Not a Hero Review
Not a Hero could best be described as one part Broforce and one part Hotline Miami. This quirky niche game was surprisingly addicting. The retro style graphics and simple gameplay should entice gamers of all ages.
This game has a muddy plot. Well, there isn't really much of a plot. The Bunnylord has come back to the past from the future and wants to be elected as mayor of the world to save it. In order to show the populace he can be trusted, Bunnylord, in his purple glory, hires anti heroes to clean up the city.
The gameplay is simple, run and gun through each 2D stage. There are some powerups that are found in the form of new grenades and ammo for player’s guns. Players can slide to knock down enemies and follow this up with a pixelated execution. Players can also use slide to take cover against objects while transcending the stage vertically and horizontally. Health regenerates but be warned, it doesn't take too much to get killed. There are challenges for each level, some of them include collect all of these items, save the hostages, get to the exit in 140 seconds, or don’t get punched.
As the approval rating goes up for Mr. Bunnylord, gamers unlock new characters. Some of them have smaller guns or carry shotguns. Some dual wield weapons or can slide faster. After playing through several stages I found I prefered the character known as Jesus. He is really fast and has two machine gun pistols. This makes getting through the stages that have speed challenges much easier.
The music is upbeat, and the excessive violence with little spurts of gore also reminded me of Hotline Miami. Slide tackle one enemy and shoot them in the head while tossing a grenade through an open door? Works 90% of the time, until I forget to open the door.
Gamers will want to return to each stage to try to complete the challenges. I usually used the first few tries as a trial to get the layout of the stages. The timed challenges are often the hardest, but gamers will find out, you don't have to kill everyone, just slide tackle and move on. This is the first time in a long time I got hooked on playing one of the PS+ free games. I recommend it for anyone who is looking for a violent 2D game with some interesting features.
Final Score 4/5