Heroine Anthem Zero -Sacrifice- Reviews

A very pleasant little surprise of a game. Being a visual novel dweeb, my interest was very much intrigued from what I could find on this series. And in that department, this release didn't disappoint. It is a metroidvania, but a VERY simple, bare bones one. And you can definitely play through it without ever experiencing anything that typically makes up a metroidvania other then the gameplay itself. There is a small piece of side content that I believe was included as an update/DLC. However, this does seem to serve more as introduction to it's sequel, rather then being a whole game in itself. So not much on offer other then the main story itself. If you're going into this wanting a metroidvania, this will not be a good use of your money. But if you're interested in the 2nd game, and are down to dive into what's mostly VN with the bulk of the gameplay being towards the end, and you're fan of stellar audio design, music, and gorgeous visuals, you'll probably walk away from this the same way I did, pleasantly surprised, and excited to tackle the sequel (which I briefly checked out to see how much the game improved over the first on the surface, and BOY HOWDY it is a massive improvement as soon as you boot it up).

This feels more like a prologue and a prototype than anything, MOST of the game is dialogue and worldbuilding, the gameplay is serviceable but I can't call it good, there's only about 2 hours of actual combat and exploration in this, and it's not exactly what I'd call satisfying or interesting. As far as translation goes it's pretty barebones, yeah you can understand pretty much everything but it has typos and a lot of sentences are badly written, it's minor stuff but it's very noticeable. This game has BEAUTIFUL artwork and a stellar soundtrack, those are by far the best points in this game, in my opinion that alone makes this game worth recommending, seriously, go listen to the soundtrack. If you're looking for good gameplay this is not worth your time, this is a dialogue-focused experience and it will shove loredumps in your throat and you'll like it (or not). The story seems interesting, sadly this game ends in a cliff-hanger. It sets up the sequel very well but I'd say it's not really needed in order to enjoy it since it has a very nice recap at the start.

I thoroughly enjoyed this game, and I’d recommend it to fans of fantasy stories and beautiful music—provided they can tolerate poor English translations and a lot of dialogue (this game is about 80% story). There were many aspects I loved, but also quite a few that needed significant improvement. [h3]What I Liked:[/h3] [b] The Music[/b] – Absolutely fantastic. It far exceeds the quality you'd expect from a game like this, perfectly fitting the tone and world. Even when looping, it's a pleasure to listen to. I have nothing but praise for it, and I’m glad they maintained this standard in [i]HA:Zero 2[/i]. [b] Art Direction & Quality[/b] – The visuals are polished and professional. The background art is stunning, and the character CGs feel lively, highlighting each character’s personality. Even supporting characters and town folk have high-quality portraits, making the main village feel bustling and alive. And of course, I have to mention the fanservice CGs—they’re [i]spicy[/i] as hell. [b] Character Designs[/b] – A crucial aspect of any story-driven game, and this one delivers, especially with the more lewd designs of the female characters. [b] The Story & Characters[/b] – While opinions may vary, I personally enjoyed the story and its cast. Wanin is a likable protagonist—friendly, if a bit plain. His little sister, Naire, and his fairy companion, Momo, are also very endearing. Some players found the story unfocused, but I disagree; it’s clear that Episode One is laying the groundwork for future installments. [b] Japanese Voice Acting[/b] – The voice work is excellent, featuring well-known talent like Yusuke Kobayashi ([i]Subaru from Re:Zero[/i]). It’s unfortunate that [i]HA:Zero 2[/i] couldn’t include voiced scenes, but given the studio’s struggles after the mixed reception of this game, it’s understandable. [h3]What Needs Improvement:[/h3] [b] Combat[/b] – To put it bluntly, the action is extremely barebones. There’s no dodging or blocking—you can only evade by jumping. There are only two attack variations: normal attack and charge attack. The normal attack combo feels weightless. While each weapon has a unique charge attack with different uses, it’s not enough to make combat feel engaging. That said, the movement is at least fluid. [b] Exploration[/b] – Severely lacking. At least 60% of the playable areas are just straight-line paths with minimal verticality or detours. Even the more open areas don’t offer much. Additionally, it’s often hard to tell whether a lower section is a platform or a death pit. [b] Dialogue-Heavy Gameplay[/b] – I’d describe this game as more of a text-based adventure than an action platformer. Personally, I expected this going in, so I wasn’t disappointed—but many players were. Since about 80% of the game is dialogue, it’s not for those who dislike reading or expected something like [i]Ender Lilies[/i]. The only major playable areas come in the final chapter. [b] English Translation[/b] – This is a major issue. A story-heavy game like this desperately needs a proper translation, but unfortunately, this problem remains unaddressed in the sequel. The Japanese voice acting helps make the dialogue more digestible, but with [i]HA:Zero 2[/i] lacking voiceovers, the translation flaws stand out even more. I really hope the developers fix this for the third entry. I also have minor pet peeves, like useless items and monster drops, but overall, the gameplay feels barebones and underdeveloped. Fortunately, most of these issues were addressed or improved in the sequel. I hope the developers continue refining the franchise and expanding their English audience.