– Advertisement –
3D platform adventure games have been a staple for many developers. Consequently, the genre has expanded and the ability to find a fantastic title amongst the trash isn’t easy. Obviously, there are some well-known names such as Zelda, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and so forth. However, my latest experience with One True Hero wasn’t so promising.
Developed by Rat Cliff Games and published by No Gravity Games, this is a 3D adventure platform experience. What’s more, its witty dialogue is tongue-in-cheek, and it mocks many of the tropes we’ve all come to love. As such, it should have been a lighthearted affair that fills you with mirth. Instead, it is a dire mess that is riddled with bugs. Moreover, much of the action is borrowed from other leading titles, but it is poorly executed. Accordingly, it taints the end product and leaves you feeling disheartened.
One True Hero tells a familiar story.
The clichéd approach starts with an all too familiar story. You are a young lad that is chosen by fate. With no skills and a feeble body, you shouldn’t be considered hero material. However, the gods have other ideas and you are gifted with a magical sword. This powerful tool helps you to slay wave after wave of creatures. Furthermore, your agility and eye for detail allow you to leap to great heights and clamber across narrow edges. By using his special powers, he can overcome the darkness and bring peace to a broken kingdom.
As you can tell, it lacks originality. Yet, there is a cute nature to the narration, and the fun characters add an amusing edge. What’s more, the villagers question your credentials, and this leads to many amusing moments. Alongside this, you are sent on many ridiculous quests as you must prove yourself to the surrounding communities. Yet, once the dust settles, the hero is held in high regard and the Baron is sent packing.
So many bugs.
The familiar story didn’t bother me. However, the lacklustre mechanics and poorly executed ideas were appalling. Furthermore, I lost count of the many game-breaking bugs. As such, I struggled to enjoy the funny moments, as they were always tainted by a plethora of faults. Whether you fell through the earth or you magically became invisible, it was annoying as hell. On top of this, my sword disappeared, and I once lost my legs. Subsequently, I laughed, but I’m not sure this was the finish that the developers desired.
This to one side, let’s talk about the boring mechanics. The game focuses on 3 key areas. There is combat, platforming, and collectables to “enjoy”. The latter revolves around “Hollow Shards”. These darkened crystals are essential if you wish to repair a realm from another dimension. However, finding them is pretty easy, and it quickly becomes tiresome. Alongside this, the platforming mechanics are dull and you’ll yawn as you climb ledges and walk across beams. Disappointingly, this doesn’t vary, and it offers a minimal challenge. Finally, the combat lacks originality and could have been plucked from any game. Wave after wave of creatures swarms as you slash and dodge their advances. Once the encounter is complete, you move on and forget it ever happened.
One True Hero belongs to the 90s.
I firmly believe that graphics don’t make a game. However, One True Hero tested my resolve. The horrendous graphics are complemented by the awful frame rate. Moreover, the sluggish animation and lifeless environments complete the package. Of course, you must also consider the terrible bugs that push you through the world or change your perspective altogether. Annoyingly, the finish is so awful that I’m amazed it was released. The developers must be aware of the mountain of issues they have created, but we’re happy with the end product, nonetheless.
On top of these calamitous errors, you have to endure terrible audio. Consequently, the music is dire, the sound effects are insipid and uninspiring, and you’ll sigh repeatedly. However, the saving grace is that the narration is well delivered. Yet, you must bear in mind the well-trodden nature of the dialogue as you move from one joke to another. In short, Rat Cliff Games has delivered a poorly optimised and subpar experience.
It goes from bad to worse.
If the presentation wasn’t bad enough, the controls ensure that things go from bad to worse. Moving the unlikely hero from point A to B is just horrendous. The camera angles are all wrong and you slip and slide off every surface. Moreover, the inputs are not responsive and the simplicity of the layout cements the developer’s lack of desire.
If you somehow overcome these hurdles, you’ll find a game that has a fun twist on the dungeon mechanics. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t enough to make you want to progress. Yet, if you can stomach the issues, you’ll have plenty of gameplay to get your teeth into. What’s more, there are plenty of bosses to defeat, lots of Hollow Shards to find, and plenty of creatures to slay. Therefore, there is longevity somewhere amongst the mire of tripe.
One True Hero borrows plenty of great ideas and ruins them all.
It’s rare that a game borrows heavily from leading titles but ends up being utter trash. Unfortunately, One True Hero somehow picks plenty of great mechanics and then ruins them. This tongue-in-cheek endeavour delivers an amusing story that is destroyed by oodles of bugs and a team that seemingly doesn’t care. Subsequently, its lack of polish and appalling optimisation makes it almost unplayable. Accordingly, I wouldn’t recommend this to my worst enemy. However, more information can be found here, if you so wish. If you want to undertake a fun and interesting adventure, I suggest you look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you want to have buyers regret, then look no further.
