Hirocato - The Delivery Hero

Great idea, not so great execution. I would've expected very predictable and precise controls for this type of game. Wall jumping is HORRIBLE. It feels like nailing a wall jump is more about luck than skill. Seven routes in and I'm quitting.

[b]EDITED 2024-07-30[/b] I'm flipping my review from not-recommended to recommended, as the points that most bothered me were fixed, and quite quickly might I add. I've stricken out irrelevant negatives, added a few positives and amended my closing paragraph. Thanks for being so reactive to my review, I hope the changes you've made will be appreciated by future players! 😄 [b]The good:[/b] - Awesome music! I was thrilled the whole way. - When the level is designed with flow in mind, the gameplay feels really smooth. I went for top of leaderboard in one of the levels, which was fun. The new "classic runner" mode showcases these levels really well. - I've come around to appreciating the levels that are not made to be "hold forward" a little more than during my first go at the game. Not quite my cup of tea, but I see the appeal! - The "fixed" camera mode that was added after release is quite nice! The "smooth" mode made it disorienting when performing quick back-and-forth movements. [b]Neutral:[/b] - The story was pretty lacking. I didn't buy the game for the story, and I would have been perfectly satisfied with only the arcade mode. [b]The bad:[/b] - Blind jumps that have to be learned, in multiple levels (and multiple times in some of them). - Wall jumps were implemented in a way that didn't feel great to me, keeping all momentum when jumping, and crawling up the wall when moving in any direction while holding onto the vines. - [strike]The visual filters causing visibility issues. There's an anaglyph-like filter when time starts running out, making the run more difficult for no real reason. This feels like a "lose-more", where if you're not doing great, things get even more difficult. The final delivery also suffers from this with lightning flashing quite aggressively. An option to turn these off would be nice.[/strike] [b]This was addressed and is no longer relevant![/b] - [strike]Bug with the climbable vines where Cato climbs backwards, causing the jump to happen in the wrong direction. Frustrating when it happens on a good run.[/strike] [b]This was addressed as well![/b] [b]Overall:[/b] The game is fun, and while some of the design bothered me, I think it's still a great experience. It may be that I didn't vibe with the physics of the game, or maybe I expected something different when it came to the gameplay. The major issues I had were addressed quickly by the developer, and I think the game is all the better for it. Give Hirocato a try!