NEOGEO Heroes is a hell shooter for the Sony PSP. The heroes are comprised of 10 SNK characters from the famous King of Fighters series. One feature that you don’t normally see in hell shooters is a health bar (the one in NEOGEO Heroes is similar to the health bar found in the KoF fighting series).
There are other shooters that use a health system, but nothing that comes close to the one used in NEOGEO Heroes. I like having a health bar; it allows you to sustain a few hits before dying. This feature does add that King of Fighters feel to the game.
There are five modes of play in NEOGEO Heroes:
Story mode is where you will be spending the bulk of your time playing, and each character has their own story; Sky Mode is arcade mode; Subject Mode is mission based; Boss Attack is survival; and Multi-Play allows you to play with one other person by using the PSP’s AD hoc system.
When you first start NEOGEO Heroes, it feels rather strange seeing your favorite King of Fighter characters flying over various terrain and shooting bullets. But you know what? It works, and works rather well even though it takes some getting used to.
What sets NEOGEO Heroes apart from other hell shooters is the unique grid system that allows you to choose your path through the story. This allows you to mix up the bosses and stages, thus preventing a non-linear experience.
Each of the 10 playable SNK characters come complete with their own attacks, stories and specials, making it a must to play them all. On top of all that, the characters have multiple endings – some with upwards of eleven different endings.
There is a section in the main menu called Museum. Here you can view your ranking (highest scores) along with character profiles and all the varies character endings that have been unlocked. You can also listen to every song from the game – including boss battles and menus.
The Museum is packed with so many things to unlock, it almost feels like a trophies list from a Playstation 3 title. This adds plenty of replay value for gamers looking to get more out of their games.
NEOGEO Heroes is a fast-paced hell shooter with plenty of boss battles to keep you entertained, and that is one thing that isn’t in short supply.
There are multiple difficulty settings ranging from very easy to very hard, all depending on your play style. There is also a feature that changes your screen configuration to either vertical or horizontal; both stretched and compressed. The compressed configuration produces a sharper resolution than the stretched configuration.
NEOGEO Heroes has really detailed character models and environments; there is no mistaking their origins or what game they come from. SNK staid true to their roots and designed a game that still captivates you the same way their older titles did back in the day.
The hand drawn art is crisp and perfectly illustrated. I personally like how the characters’ specials look when you execute them; it feels like you’re playing a fighting game instead of a shooter which is a nice touch.
NEOGEO Heroes is a unique shooter and a must-have if you’re a SNK fan. The only thing that is disappointing is how short each stage is; I really wished they were a bit longer before each boss battle. The boss encounters at the end of each stage is a bonus and it makes the game a real joy to play.
NEOGEO Heroes can be completed in under twenty minutes on any difficulty, but when you throw in the multiple endings and the ability to pick your own path, you are looking at hours of hell shooting mayhem on your favorite handheld system.
James ‘Daripp3r’ Pittaro
Platform: Sony PSP
Developer/Publisher: SNK-Playmore
Size: 250 megs
Price: $19.99 (Available on PSN)
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| The art is outstanding and the character models look like their KOF counterparts. | |
| Sound | |
| TThe music and sound effects are what you would expect from a KOF title (which means it rocks this department without a doubt). | |
| Gameplay | |
| NEOGEO Heroes is a great shooter that offers plenty of action. I wish the stages were longer - but on the other hand - the multiple endings and the path decisions that lead to the end create a different experience every time. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| NEOGEO Heroes is a must-have if you are a SNK Fan. | |
