I appreciate that 3D Dot Game Heroes sticks to the retro roots, but I wish the music wasn't quite so repetitive. The soundtrack is equally nostalgic, since it's in the 8-bit music like the 2D games of yesterday.
Otherwise, the world is full of pixilated life that made me reminisce about the good old days of dungeon spelunking. The water, on the other hand, is the shiniest and most "realistic" visual in the game. Everything, except for the water, is made to look like it's made up of many different pixels. Graphically this game is stunning in its simplicity.
There are also opportunities to upgrade your sword's strength, width, and reach at the local smithy, if you have the coin. Game Heroes keeps it interesting by adding new weapons to your inventory with every new dungeon. There's no leveling or grinding in this game, which may be a turn-off for some of you Final Fantasy or Disgaea fanatics. Correctly choosing the right weapon-from the list of bomb, bows and arrows, boomerang, grappling hook, or sword-can also be key to winning fights. That's right, you have to read dialogue, as 3D Dot Game Heroes lacks voice acting-just like the video games of yesteryear.īoss battles are in good old Zelda fashion-defeating the big baddies is a matter of timing, figuring out weakness, and using your environment to your advantage. Players actually have to read dialogue to figure out clues, instead of just than skipping through or half-heartedly paying attention. 3D Dot Game Heroes doesn't hold your hand you'll have to remember clues you've obtained. The dungeons you have to explore on your quest are comprised mainly of separate rooms that you'll have to unlock by gathering keys, obtaining new weapons to complete random tasks (of which some may or may not include blowing stuff up), or solving some good old-fashioned puzzles. When I did manage to kill my enemies, the mini-animations of them exploding into a bunch of tiny pixels were also really fun. The fact that its size was connected to my health made it all the more interesting-it shrunk in size as my character took damage. I had great fun wielding this gigantic broadsword against enemies. But 3D Dot Game Heroes doesn't completely rip off the Zelda series-Link never had a sword that was 3 times the size of his body. For example, a horde of chickens will attack if you assault one of their own-yet another direct reference to The Legend of Zelda franchise.ģD Dot Game Heroes borrows graciously from The Legend of Zelda in that you use weapons you pick up from temples to slay enemies, solve puzzles, and further your journey. They often ask you yes or no questions, such as "Will you go on this quest?" A "yes" answer prompt an explanation of the quest a "no" causes the NPC to respond "But that answer doesn't advance the story! You could have guessed that! Now take two…"ģD Dot Game Heroes knows its audience thoroughly, and plays to their retro knowledge accordingly. The retro/tongue-in-cheek theme continues when you communicate with NPCs (non-player characters). If you think that Lee sounds like a certain Navi from a certain The Legend of Zelda title, you're right.
You don't have to go alone Lee, a glowing fairy creature, tags along and often speaks in your stead. Your mission to save the world begins with a quest for the sword of legend. But as the legend faded and people lost interest in 2D worlds, the king decided to upgrade to 3D to revitalize tourism.
This personal touch pulls you deeper into the game-if you're willing to invest the time.ģD Dot Game Heroes' tongue-in cheek plot is revealed via still images telling the back story of Dotina, a 2D town saved from the forces of evil by a great hero. You use a 3D grid to build your character (block by pixilated block), select a color scheme, and design walking animations for your character. If none of these characters strike your fancy, there's an extensive character creation system for making your own hero, but it requires patience and a good eye. As I scrolled through pages of potential heroes (such as the President from Metal Wolf Chaos, a tank, or even Santa Claus), music reminiscent of Dragon Quest's themes played in the background. Old-school gamers will get the most out of this Sony PlayStation 3-only title those not weaned on 8-bit RPGs may not find it quite as charming.įrom the get-go, 3D Dot Game Heroes lives up to its name by letting me choose the type of pseudo-pixelated protagonist that I wanted to be as the star of the adventure. Gamers with a thirst for retro gaming nostalgia will find a lot to like in Atlus' 3D Dot Game Heroes ($39.99 list), a neo-retro fantasy game that borrows heavily from The Legend of Zelda, yet injects contemporary in-jokes and fourth wall-breaking commentary.
Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software.