One exciting thing about smaller developers is the opportunity to explore new ideas. They don’t come with the same expectations as a AAA developer, nor do they need a lot to make them work. This is what allows something like Hero Survival to exist. Instead of trying to make a genre defining epic, PigeonDev decided to explore the simple fun of gaming. Given there are so many experiences out there, is it a must play or something you can safely ignore?
At the start there is a very basic introduction to the world by a mysterious fellow referred to simply as the Time Lord. He welcomes you, Pwnmaster69, to this world that ultimately sets the tone of the experience.
He Looks Trustworthy
From here players need to survive endless waves of enemies that come from every direction. It’s simple enough to be engaging, though there also isn’t much to it. The experience is basically kiting around hoping enemies don’t overwhelm you. It’s very reminiscent of the surprising Steam hit, Vampire Survivors.
While the concept is engaging, especially on later levels, it stumbles in a couple avoidable ways. For instance, the first perk determines how a given run plays out. So if I select cyromancer, all of my upgrades generally build off that choice. This can make the roguelike elements more engaging, since it minimizes the negatives of RNG, it can also make things less interesting. I would see similar options multiple times, so instead of getting 10 different powers I might go from a 5 percent chance of freezing to 50 percent.
Post wave rewards are in a similar place. After surviving a wave four options will appear. These are either passive upgrades or a weapon. In most cases you’ll select a weapon the first three times, followed by branching out, though it depends on what is offered. You also have the option to roll again, it can just get costly.
Even levels can sometimes feel underwhelming. The slow build up is generally not the best, followed by levels having the same core loop. Bosses, various characters like honest Abe, and different enemies help change things up, though it never quite expands beyond the core idea of kiting.
Hero Survival Review Verdict
Hero Survival: In the grand scheme of things there isn't much to say about Hero Survival. Levels start by selecting your path, followed by building upon that base. It's engaging enough to get your money's worth, even if it doesn't resonate with you. It would be nice if there was more to do, had more variety, or hit the ground running, but enough is there to keep people engaged. So if you love Vampire Survivors, or just want to play something similar on a different platform it's worth checking out. Otherwise, there really isn't much else to see here. – Grant
Editor’s Note: Hero Survival was reviewed on PlayStation 5 and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.
