Hero Defense

It's a really mixed bag, but in the end I an enjoying it.
It looks very polished, and has a very professional feel.
The graphics are cartoony, but in a good way but don't expect a game full of monsters to feel spooky, it is way too cute. For example, although the first character is a buff hero type (whose father is the main villain), and the second an old holy man(whose wife is either dead or missing), the third is oddly a sassy little girl.(With no story apparently.)
(Probably a coincidence, but she looks like a young version of the zombies she specializes in.)
The animation is also well done, though usually pretty small.
The sound is okay, the music is nice. The voice acting is... meh. Sometimes the emphasis is off, and I really can't tell if the mayor character is supposed to be a good guy or not. The game also has the odd habit of giving the characters cute or interesting things to say, but they get repetitive very fast, and very annoying.
The game play is rather deceptive, they claim tower-defense, but it doesn't really quite feel like one. You have a few characters that would normally be the towers, but there are only a handful, and you constantly have to move them about.
If I were to make a suggestion for a follow up, it would be to allow each hero type to build apprentice-towers, that stay in place and get leveled up, it would feel less busy.
The UI is already a bit of a mess, and character upgrades require you take your eye off the action for a few often critical seconds as you check your currency total, then decide which person to level up if you have enough.
Between levels there is a town with upgrades that all you to bolsters your heroes. I only have two so far, an academy, where you buy upgrades from a rather small upgrade tree, the other is an armory where you can upgrade your weapons, and use magical icons to design what skill-bumps you get when you level.
All in all a pretty neat system.
Also the maps can be replayed on a higher level to get extra stars, so there seems to be a reasonable amount of game here.
I would say the map is one of the weak points for me. Moving your point of view around is awkward, and the mouse is used both move the map, and move my characters, not a good choice. Not sure why the map isn't WASD, it would be much better.
Oh, that reminds me, there are tactical options, and QWER picks them for you, but they could have easily used 1234.
I do feel like there is something not quite right however. I am a veteran of TD games, which this is adjacent too, but the levels come within estimate of how difficult a map should be for you, and it's wacky. Sometimes it says 'no problem' and it is easy, other times it says 'no problem' and I get defeated. Very confusing, and it makes me feel that perhaps the levels aren't as well balanced as the designers might think they are.
Lastly I want to mention that the game did have multi-player and co-op, but apparently the developers have shut the servers down, so that isn't happening.
Also, according to the comments, one of the achievements is no longer possible, Endless Mode. I know some people are serious abut want to complete them all, so that might be a deal breaker for some.
All in all though, it seems a good package. Got it on a good sale, and it was easily worth the buck and a half I paid.
Two thumbs up.
ADDENDUM: 31 hours to complete the basic campaign, and while I cannot deny the reviews that mention grinding, I never found it oppressive. The game has a lot of ways to play it, and a lot of things to upgrade. Plus there seems to be more, and I am, for now, still interested in pushing forward.
ADDENDUM: Wow, found an entire second campaign after I finished the first!

Steam User 2

Reviewed last year

The server is down so no more PvP, Co-op or Endless modes.
It's a tower defense game whether you deploy (and move) up to 5 heroes to defeat waves of enemies.
Worth it on a deep sale.
Steam User 3

Reviewed last year

Good but
if you're planning to 100% this game it's impossible they remove the endless mode.
Steam User 0

Reviewed last year

It's a really mixed bag, but in the end I an enjoying it.
It looks very polished, and has a very professional feel.
The graphics are cartoony, but in a good way but don't expect a game full of monsters to feel spooky, it is way too cute. For example, although the first character is a buff hero type (whose father is the main villain), and the second an old holy man(whose wife is either dead or missing), the third is oddly a sassy little girl.(With no story apparently.)
(Probably a coincidence, but she looks like a young version of the zombies she specializes in.)
The animation is also well done, though usually pretty small.
The sound is okay, the music is nice. The voice acting is... meh. Sometimes the emphasis is off, and I really can't tell if the mayor character is supposed to be a good guy or not. The game also has the odd habit of giving the characters cute or interesting things to say, but they get repetitive very fast, and very annoying.
The game play is rather deceptive, they claim tower-defense, but it doesn't really quite feel like one. You have a few characters that would normally be the towers, but there are only a handful, and you constantly have to move them about.
If I were to make a suggestion for a follow up, it would be to allow each hero type to build apprentice-towers, that stay in place and get leveled up, it would feel less busy.
The UI is already a bit of a mess, and character upgrades require you take your eye off the action for a few often critical seconds as you check your currency total, then decide which person to level up if you have enough.
Between levels there is a town with upgrades that all you to bolsters your heroes. I only have two so far, an academy, where you buy upgrades from a rather small upgrade tree, the other is an armory where you can upgrade your weapons, and use magical icons to design what skill-bumps you get when you level.
All in all a pretty neat system.
Also the maps can be replayed on a higher level to get extra stars, so there seems to be a reasonable amount of game here.
I would say the map is one of the weak points for me. Moving your point of view around is awkward, and the mouse is used both move the map, and move my characters, not a good choice. Not sure why the map isn't WASD, it would be much better.
Oh, that reminds me, there are tactical options, and QWER picks them for you, but they could have easily used 1234.
I do feel like there is something not quite right however. I am a veteran of TD games, which this is adjacent too, but the levels come within estimate of how difficult a map should be for you, and it's wacky. Sometimes it says 'no problem' and it is easy, other times it says 'no problem' and I get defeated. Very confusing, and it makes me feel that perhaps the levels aren't as well balanced as the designers might think they are.
Lastly I want to mention that the game did have multi-player and co-op, but apparently the developers have shut the servers down, so that isn't happening.
Also, according to the comments, one of the achievements is no longer possible, Endless Mode. I know some people are serious abut want to complete them all, so that might be a deal breaker for some.
All in all though, it seems a good package. Got it on a good sale, and it was easily worth the buck and a half I paid.
Two thumbs up.
ADDENDUM: 31 hours to complete the basic campaign, and while I cannot deny the reviews that mention grinding, I never found it oppressive. The game has a lot of ways to play it, and a lot of things to upgrade. Plus there seems to be more, and I am, for now, still interested in pushing forward.
ADDENDUM: Wow, found an entire second campaign after I finished the first!
Steam User 1

Reviewed last year

All time peak for this game was 208. That blows my mind cause this game is probably my favourite TD game ever! Deserves way more love! <3
Steam User 0

Reviewed last year

Classic Hero-Tower Defense. Little bit clunky for nowadays standard but still very fun to play.
Steam User 1

Reviewed last year

interesting and good enough for the price point
Steam User 0

Reviewed last year

Fun game

Hero Defense

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