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Yes, you are the hero.

  • Nemica
  • 10/26/2013 11:16 AM
  • 4720 views
Warning: This review may contain sarcasm and nuts. Also, it refers to the Kickstarter demo.

In "You Are Not The Hero," which is a bigger lie than the cake ever was, you play as Petula, the only sane person in the whole village (or world, probably). One day, three rebels and self-proclaimed heroes, pursued by the imperial army, come to the village and proceed to steal everything that's not nailed down. Petula, being the only one with more than half a brain in this village, decides to follow them and get her stolen pendant back. But before that, she must save the village's population from the imperial army, since, apparently, these people can't get anything done on their own. And thus begins the epic adventure of Petula, villager and only sane person.


Aesthetics

While the aesthetic aspect of this game is clearly the best, I can't say it's anything special. I've got to give points for not using the super-deformed VX (Ace) character style, but other than that, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Since this is only a demo, and the Kickstarter reached enough funding for new graphics, I hope that this game will at least look a bit different from the norm.

For aesthetics, I give 3,5/5 stars. Solid, but nothing special.


Gameplay

YANTH is your standard walk around and solve strange puzzles game. What makes this one stand out, though, is that for each chapter, you can get up to five stars for doing certain things. You can also replay these chapters, if you feel like going through them again for one star more or something.

Pixel-based movement: This feature just exists for the sake of it. It adds nothing to the game, except for that frustrating feeling when you get stuck at each corner. The controls feel clunky and not entirely ironed out... or Petula just has a knack for opening doors with her butt. I hope this gets fixed in the full version.

No fighting: That's "fighting" (I couldn't find bigger quotes). Fighting isn't defined as hitting things with a weapon-like thing/spell. Shining light at ghosts (who proceed to drop things) totally counts. So this selling point does not exist.

Puzzles: In a game that aims to deconstruct classic RPGs, I expect better than the usual "this is clearly just here to give you gameplay and a headache" puzzles. Especially for the bridge in the cave. Who would put this there? And why?

Not being the hero: I don't see a difference to being the hero. I do the same things. I can save the game. I loot chests that clearly belong to someone (Hey, 200G in the blacksmith's poker room. Finders keepers!). I have a health bar, stats and everything else you get. Oh, and I just got to save a village full of idiot NPCs. Why am I not the hero again?

All in all, the features look like more than they are, and the technical aspect definitely needs polishing. I'm going to give some leeway here, since the gameplay's probably the least fix thing in this demo. So...

For gameplay, I give 3/5 stars. For a game with the premise of being unconventional, there's too much I've seen a million (hyperbole) times before.


Narrative

The game is set in an RPG I wouldn't touch with a ten foot standard adventurer's pole. Also, I still have no idea how the fourth wall works in it. While the characters know they're in a bad RPG (why can't this be set in a good or at least mediore RPG?), none of them really do anything to break free of it. Whenever something narratively stupid (plot holes, weird writing decisions) comes up, it's carefully pointed out. The problem is that this isn't making if funny. It just shows the player that, yes, the developers were aware that what they did was stupid, but did it anyways.

As for characters, there's really only Petula. She's the only thinking person in the village, and very determined (if a bit weak-willed). I think I like her so far (then again, I want to punch nearly every single other character in the face by now).

I have the feeling that this game should be driven by its narrative, aka the world and the characters in it. It's just that aside from Petula, all characters are kind of stupid, and so far, I've yet to have a moment where the game stops throwing mini games at me and just lets me see the world I'm supposed to play in.

Another thing I don't know is how the world works. Why doesn't Petula have NPC immunity? I mean, the others clearly do. How far goes the characters' awareness of being in a game, and how much can they do against it? Using this game's world as a stage for bad video game references feels like a bit of a waste to me.

For narrative, I give 2/5 stars. More worldbuilding, less shallowly parodying things that have been parodied for years now.


Result

Since this game seems to be gameplay/narrative driven, these points will count double. Aesthetics can only take you so far if all else goes splat.

So far, I give this game, or at least this version of the game,

2,5/5 stars. YANTH is based on a good idea, but fails to use it in an interesting way. I didn't feel like not being the hero, just because the game refused to give me that label. Make Petula truly not a hero and we'll see.

Posts

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Why do people think that in this game you are meant to play as an NPC? I mean, why would anyone want to play as an NPC? That would be like playing to be the shopkeeper and all you do is sell stuff to NPCs. Were you really expecting that from this game?
I think that the idea of the game is to present the story from the point of view of a regular person in a world where there's everything that RPGs have. A group of heroes trying to save the world, a villain trying to conquer/destroy it, magic, you know what I mean. You are NOT the hero of this story, you play as a main character because you are the main character of Petula's story but she's not relevant in the story set in this world. I don't know if I'm clear.
I guess the 2.5 rate is fair for you since you didn't like the narrative and gameplay, so that's respectable.
I apologise for my bad english by the way.
Hmm I actually don't mind this review, especially considering its only for the demo. It does touch on a lot of things that I'll be changing for the end product, mainly the fourth-wall breaking humor, which would have been fine with my initial intention for the game, but that has since changed.

I'd agree with urano that you don't really understand the point of not playing the hero. It's not that you're playing an "NPC", you're playing as a bystander, and you happen to get caught up into the affairs of the cliche heroes. So you shouldn't expect to have mechanics like an actual NPC such as invincibility, it wouldn't make for a very compelling game.

Regardless, I should have mentioned somewhere that this demo is meant to show off gameplay above all else. Both Chapters were made as proof of concept early this year after all. Though I don't see why you would count certain points double over other things simply because you felt they should deserve more emphasis, I don't think I've ever seen any reviews do that. Anyway, thanks for the critique~ I'll keep them in mind!
author=seita
Though I don't see why you would count certain points double over other things simply because you felt they should deserve more emphasis


I tend to agree with the reviewer's explanation on this. Aesthetics can't make up for the lack of interest or quality in other aspects such as the story or gameplay, while the opposite is true.
I don't see that honestly. I'd rather say that if one aspect of a game is horrible, no matter which one, the whole game is ruined. If anything I'd see story as an exception, because you can just skip that. Graphics can't really be avoided.
author=RyaReisender
If anything I'd see story as an exception, because you can just skip that. Graphics can't really be avoided.

It really depends on where the focus of a game is. If it's largely story-driven, then no, you can't really skip the story. And no, graphics aren't as important as you make them out to be, as enough games use rather mediocre graphics and still draw their audience in.
masterofmayhem
I can defiantly see where you’re coming from
2610
author=RyaReisender
I don't see that honestly. I'd rather say that if one aspect of a game is horrible, no matter which one, the whole game is ruined. If anything I'd see story as an exception, because you can just skip that. Graphics can't really be avoided.


And that's why Final Fantasy 13 is the best game ever made.
The fact that Petula is "not the hero" is supposed to be ironic, in that the heroes of the game are jerks, and the NPCs are the real good guys. Petula's sole ambition is to get her amulet back, and all the stuff like saving the town comes as a side priority. So she really doesn't want to be a hero, but she's forced into it.
author=urano23
Why do people think that in this game you are meant to play as an NPC?


Probably because the game description reads:
Feel what it's like to play as an NPC behind the scenes!
author=urano23
WThat would be like playing to be the shopkeeper and all you do is sell stuff to NPCs.


And as you can see, >>it works<<.
Recettear is truly a game about not being a hero. In it, you run a shop and need to gain a fix amount of cash within a week for the game to continue. While you can just buy stuff at the market or from customers, the heart of the game is the dungeon system.
Yes, the game involves combat, but you are still not a hero of sorts. Why? Because you are playing a different character while in combat. The shopkeeper is managing your inventory and loot.
So yeah, that game shows how you can make a fun game, involving everything you like, while staying faithful to the term "You are just a normal NPC". And honestly, to get back to YANTH, this is something I hoped for when I read the title for the first time.
shayoko
We do not condone harassing other members by PM.
515
people have a mistaken view on playing as a npc just because your a shop owner doesnt mean you stay behind a counter all day
in the ReO games NPC was a "costume"
just to look different and other miner changes along with it
--
in anycase m opinion is still great for the game id say reply value will probably be a bit on the low end as the best thing about it to me atm is the references to the normal rpg build

tho i agree its sad you still are the one who does everything it would be cool to see a npc actually solve a puzzle of give you a key or something (maybe have a easy mode that does this and not in normal/hard)

at the same time as seita said the game would be rather dull if you were invincible or had nothing to do because others did it for you in which case it would become closer to a sim game

if i had to pick my dislikes
id say its a bit...laggy at times the falling rock area being the worst

and that your sister/friend what ever she was keeps locking doors behind her so you have to go another way which is seriously starting to make me wish harm on her

so yeah overall love it keep it up! :D
The Taloon chapter in Dragon Quest IV was the best. I maxed out my gold the last playthrough selling things through my shop!
author=urano23
Why do people think that in this game you are meant to play as an NPC? I mean, why would anyone want to play as an NPC? That would be like playing to be the shopkeeper and all you do is sell stuff to NPCs. Were you really expecting that from this game?
I think that the idea of the game is to present the story from the point of view of a regular person in a world where there's everything that RPGs have. A group of heroes trying to save the world, a villain trying to conquer/destroy it, magic, you know what I mean. You are NOT the hero of this story, you play as a main character because you are the main character of Petula's story but she's not relevant in the story set in this world. I don't know if I'm clear.
I guess the 2.5 rate is fair for you since you didn't like the narrative and gameplay, so that's respectable.
I apologise for my bad english by the way.


Yea, I don't get this review either. I'd bump it an entire point, because it cleverly made fun of the whole hero genre. Though, in terms of features, there should be a way to go up behind a counter and sell items.
author=bulmabriefs144
Yea, I don't get this review either. I'd bump it an entire point, because it cleverly made fun of the whole hero genre. Though, in terms of features, there should be a way to go up behind a counter and sell items.


That's actually not a bad idea! Maybe a feature in each town that allows the non-heroic heroine to take on a particular NPC role. Players can choose to do them or not, but doing so may open up secret items or other side quests. Like maybe you go to a town and have to act as the priest to hear confessions, and in another town you have to sell/trade for items/equipment.
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