So, fellow gamers; I bet you’re asking yourselves, “But Sean, given what we now know of this BunnyLord character, what do we do in this game as the anti-hero hero?” Well that answer is fairly simple (or at least simple-sounding): to unreasonably use reasonable force in a sweet mix of run-and-gun gameplay and cover-based shootouts. NAH’s intuitive quick-snap cover system allows you to slide, roll, and dive into cover, dodging enemy fire before fighting back with plenty of executions (which are brutal kills that you can perform on a stunned enemy after sliding into them), tackles, and — of course — bullets.
Now don’t think for a second that you’re stuck with just some nameless, generic hero to help get you through the game’s entirety, when instead you have nine different heroes to choose from, each with their own distinct style and killing abilities. Each of the game’s characters have different characteristics that will affect how you control them. As you’re playing as most of the characters, you will have to be very careful when choosing to reload, because you won’t be able to move or cancel the reloading animation once it starts.
One character can move while reloading, while another can shoot to cancel the ammo reload just like how one character is very fast, but has very little ammo, but yet another character has plenty of ammo, but moves slow. Just keep in mind though that you don’t have all 9 characters right off the bat — you start off with one, and then have to unlock the other eight. And during your quest to help get BunnyLord closer and closer to becoming mayor, you go on primary and secondary (which are sometimes random) missions. But be forewarned that there will be unexpected mid-level events that will turn the tables on you in an instant. Everything from SWAT teams to suicidal samurais (and even the gun-toting elderly) will do whatever they can to stand between you and election victory.
NAH’s graphics absolutely rock with each level in 2D pixelated retro, and the attention to detail is absolutely amazing. The sounds also get a gracious nod, especially with the soundtrack, thundering explosions, and the delightful sound of bullet shells hitting the floor. The control scheme is very well done, without being complex or too difficult to master. And as for the gameplay, well it’s safe to assume that this game is jam-packed with three things: action, violence, and humor. So let’s discuss this said hilarious violent action, shall we?
In NAH, in order to help dear ol’ B.L. get elected as mayor, even the most mundane of tasks like putting up campaign posters or collecting wind chimes (yes, I said wind chimes; don’t ask) will involve leaving a trail of dead bodies, most of which die in a hilarious way-over-the-top fashion. Generally for the most part, you can run left and right, slide, and of course shoot. While the shooting is cover-based, you don’t actually need to be behind any kind of actual cover — just make sure that you’re at least kind of near it. Hitting the cover button on your controller often makes you just hug the wall, shrouding you in shadow for protection and keeping you out of plain sight; that is, if you haven’t been spotted by enemies nearby yet.
Additionally, hitting the fire button while you’re in cover pops you out just long enough to take a shot, and you’re pretty much safe unless an enemy gets close enough to deck you. Your health does regenerate in this game, but you can go down rather quickly in a steady stream of bullets. Although the temptation is very high with the thought of running into the thick of the action with guns blazing, sometimes the better choice is to have a more methodical approach, watching and listening for cues that are letting you know when an enemy’s ammo clip is empty before you decide to pop out of cover. And don’t forget about performing those executions.
The violence in NAH may be disturbing for some, so if you’re squeamish about all sorts of explosions and bodies hitting the floor from being riddled with bullets, then you might want to look elsewhere. And then there’s the warped humor that wraps right around it. For example, BunnyLord might order you to shoot somebody in the face, but then he’ll also brag about how he’s reduced the amount of “illegal dry-humping” (I kid you not) in the city. Every mission in the game begins with a lengthy briefing and ends with a debriefing, both of which are absolutely full of hilarity. And yes, you gotta have a sense of humor here if you’re going to appreciate even the seemingly dumbest of jokes.
As perfect as I thought this game was for me, it still isn’t without its flaws though — I wouldn’t even call them actual flaws either, but more like very minor quirks. All of the running, shooting, sliding into cover, and then shooting some more is great and all; well, most of the time. Hiccups seem to take place occasionally when the game is forcing you to aim in the opposite direction of where you’re actually trying to aim. Another slight problem I found was the “cover” & “slide” actions belonging to the same button, when I’d be trying to take cover at a particular spot, only to be suddenly finding myself sliding directly towards an enemy’s shotgun instead. This is where that “methodical approach” that I mentioned earlier really comes in handy. Also, the longer levels in NAH can tend to be frustrating, due to enemies that have this tendency to kill you in one hit, thus forcing you to go back to the beginning of the level.
All in all though, Not A Hero is an absolute riot to play. With challenges to complete in each mission (although to complete them isn’t a requirement), characters to unlock (spoiler alert: you get to unlock JESUS), and endless action mixed with a lethal dose of humor, this game is chock full of fun and explosives on this very twisted quest for political dominance. Now if only our current presidential race was this much fun.
Sean Boley
Platform: XBox One
Developer: Roll7
Publisher: Devolver Digital
ESRB: M (Mature) — Blood & Gore, Drug Reference, Language, Use Of Tobacco, Violence
Price: $12.99
Not A Hero Official Website: http://devolverdigital.com/static/age-check/not-a-hero
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Very well-detailed retro look with very excellently designed levels. | |
| Sound | |
| Booming explosions, retro-rocking soundtrack, and bullet shells hitting the ground....oh my. | |
| Gameplay | |
| There's shooting, sliding, covering...did I mention there was shooting? | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Warped humor + Non-stop action + Unlocking Jesus as a playable character = my kind of game. | |
