PC Review – FLAT HEROES

Flat Heroes was released on 2 August 2018 on Steam. It was developed by Parallel Circles and published in collaboration with Deck 13. It is a nifty little arcade game that quickly becomes more difficult the further into the game you progress.

If you are subscribed to our AIR Entertainment Youtube Channel, you can catch a glimpse of our gameplay video along with some of our other game videos. For your convenience, you can also watch it here below:

STORY

As stated by the developer Parallel Circles on Steam:

You are a square — a two-dimensional loner in a one-dimensional world. You’re just a square, trying to survive dozens and dozens of increasingly intense challenges. You are simply a square with a mission; become a true hero — a Flat Hero. Run, jump, dash, attack — stylishly navigate and survive over 300 handcrafted levels, destroy the most epic bosses and be the two-dimensional hero (or heroes!) you’ve always dreamed you could be.

When the publishers advertised that the game is a minimalist epic adventure, they were not kidding. It really is minimal. When I am done training how to develop games on Unity and GameMaker, this is exactly the type of indie game I could imagine making.

You are a lone block, and when you start the game seems simple enough. Move your block around and jump around to avoid enemies and their projectiles. Simple, right? Well, it gets more complicated. As you see in my gameplay video, you need to start using your noggin early on in the game to figure out how to avoid the crossfire.

And that is what makes me love the game and scored extra points with me. The fact that it makes me think, and try to out-think the enemy. You will fail and fail again until you can finally figure out how to survive each wave.

GAMEPLAY

They have made the gameplay mechanics very easy for the PC. Move your block around with the movement keys and space for jump. Sometimes you can cling to walls for a moment to give you that reprieve before your next step.

And it is a pleasure that they kept these keys simple. With the mayhem that occurs at the later, more difficult, missions, for someone who is used to playing on console it is great that I don’t have to stress about which keys to press next.

SOUND AND GRAPHICS

The graphics and sound are also minimal, but with everything that happens much later in the game when things get difficult, it is probably good that it is kept simple. However, with the game having the most basic of images and sound doesn’t really detract from a great game. It is a good start for the developer and it makes me look forward to see what they will develop in time to come.

I found no fault with their graphics and sound, but nothing huge to praise either. It is a game that focuses on being minimal in every aspect. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun.

FINAL VERDICT

There is no denying that Flat Heroes is fun to play. It is a game I would turn to if I just wanted to sit back and play until dying too much is no longer acceptable. As the developer states, it is a easy game to learn, but a hard game to master. And they made sure the game was hard to master, that’s for sure.

Fun for those who want a real challenge with easy gameplay mechanics.

Disclaimer: AIR Entertainment received a review copy for reviewing purposes. This review is the author’s own opinion and not influenced by the developer in any way, as per our reviewing Code of Ethics.

SHAUN M JOOSTE

Author, Poet, Screenwriter, Gamewriter, Journalist,
….and Elemental Mage Supreme in his spare time