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0 One True Hero is a quirky fantasy action/adventure game from Rat Cliff Games released on 20th October 2022. The game is available to buy with a 20% launch discount on Steam right now. I got the chance to recently journey through the world the game has to offer. After seeing the trailer boasting quirky gameplay, comic/cartoon animations and tons of humour, I felt I had to play it.
DIAMONDS! EVEN MORE DIAMONDS!… OH, AND SOME ADVENTURING.
Plucked from obscurity, the one true hero happens to be an everyday farmer! Chosen by mystical forces he is set on a quest to save the lands in which he lives. A common adventure game trope and the game developers know it. Regardless, I buy into that story time and time again. Do you enjoy action/adventures where the underdog gets chosen to go onto bigger things? Let us know in the comments your favourite game where this is a theme or even if you just enjoy games like this.
Gameplay
The game offers up a barebones settings option and a menu screen, without much to look at. Starting up the game you are welcomed by a short animation without too much of a storyline. At first, that is. You are interrupted by the narrator partway through following the usual tutorial commands. The meta-narrator claims we’ve heard this origin story countless times before and offers up a simple story of a farmer chosen to be the hero. This sets the theme for the rest of the game. A quirky cartoonish action adventure, full of funny narration.
As you make your way through the tutorial level you get comfortable with the controls. You are also introduced to the diamonds. These you collect by exploring the world you find yourself in. It grows to be a bit of an addiction, well, for me at least. At the beginning of the game, they are just dotted around everywhere but later are used more as an affirmation that you are going the right way. These diamonds are collected to access puzzle areas, which happened to be the most challenging set of platforming around! These areas were tough with moving platforms moving in all directions requiring accurate timing and judgment. The satisfaction and relief in completing them though were great to feel. The reward wasn’t a new weapon, however, but another goal to hit, which I felt slightly disappointed about.
The combat is very cartoonish and very satisfying. With “woosh” trails and flashes you make short work of any enemies. The game offers up a rudimentary skills tree to add attacks and skills to your arsenal. Skills points are acquired through combat and exploration. Exploration is so much fun due to the ability to sprint around at speed, the ability to jump far, and wall climb. Along the way, you also find puzzles ranging from levers to move obstacles, moving boxes around, and floating platforms. All the puzzles felt challenging enough and never felt like a chore.
You meet bigger enemies as you progress even more through the game offering up a bigger challenge. these larger foes range in size and all have weak points that you must strategically attack. For example, a small bear kind of creature has a weak point on its back. A well-timed couple of strikes to its flank made short work of it. Another boss required you to climb onto it to attack the evil weeds, that presumably made it evil. All of this made for great gameplay.
Graphics & Audio
The graphics were very simple, but in line with its cartoonish theme. The detail was instead put into making sprawling landscapes full of houses, mountains, obstacles, and challenges. There was enough variety of houses to make the village you start off in varied and interesting. You do speed past these buildings, sometimes over them, exploring the open world looking for diamonds. Some of the main buildings you visit are designed reminiscent of the style of Mario 64 with intricate stained glass which was great to see.
The animation of the cut scenes was well done. These came across as a cartoon in their own right full of quirky animation styles and expressions. I didn’t skip a single one of these as they were so full of humour, great voice acting, action, and entertainment.
The audio that accompanies you on your adventure is equally as good and changes from area to area. I noted the change in tunes ranging from a sombre piano melody to a more upbeat Christmas-style tune, which for some reason reminded me of the music from Home Alone as I explored an orphanage. All the music was fitting with the game and never distracted you.
Longevity
The game offers up many an hour’s worth of gameplay. Initially, you are led to believe it’s a simple and short adventure, but as you encounter characters who give you quests and your traversal across the world you are in, you find it may take some time. This time however is entertaining as you come across puzzles, obstacle climbing, enemies to defeat, and areas to explore which are equally challenging and fun to complete.
Final Thoughts
One True Hero offers up at first glance a simplistic and basic action adventure, but as you scratch beneath the surface you find a detailed and challenging 3D platformer full of interesting interactions, puzzles, and challenges. The game encourages you to explore and progress through the game with rewards and curiosity about what is around the next corner. It’s a game I’d recommend you to at least try out as I genuinely found it to be a fun, funny, and rewarding game experience.
I award One True Hero the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
If you enjoyed this review maybe check out my recent view featuring another action adventure called The Last Hero of Nostalgaia!
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