KickStarter Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption - adventure-RPG from the creators of Quest for Glory

[MRY]

Another review is up, but it's unfortunately fairly negative: https://oldgrizzledgamers.com/reviews/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption-review-pc-the-worst-kind-of-fun/ That said, its criticisms sound somewhat like selling points.

Also, the more I look at the portraits, the more I like their absurd expressions. DarkUnderlord, Infinitron any way we can get Shawn O'Conner trolls or avatars? They are totally meme-ready. Tell me that panicked face from the character sheet wouldn't be a perfect reaction troll for bad news? Or the smug crypt one for when you're enjoying schadenfreude? Or this one for when someone is getting angry at you and you want to provoke them further:

In terms of expressiveness, I'm actually starting to think these might be the best portraits this side of AOD.

 

[Alpan]

Sorry to disrupt the thread a little bit, but seeing AoD portraits mentioned reminded me of how awesome those were. Who was the artist?

 

[Big Wrangle]

Sorry to disrupt the thread a little bit, but seeing AoD portraits mentioned reminded me of how awesome those were. Who was the artist?

It's Mazin Kassis.

 

[bertram_tung]

What a fucking idiot.

I'm just wondering if it's possible to play as a normal person instead of a transsexual.

It seems like a really odd design choice. I'm curious how they explain it in the game. Not curious enough to pay for it unless I can opt to play a normal person though. Does this option not exist? Maybe a good opportunity for modders.

 

[mediocrepoet]

What a fucking idiot.

I'm just wondering if it's possible to play as a normal person instead of a transsexual.

It seems like a really odd design choice. I'm curious how they explain it in the game. Not curious enough to pay for it unless I can opt to play a normal person though. Does this option not exist? Maybe a good opportunity for modders.

The character isn't a transsexual, you moron.

 

[SerratedBiz]

I'm just wondering if it's possible to play as a normal person instead of a transsexual.

It seems like a really odd design choice. I'm curious how they explain it in the game. Not curious enough to pay for it unless I can opt to play a normal person though. Does this option not exist? Maybe a good opportunity for modders.

You're just as bad as the SJWs that you oppose. Let that sink in, that you're every bit as bad and loathsome as the fanatics you hate.

Fucking nuCodex, we judge games based on the coloring of the character portraits in the dialogue.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Trolls gonna troll. Thicken up that skin and play good games, it’s the only defense.

 

[bertram_tung]

why are you guys so angry? I'm just asking if there is an option to play as a non transsexual character... If not, it seems like something that could easily be modded so the game can have a bigger audience


maybe you are angry at my choice of words? would you prefer if I use the term crossdresser? That's what you call a male who wears blush and lipstick and eyeliner and has a woman's haircut, right? please educate me if I am wrong, I didn't want to assume the character's gender, so I was trying to use the preferred PC nomenclature... is it a gender-queer? let me know the correct word to use so i don't spark such vitriolic responses from my progressive codexer friends

We can all agree this protagonist is not a straight cis-male, right? I mean, i'm pretty sure if you showed that picture to people without any context they would not guess male


perhaps I have it all wrong and the character is intended to be a lesbian...

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

maybe you are angry at my choice of words? would you prefer if I use the term crossdresser? That's what you call a male who wears blush and lipstick and eyeliner and has a woman's haircut, right? please educate me if I am wrong, I didn't want to assume the character's gender, so I was trying to use the preferred PC nomenclature... is it a gender-queer? let me know the correct word to use so i don't spark such vitriolic responses from my progressive codexer friends

I think the word you're looking for is "transvestite".

I think the word the rest of us are looking for is "shitposter".

 

[bertram_tung]

maybe you are angry at my choice of words? would you prefer if I use the term crossdresser? That's what you call a male who wears blush and lipstick and eyeliner and has a woman's haircut, right? please educate me if I am wrong, I didn't want to assume the character's gender, so I was trying to use the preferred PC nomenclature... is it a gender-queer? let me know the correct word to use so i don't spark such vitriolic responses from my progressive codexer friends

I think the word you're looking for is "transvestite".

I think the word the rest of us are looking for is "shitposter".

Ok, sorry, if transvestite is the preferred nomenclature we can all agree on, I am fine with that. The character is a transvestite, I understand now. I'm glad you also came to the same basic conclusion that the character is not a straight cis-male, an observation that any rational person would accept as self evident

So, back to my original question... Is it possible to play as a non transvestite? Is there any rationale provided by the creators of why they chose a transvestite protagonist? it seems like a very unusual design choice, almost anachronistic for the setting.. are there any plans to include a normal protagonist as an option for added dlc? I'm sure plenty of people would be willing to pay for that option. good opportunity for devs

 

[Big Wrangle]

I guess that also makes Tintin a transvestite then.

 

[TheWorld]

Finished the game, clocking in at 23 hours. Here's my thought.

First of all, this is really a good game. I was expecting a huge disaster and was proven wrong. It's not a masterpiece, there are definitively points that can be improved, but it's really good.

The writing is very good. It's crazy the amount of hotspots that they managed to cram into the game. There are many bad puns, but this is part of the charm. While the characters are very cliché they work in the hero school context, and contribute to the charm of the game. The background lore is very good, and one of the best parts is how the game manages to switch between the silliness and the tragic story of the ancient heroes with such ease. What's missing from this point of view is some standout characters. While all the characters where nice and grew up on me, the game misses a rakeesh or an erasmus. I also enjoyed the ending. It's low key but the whole game sets up quite nicely the next titles.

One problem with the game is that the second semester feels much emptier than the first. Most of the time the recreation room was empty. I would have removed some of the many background object descriptions and put more care into this aspect... also sometimes the game doesn't take into account some of the events. For example, i started romancing Esme, and Aeolius got in love with her. I didn't have the option to tell him "dude... you're late". There are more examples of weird timing behaviors in events.

The school aspect is handled pretty well. I don't get why so many people have problems with the timing aspect. The first few days it can look to strict, but actually the game is very well balanced. You have the time to do everything you need and want to do. The best moments to explore are the days without classes. There is no need to grind and train a lot... actually I feel that the number of days is a bit too high. I spent a few days without really having anything to do.

The combat system is nice, definitively better than everything the Coles have done before. You have lots of tools and different tactics. The problem is more with the enemies and encounter design. There is just not enough variety, and so at the end of the day I was usually just throwing one or two traps and stabbing monsters. The Coles are definitively on the right track here anyway. Some more variety in monsters, some better terrain and the combat would be very good.

All the dungeons were pretty nice, excluding the catacombs. All the rooms there looks too similar. It's a pity because the quests in the catacombs are pretty nice. My favourite dungeon was the sea caves. Really nice area, particularly the cave with the sea serpent.

One other criticism that I can give the game is that there are very few set-pieces. All the qfg games (excluding five...) had some really god set-pieces. We need at least a couple of sequences like the wizard's duel in qfg3, or the harem sneaking in qfg2. The closest we got was the fight against the monster in the sea caves, but at the end of they it's a cut-scene... they could have made it interactive.

Overall I'm very pleased with the game. It's funny and it has charm. Most of my problems with it would be solvable with some extra work, but I don't think that the Coles have the budget to flesh out points like the second semester... I hope the sales start being a bit better and we get a sequel to this game.

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/transolargames/hero-u-rogue-to-redemption/posts/2264356

Rogue to Redemption Publicity and Patch 2

They Like Us!
Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption is off to a great start including some nice press coverage. I’m occasionally updating https://steamcommunity.com/games/375440/announcements/detail/1715194885562614837 with new coverage.

Some review quotes:

• PC Gamer: “Hero-U is a worthy successor to Sierra's Quest for Glory.”
• Kotaku: “... a wealth of backstory, role-playing elements, puns.”
• Kotaku: “This is a fun new way to experience some classic old-school adventuring.”
• Emotional Multimedia Ride: “a love letter to classic fantasy with a bit of humor thrown in.”
• Adventure Gamers: “a well-designed and inviting experience”
• RageQuit (Greece): “Hero-U exceeds the sum of its parts to deliver an experience that is part journey through time, part heartfelt tribute to an innocence you believed long lost and a damn addictive game in its own right.”
• Robert Aspinall: “It's like Persona had a baby with Quest for Glory, and the baby grew up, and she's totally hot.”
• ComicGate: “After the grim games of recent years, it is refreshing to dive into a world where doing good feels damn good.”

Testing Game Improvements
We've pushed a beta test version of "Patch 2" to Steam. If you want to help us verify that it's ok to release this build, right-click Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption in the Steam app, choose Properties, then the BETAS tab. Select "beta - Build Candidate" click "CHECK CODE" - there is no password.

Notable changes in this build:

• We upgraded to Unity 5.6.6. This could affect lighting, movies, or other issues.
• We fixed the Bossa Nova achievement; it is possible to obtain now.
• We fixed romance issues with Thomas and Joel.
• Some door and wall collisions have been fixed.
• A quest involving the Librarian now works if you complete it before getting the quest.
• Shawn can sell more excess equipment.
• Assorted graphical polish.
• We improved the technical manual resolution and fixed errors in it.

Please report any problems you find to the Hero-U bug forum - http://www.hero-u.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=41&sid=96f2bf7a48f4dcabdb9ddc96a420fe5f. Caution: Some posts there contain spoilers. For now, please prioritize serious problems; we need to get a patch out that fixes those, and we will continue to improve the game for future patches.

We will push beta test builds of future patches from time to time, so be sure to go back to "NONE - Opt out of all beta programs" if you want to have a guaranteed stable build. Your saved games should work in any of the builds.

As usual, contact support (at) hero-u (dot) net if you have problems.

What's Next?
After this patch goes live, I will post another update with information about our upcoming projects and physical rewards fulfillment. We are currently working on the Art Book, Bestiary, and Soundtrack, to be followed by the Yearbook and Hint Guide.

Bestiary Cover

Art Book Cover

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Robert Aspinall: “It's like Persona had a baby with Quest for Glory, and the baby grew up, and she's totally hot.”

 

[MRY]

Need room for two Kotaku quotes.

 

[evdk]

Some review quotes:

• PC Gamer: “Hero-U is a worthy successor to Sierra's Quest for Glory.”
• Kotaku: “... a wealth of backstory, role-playing elements, puns.”
• Kotaku: “This is a fun new way to experience some classic old-school adventuring.”
• Emotional Multimedia Ride: “a love letter to classic fantasy with a bit of humor thrown in.”
• Adventure Gamers: “a well-designed and inviting experience”
• RageQuit (Greece): “Hero-U exceeds the sum of its parts to deliver an experience that is part journey through time, part heartfelt tribute to an innocence you believed long lost and a damn addictive game in its own right.”
• Robert Aspinall: “It's like Persona had a baby with Quest for Glory, and the baby grew up, and she's totally hot.”
• ComicGate: “After the grim games of recent years, it is refreshing to dive into a world where doing good feels damn good.”

conspicuous absence of a certain Prestigious Tier 1 review site

Get drunk and write our own.

 

[Infinitron]

At least we're in the review list in that Steam post.

 

[Invictus]

Anybody know how well this is doing? It was on the top of the GOG sales list but now it seems nowhere to be found

 

[MRY]

As of July 14, they had sold 1,000 copies on Steam and GOG. Not clear if that included presales. Based on the total number of reviews on Steam from before and after that date (there are more before it), I would guess they've sold maybe another 1,000? I think they had to sell 20,000 or something to break even?

 

[Invictus]

As of July 14, they had sold 1,000 copies on Steam and GOG. Not clear if that included presales. Based on the total number of reviews on Steam from before and after that date (there are more before it), I would guess they've sold maybe another 1,000? I think they had to sell 20,000 or something to break even?

Fucking hell...that is so harsh man, I bought 2 copies and felt that the game needs a bit of polish but it should be selling more than that, if any of the bigger youtubers like SBH did a piece it would help tremendously since all the mainstream media just generally ignored it, and yes that includes that fluff piece on PC Gaymer that didn’t even include a review

 

[Lhynn]

As of July 14, they had sold 1,000 copies on Steam and GOG. Not clear if that included presales. Based on the total number of reviews on Steam from before and after that date (there are more before it), I would guess they've sold maybe another 1,000? I think they had to sell 20,000 or something to break even?

They knew this would happen. People warned them and they said they knew. Its a nice game they knew wouldnt sell but made anyway.

 

[Boleskine]

Going near $40 is tricky because that's where you start competing with bigger titles that have far more marketing and/or appeal. Hero-U is a tough sell because at first glance someone might not have a good idea of what the game actually is. The art and character portraits might give a false impression to a passerby that it is a "casual" game. Some reviews and descriptions make Hero-U sound more like a time management sim than an adventure/RPG.

As a matter of time investment, consider that a reviewer may need 30 hours to beat Hero-U. Those 30 hours could also go into playing something like Far Cry 5, D:OS2, or PoE2. Alternatively 2-3 shorter games could be completed in that time. A review of Hero-U would probably not generate as much traffic as reviews from those other games. I'm just speculating this could be one major reason for the gaming media's lack of coverage, with another being the uncertainty with the game's launch on July 9-10 and some issues with coordinating release and reviews.

Compare that to Unavowed's release date being set at least a couple weeks in advance. Wadjet Eye sent review copies of the game far enough ahead of release to give reviewers time to complete game (which takes 8-10 hours), write a review, and publish it on release day. Corey did send out review copies and had plenty of requests, but for a lesser known game like Hero-U the window of opportunity after release is smaller. By the time those people finish the game and write their reviews, many potential buyers have moved onto something else.

It's probably not as bad as it seems. There will be sales and bundles. The Coles will at least break even but it's going to take awhile.

For people who played Hero-U, do you think they made the game too big or long? Would the concept and gameplay still have been effective if it was a 10-12 hour experience? It sounds like Hero-U was quite a passion project for the Coles, and they succeeded in achieving their vision, but maybe they would have been better off reducing the scope or size of the game so they wouldn't have to bet the farm on it.

 

[Flint]

As of July 14, they had sold 1,000 copies on Steam and GOG.

Holy shit, what a disaster. They had a perfectly sensible pitch during the kickstarter - a simple game using available 2d engine from MacGuffin's Curse. Then it somehow sprawled into a shitshow of custom engine, which had to be rewritten by different pajeets as they jumped ship and burned through Coles' limited funds. Hell, they could have been developing the third title in the series by now if they had stuck with the original premise ALL THE WHILE doing more actual writing and having less management headache and stress. Shame.

 

[MRY]

They gambled. It's not clear whether they lost the bet or not, but Corey has written a lot on Quora about the thrills of gambling and why successful people do it even when the odds are long.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

From what I can tell(admittedly not much, as this is not a talent I share), Corey also really understands how to move money around, which is perhaps the most important skill a budgeting manager can possess.