88 Heroes (Xbox One) Review

Dr. H8 is on a rampage and it is up to these 88 Heroes to save the day. Never before have such an eclectic group of do-gooders join forces to serve Dr. H8 a healthy dose of justice. Drop whatever it is you are doing and; run, swim, jump, fly, karate chop, skate, slither, and glide your way to pick up 88 Heroes. This is a unique approach to the typical 2D platformer. Sit back and relax and get ready to battle Dr. H8.

These 88 Heroes Must Stop Dr. H8 From Destroying The World

This all began on August 8, 1988 at 8:08 a.m., when Dr. H8 let the world know his demands. The world must pay him 88 octillion dollars in 88 minutes or he will launch 88 nuclear warheads. That is a lot of money and after some deliberation, the leaders of the world decided to leave the fate of humanity in the hands of 88 individuals.

The call went out for all super heroes to get to Dr. H8’s base ASAP. Leaders around the world thought this would be a slam dunk mission and the heroes would arrive and quickly put an end to Dr. H8’s evil plans. Except these calls went unanswered. Super-hero after super-hero ignored these cries for help. No one knew what had happen to the world’s super-heroes. Puff, and just like that, the heroes were gone. Not so fast, crawling out of the woodwork comes humanity’s last chance.

Who Are These Crazy People And Why Are They Here?

The real stars of the show, these characters are a real hoot. All 88 characters are unique and also have a unique ability. Take this top-hat wearing octopus, aptly named Blocktopus, as he can create blocks with his magic wand. To defeat Dr. H8, it is going to take more than just a quick eye and some button mashing. Each level has its own set of obstacles, from sword-wielding minions to rocket launchers, players must adapt their play to the characters’ abilities.

Take for example, Cath Letics, this all-star Olympian is high jumping her way through Dr. H8’s base. While she has perfect form in her routine, her only ability is to perform a high jump. There is a fair amount of humor in this game, clearly on display in the design on these characters. Let’s hop over to some game design.

There Are Only 88 Chances So Use Them Wisely

The level designs appear rather simple but are complex in the approach with how players can beat the level. Certain abilities will help players quickly reach the end of a level. One character Mistress Fortune, can flip a coin in order to get to the end of the level. The trade off though is that the coin may also result in her death. She has a 50/50 chance, though from early playthroughs, it appears the may be a slight advantage to the coin resulting in Mistress Fortune’s death. The variety of characters is amazing and provides a dynamic experience after each death or at the beginning of the level.

Innovative Approach Meets Old School Design

The graphics in 88 Heroes is not the highlight of design. It has an 8-bit appeal with slightly better detail. This aesthetic is perfect for this game. The retro feeling is only magnified when a character design is homage to 1980’s cultural references. Take, Boomstick Benny, who blast his way through Dr. H8’s base with a shotgun and a spatula. Once you see him, he has a scary resemblance to another popular demon hunter who lost a hand and replaced it with a chainsaw. The real star of the game is the unique encounters and dynamic game play players will experience each time a new character appears. Each experience is truly a new and exciting approach to the game. Beside defeating Dr. H8, there are other game modes to entice repeat play throughs.

If players can navigate through the deadly 88 levels, then there are two more game modes to complete. Players can turn on speed runs and see how fast they can make it through the levels. The other mode is to pick eight favorite characters and make it through all 88 levels. Do you have what it takes to stop Dr. H8?

Do Not Miss Out On This Gem Of A Game

This is a great game. Each time a new character came up, it was always met with some laughter. If I could list all 88 characters, then I could describe just how many insane character designs were created. The difficulty level is not bad, but it will require some skills to through the levels. A standard story with appealing soundtrack. The script for the voice acting is great. Lots of one-liners and fantastic dialogue.