Hero Academy (iOS) Quick Look Impressions

Jan 21, 2012 by jerry    No Comments    Posted under: Quick Look, Videogames

First, for the benefit of selling you on the game and having more people to play against, let me bore you with basic gameplay details. Hero Academy is a new iOS multiplayer grid-based strategy game. The multiplayer aspect happens asynchronously… you know, like when you take a turn and the person you’re playing against takes minutes/hours/days/weeks/months/years/decades/etc. too long to take theirs and you’re sitting there on the toilet and your legs are falling asleep and you’re convinced gravity is slowly pulling your intestines out of your sphincter. Like that.

The strategy part of the game comes in how you deploy and use the randomized units and items that appear at the bottom of the screen. This is your “hand” and you can play any of these items during your turn. Playing something from your “hand” opens up room for more randomized items or units to appear in  your hand from your reserves. There is a limited number of units and items in your reserves during a game, so you will want to be prudent with how you use items and you will have to be careful about whether you want to send a unit into battle as a sacrificial lamb. Deploying a unit, using an item, moving a unit or attacking an enemy all count as a move, of which you get five per turn. Of course there are different unit types which are good at different things. I would explain them but you could just play the game and find out yourself like I did, lazy ass. Ultimately you win by destroying your enemies’ crystal(s) and there are special panels on the ground that give your units a boost to help defend or attack.

I’ve only managed to complete one game at this point with several other games currently on the go (HURRY UP AND PLAY YOUR TURNS YOU ASSHOLES) and I lost because my opponent stormed my crystal. So while on the surface this might seem like a relatively simple game, there are layers of strategy here as you decide which units to use items on, whether to go in and finish off a weakened opponent and leave yourself open for counterattack, or whether you have adequate defences for your crystal. It’s unlikely any two games will unfold in the same way and that adds to the long term appeal to the game and speaks volumes for the game design. I’m still figuring out the nuances, but this is compelling stuff.

The nature of the game is pretty appealing in that (aside from toilet time) most of us don’t really have a whole lot of time for gaming on our iPhones, so it’s pretty easy to play a turn and leave the game and return to it whenever you get a moment knowing you’re likely to have someone waiting to continue their game with you.

If there are negatives,they would have to be that this game is “free” and ad supported. While they aren’t intrusive, the ads are the super terrible kind that you’re probably used to seeing on shitty blogs and offer nothing appealing. Also, there is only one hero team available for you to play as in the free version. In order to play as the Dark Elves, whose units have unique attributes, you have to purchase them for $2. Doing so will also disable the ads. On one hand I can appreciate the business model, but it also feels a bit unfair that if you don’t pay, you can’t play as this other team and go head to head on equal footing with those that have. I’m not convinced the Dark Elves have any inherent advantages, but it leaves a bad taste.

All said, I’m having a blast with my free version (though I am contemplating a purchase), and anyone looking for a worthwhile experience on their iOS devices should give it a shot.

(My in-game name is snorggy. Come at me bro)

Got anything to say? Go ahead and leave a comment!