In December of last year, developers Exalted Studio and publisher Dear Villagers put out a demo for the next game in what they hope is a franchise, Big Helmet Heroes. Exalted’s first game featured many of these same characters in a Mobile Idle PVP game.
Looking to change arena’s and find a bigger audience this title pits the cutesy heroes into a 3D Beat-em-up style adventure. In doing research for the game I found the demo on the Microsoft store and completed it on Xbox Series X. The following are my impressions of what I experienced playing of said demo in single-player mode.
Every Character Has Its Perks
The demo lets you play through three levels and introduces three different characters. Starting out as the all-around Knight, then the speedy Ninja, and finally the heavy Brute. Each one is presented with a short comedic vignette prior to the start of the level, setting the tone for the rest of the experience where combat always has a tinge of zaniness.
By the time you get to the third level, the full arsenal becomes available and in single-player you can freely switch between the characters at the press of a button. Allowing for a consistent combination of fun and adaptability. Need to quickly dispatch a few enemies then switch to the Ninja. Perhaps you are looking to clear out a section, the Brute can drop the hammer and take out anyone in front of him.
Big Helmet Heroes: Fun Alone or With Friends
Being a beat-em-up, Big Helmet Heroes serves the same function as most of its genre, it’s here to provide hours of fun. Combat is fairly simple with a light attack, a heavy attack, and a special attack which can be earned by collecting items, and then filling up a meter. The whole game has a lighthearted feel to it between the chibi characters, which even extends to the bosses, gags, and silly weapon drops.
In one section you may see a Star Wand, a Plunger Gun, or an Igniter drop after defeating an enemy and then you pick up any of them to deal damage to the next set of enemies. It makes for some hilarious moments as enemies run across the screen on fire or get sat down seeing stars. Eventually, the last level of the demo does end in a boss battle where this mechanical fire-breathing dragon faces off against the party. This is where it all comes into focus as any combos done by one character build up the health bar of the other characters, pushing further the seamless nature of everyone working together.
Rounding Out The Demo
Overall, I enjoyed my short time with Big Helmet Heroes whether it was laughing at the character interactions, enjoying clearing out a screen of enemies with a variety of weapons, or petting a random lamb that then gives me a special item for collecting flowers it all just made sense. It left me very much looking forward to the full experience when the game releases in a few weeks.
Big Helmet Heroes will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch on February 6, 2025.
