Heroland

But even when it's not sounding like an improv group at a Bernie Sanders rally, Heroland is a gem. It's incredibly funny, the characters are some of the most charming I met all year, and its unique take on turn-based battles made a strategist out of me. I just wish I didn't need to do so much grinding to see the game through to the end.

Make no mistake, this is a very funny game, and you’ll soon be agonising over which of the delightful main characters is your favourite. Unfortunately, it’s not quite enough to hold up the entire game – some folks will automatically gravitate to what is admittedly a unique approach to the RPG genre, but a lot more will likely desire something a bit more hands-on.

Heroland has charming character art, hilarious dialogue, and a unique premise. Unfortunately, its style can't make up for its repetitive, monotonous gameplay and unwieldy length.

RPGs are one of the many genres of gaming I love, and there are different RPG types like turn-based RPGs, action RPGs, and so on. Although, I don’t know what to classify the game I am reviewing today as. That game is Heroland; I had interesting opinions on this title and my opinions changed over time as I played the game. What were those opinions? How do I feel now? Was Heroland a great joy, or was it a massive letdown? Let’s find out.

Heroland is a charming game that simply lasts too long. The first impression is super positive, reminding me of Half-Minute Hero and similar delightful titles, and for the first few hours, the gameplay strikes a good balance between engaging and hands-on. As time goes on, it starts to drag, and only the quality of the translation can help push the game over the finish line. If you can play Heroland on something portable, it is far easier to recommend, but it just doesn't have what it takes to be a sit-down-and-play game.

Heroland on the Nintendo Switch presents an RPG simulator where the player will manipulate the main elements that form a fantasy-themed roleplaying game. While the ideas are good and some aspects come out positively (such as the dialogues and the character models), their execution turns out rather poorly. With a dull and repetitive gameplay and little to entice the player to go further in their quasi-RPG experience, Heroland falls short of satisfying its expectations.

We are facing an original proposal, somehow removed from the dungeon RPGs thanks to its combat management system. Their large doses of humor and the varied and fun of their characters know how to make up a story that is easily followed and, of course, tries to laugh at the most common cliches of the genre.

Overall, Heroland is a fun little game. After a while it starts to become a bit grindy, though. You need engaging gameplay when things get grindy, and I feel like this game falls a bit short in that area. The tours feel more bland when you are just replaying them, and they take a bit too long due to the relatively slow pacing. The story dialogue only happens the first time you do a tour, which makes subsequent runs a bit faster. There are lots of hero characters to unlock and level up. The game also has tons of treasure items to collect (plushies, weapon replicas, and furniture for your room). So there is definitely plenty here to keep you busy for a long while. Heroland is available on the Nintendo Switch eShop for $39.99. You can also find it on PC (Steam) or on the PlayStation 4 store. Can you uncover Heroland‘s dark past, or will you be forced to work here for eternity?

You remember all those ideas people throw at the wall and don’t stick? Heroland manages to pick those ideas off the floor and use them as integral parts of its game design. If you’re looking for something to play over time that doesn’t require much concentration and doesn’t really grip you, Heroland is your game.

Heroland is a game that won’t be for everyone, as the gameplay loop is fairly short and the music as well as combat can quickly become repetitive, but it remains worth the price of admission.