At 8 minutes past 8 on August 8, 1988, evil mastermind Dr. 8H sets out to put his plan in motion to hold the world hostage. If he’s not paid 88 octillion dollars in 88 minutes he’ll deploy 88 nuclear warheads against Earth. It is up to you and the weirdest and most bizarre 88 heroes to take care of the situation before it is too late! Are you up for the challenge? Read our 88 Heroes review to learn more about this unique game!

 

This release from Bitmap Bureau and Rising Star Games features three game modes, but only one is available at the start, for reasons that become apparent as soon as you begin playing. 88 Mode gives you control of 88 heroes, one hero at a time, as you try to complete the 88 rooms in the game within the 88-minute time limit. You must infiltrate Dr. 8H’s lair and use all heroes to thwart his plan before time is up, but this is easier said than done.

Before diving into the game, I suggest you give the Training mode a try. You’ll first only be able to train as Gonan, the single hero unlocked for Training, but as you make progress in the game, you’ll unlock more and more heroes to train with. You’ll be able to jump with the X button, attack with the Square or Circle buttons, and look around with the L2 or R2 buttons. How each hero attacks is very different, and you’ll soon realize that out of the 88 Heroes, there’s probably only a couple dozen that are good at what they do. As for the rest of the heroes? They’re a weird bunch with bizarre powers such as, say, a crystal ballerina with no attacks, or Lady Penelope who is good at running and jumping… and nothing more. Heroes without attacks are at a great disadvantage since they can’t kill enemies, but you can indeed use them to find the exit to the room.

If you can manage to collect 88 coins during your adventure, you’ll get to revive a fallen hero, so be sure to pick the right one, so you don’t waste your coins! Nothing stings more than making the mistake of resurrecting a tiny and literal tick that will be crushed in a second. Mind you, you won’t be seeing all 88 heroes during your first run, as you’ll get some repeats every now and then, but if you unlock a flying hero and you can revive him/her with coins, do it immediately! Flying heroes are a must since they allow you to collect extra coins and bypass most of a room with ease.

A highlight of the game is its writing. Every hero has a short bio you’ll get a kick out of, and it helps to set the mood. I suggest that you take a moment to read each of the descriptions since I’m sure you’ll get a chuckle or two out of them. Just be sure to pause the game before doing so, or else you’ll lose valuable time! Finish a room, and you’ll have to play as a new hero. Die in a room, and you’ll have to play as a new hero. And every new hero brings with him/her some very fun flavor text to brighten your day.

Once you’ve managed to succeed in 88 Mode, you’ll be able to play the Magnificent 8 mode. The gameplay and premise of the game remain the same, but you can now select 8 heroes from the hero you have unlocked. The more you play, the more heroes you’ll unlock and the better your options for survival. The final mode is Solo in which you can only select one hero, so you better pick the best one from the lot! Solo is going to present you with a considerable challenge, so practice as much as you can before you go for a run!

Trophy hunters will be happy to learn that 88 Heroes features a full trophy count with a Platinum, but the road to it is long and hard. Sure, there are some easy trophies to unlock, such as the ones for defeating your first enemy or for completing each of the major sections in the game, but there are harder trophies such as the one for competing Solo Mode where, as stated before, one hero is all you get.

I love what 88 Heroes has to offer. The platforming and action are true to the genre and might seem a bit “simplistic” to some, but the overall premise of the game greatly elevates the whole package and makes it stand on its own. It’s a fun game with fun gameplay and fun writing, and I highly recommend you play it on PS4 today!

Disclaimer
This 88 Heroes review is based on a PS4 copy provided by Rising Star Games.