina? You have a second "energy" option, which you can use during Boss Raids (available every four days – I haven't done one yet), Arena fights (battle a random set of heroes at varying levels is the best way I can describe it), Dungeon Battles (battle boss enemies and their minions) or PvP battles (Player vs. Player - actually uses no energy, but you still gain experience and loot). And much like stamina, energy can also be replenished.
So once you're stamina and energy have been depleted and you don't wish to purchase a refill, you can head on over to the chatroom where you can make new friends, discuss different aspects of the game, and learn some nifty tips and tricks. I didn't know exactly what to do with the gold I collected, but a quick trip to the chatroom made it clear and improved my battles immensely when I figured out the upgrade option. It's also a great way to make new friends who you can either send or receive honor badges. You can also visit your friend's heroes and even leave them a message. If you're in game, just add "Valkor" and I'll be sure to send a badge or two your way almost daily.
The game uses four types of currency; first up is gold, which can be used to either upgrade your characters or revive them if they have fallen in battle. The upgrade works when you absorb another character into the one you want, increasing their attributes. Next is carats (type of gem), which can be used to refuel stamina/energy, buy XP boosts, extra characters or gold. Next are honor points, which you'll mainly acquire during Boss Raids, fights in the Arena, or fights in the dungeon and can be used to recruit no heroes or open a weapon/armor crate. Honor points, carats and gold can also be gained when you complete in-game quests. Finally you can use real money to buy extra carats.
There are a couple of other features in Hello Hero that I feel are worth mentioning such as the "Auto" and "2X" modes. With Auto the game plays automatically, even using your skills, while you watch the battle unfold. Great if you're at your desk or in the midst of whatever, but you want to level up your characters or tackle a boss without the interaction. And 2X increases the speed of gameplay. This is one feature I really enjoyed and I'll tell you why; I commute to work and I just entered a leaving as I was getting close to my stop. I switch on 2X and breeze through the level, finishing just as I reached my destination. There are a host of other features, but rather than delve any deeper, I say we dip our toes into the TOV Breakdown and see how this one measures up.
The Good:
For me, Hello Hero came about just after I survived Candy Crush withdrawal and I needed something new to play on the go. And if you're done crushing candies, tossing pissed off birds at smiling pigs, or matching gems, then why not give Hello Hero a try. It's perfect slice of entertainment for anyone into MMORPG or just RPGs in general and you're looking for something a little more casual. The game is fast yet it does have a little depth to it and when you're done playing with the main quest, there's still more for you to do. The backdrops are visually appealing with rich bold colors and lots of detail. And the animation amongst the characters and certain settings is very fluid. I love the chibi-style characters and the little touches to make them stand out. I mean where else can you battle alongside a shark or a guitar playing cactus? The music is superb and the audio effects work well. What I like most about the game is the AI, especially on the hero characters and how well it knows just who to attack and who needs to be healed teh most. And is it just me or do the little card soldiers sound like they're saying "ah suck" when they use their skill? Maybe it's just me. But I'm ttally digging Hello Hero, it's really loads of fun.
The Bad:
I don't care for the Auto feature. I get the reasoning behind it, but if you don't have the time to play then I say don't play until you havethe time. This next one is a nitpick, but I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to RPGs; sadly in Hello Hero, you can't simply remove an item from an equipped hero and keep it - it gets destroyed! It annoys me just a little because I can use that weaker item on a hero I just obtained, so at least when it's time to use him/her then they'll have some form of equipment on them. Finally you're characters are stuck with either one or two skills; the game is still very young and I hope in future updates you can train your characters to learn new skills to kinda mix things up a bit. I know I can form a completely new team with new skills, but even then it gets boring after awhile using the same skills over and over.
The Ugly:
N/A
Hello Hero is available now and it's free for Android and iOS. And if you're looking for a casual and fun RPG with some depth to it, then you'll definitely want to give this title a try. Though it seems simple, there really is more to it than meets the eye. I'm only a couple of days away from my first Boss Raid and I will be getting in on that action. But until then, out of TOV 5 stars, I give Hello Hero a 4 and it's been Valkor tested, TOV Approved!
