Underhero is another one of those games that you might’ve otherwise missed if you were not actively following its progress. More often than not, it takes a lot of perseverance and charm to get this far and Underhero is a quirky, exciting adventure that changes up the hero formula.
The Story
The game is played within a 2D side-scroller view and while it may feel compact, it’s accompanied with delightful, unique characters and a solid story of trying to save the world when you weren’t exactly cut out for the job in the first place.
You take on the role of an underling-turned-hero (the Underhero) and unknowingly tasked with saving the world. This puts the antagonist-turned-protagonist into quite the pickle because this obviously isn’t what he planned to happen.
The main character is another one of those silent-types, but the fluid animation and comical moments give him plenty of personality without ever really saying a word. You’re paired with the former hero’s sword that is capable of changing from a blade into a hammer and slingshot at will.
The dialogue is both quirky and cute which makes listening to all the passive dialogue quite the adventure. Each world hosts its own color scheme but they all end up coming off as vibrant and colorful instead of dull and dreary.
Going through each area filled me with excitement as I wondered what sort of enemies I would encounter and what kind of attacks they would use against me. Would I need to duck or jump when they attacked? Would I need to use my shield or bribe them with money because they were too strong? The enemy designs fit perfectly into the peculiar world of Underhero, however, at times I felt like there could have been a larger quantity of enemies between areas.
One thing that had me baffled throughout my play-through was how all of the enemies worked for the corporation led by the main boss in the game, Mr. Stitches, but they never seemed to question why one of their own was out attacking them in the field.
The Battle System
I expected to be faced with either turn-based battles or regular ol’ hack and slash when going about my journey and was met with something entirely different. People that are familiar with Undertale might see some similarities in Underhero’s battle system. Once you come across a monster you initiate a fight where you can talk to your opponent to get the occasional hint or even bribe them with your own hard earned cash so that they’ll leave you alone.
If throwing your money away doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, have no fear. Battling involves a little more thought in which you have to actually observe your opponent’s actions in order to predict which move they’ll use next. If predicted correctly, you’re able to dodge moves by jumping or ducking.
Time your own attacks perfectly in tune with the music to get extra damage but your attacks are also based on how much stamina you have which fills back up during the battle.
You can buy potions and other items from the shop back at the HQ as well as finding potions out in the field. The game isn’t overly difficult by any means but my complaint is the game occasionally experiences lag during battles which can make them go on longer than necessary or cause you to get hit by attacks.
There’s plenty of fun to be had in Underhero with mini-games, boss fights and puzzle elements with a little platforming thrown in. While you’re playing, you get to experience a phenomenal soundtrack composed by Stijn van Wakeren that I found myself listening to throughout the odd hours of the day.
Underhero isn’t an overly difficult game and if you ever think an enemy is too much to handle you can always just bribe them so that they will leave you alone. You’ll go broke, but at least you’re able to continue on your adventure.
Despite the presence of a few bugs, this game was designed by a team of only four people and offers roughly 15-25 hours of gameplay that will scratch that indie itch. If you’ve been needing a break from Dead Cells or Hollow Knight and just want to experience some witty comments and bash around a few monsters without a fear of losing your head, this is the next best thing.
It’s available for $14.99 on Steam, Gamejolt, and Itch.io
A demo for Underhero is still available on Gamejolt and Itch.io for those who need extra incentive.
