I LOVED the demo and had a blast playing and getting to know the characters! The art is really nice and I love how dynamic it is. Even the unfinished sketches and lineart are super awesome, excited to see it all finished and polished! I enjoyed the writing as well, it felt very engaging and kept me interested and curious to know more.
I'd like to also give my thoughts on an aspect I think could be changed, but I wanted to mention that I loved it before I gave some criticism lol. Just, something I'm kinda ehhh on is that it feels like you get punished for being shy or anxious. I get that they're not really heroic qualities, but you mainly get negative reactions from it, like hits to valor or Griffin's approval. And I think it's slightly unfair, as being shy isn't like... a bad thing to be. Or makes you a bad person. IDK, it'd just be nice to rp as someone who is more timid without getting on people's bad sides lol. As long as you're brave when it really counts, I think that would matter the most.
That's really about it. I'd just like it if there were more freedom to be someone shy (with room to grow into a more confident, brave person by the end Perhaps?) without it being a wholly negative thing. But of course, this is all just my opinions and take it with a grain of salt. Thanks for reading if you do anyways, can't wait to see the game develop overtime! <3
Hi there, it's a fair criticism! I would like to note that this demo largely consists of a job interview, and to progress in the story, the player will have to get the job.
I do explain this with some detail in my walkthrough, but I understand not everyone will read or have access to that explanation, so I will put this here as well.
There seems to be a general misunderstanding that approval = how much someone personally likes you. This is not the case. Griffin likes you regardless, but approval indicates how much likely you are to be paired with someone for work. Griffin prefers to be paired with someone who is more outgoing and is actively interested in success. He is aware that, if you're not as interested in a role in the spotlight, you would be better off paired with another team member. That's all.
Believe it or not, I've suffered from severe shyness and anxiety in my real life and it's something I've had to rein in in professional settings in order to succeed. If I lived in the game, I would take many, many hits to my valor. And that's okay! Losing points does not make me a bad person. It does not make you a bad person. It does not make MC a bad person. The points don't determine whether you're a good or a bad person.
There is no real punishment for losing valor points unless you lose a certain amount, at a certain point later in the game. There will be opportunities to recover your valor points. No harm no foul.
I understand and I apologize if my depiction of shyness did not represent you, however, it does represent me and how I've navigated the world. It is NOT a wholly negative thing, even if you feel that is the case. Later on, when the player has gotten the job, shyness and anxiety should have more room to simply be, without being associated with points.
Ah okie! As long as I'm not making Griffin hate me then that's good to note ksfvnsnv I didn't want to be making enemies by being my awkward self lol. And I think what threw me off was a certain option being locked behind valor points- the one where you ask if an employee was okay. I was like oh... does the valor correlate with your morality then? And I was thrown off a bit. It was more like I was confused as to why the more anxious options took hits to valor, alongside the cruel or mean ones. If that makes sense. Thank you so much for the response and the clarification btw! I hope I didn't come off as angry or something. Just thought I'd give my feedback n all that!
I haven't played the demo yet, but I have to say I love this itch page!! The design is SO dynamic and responsive!! I'll def give the demo a try & rate it!
I'm really looking forward to the full game.I'm wondering if other MC avatars will be displayed on the CG in the final version of the game?I really like Sunflower, I would like to see her in the CG)
Is this at all friendly for roleplaying as a male MC? If there aren't many mentions of the MC being female then I might be able to ignore it since the character I play as is pretty feminine to begin with; this game looks incredibly fun and I'd like to give it a shot.
Since I write based on my own nebulous experience with gender, it's hard to say whether my identity will be compatible with someone else's. Currently there very few mentions of womanhood, but in the future wlw routes may refer to themselves as a lesbian couple, and certain other routes may refer to themselves as being straight passing.
I feel like other players will be better suited to answer similar question directly in any case, and hope they will be kind enough to share their experience going forward!
You actually can choose pronouns, but pronouns =/= gender in this game. There's also a chance to specify whether your character is trans or cis, but you can't explicitly choose a gender outside the vague umbrella of "woman."
It hurts to hear that this may not be inclusive or accommodating for everyone, but at present I am most interested in pursuing a sense of authenticity, and a large focus of my work involves relationships with other women based on my personal experience.
Genuinely curious as to why there's so many dislikes on this. Don't get me wrong, the game is incredible and fun so far, but isn't it a fair question to ask?
Herotome download files have been removed in preparation for the release of an updated demo (coming Dec 2nd). Please see the latest devlog for details!
I hope this game is still being worked on. In addition to the cat, I'm curious with the story. I haven't seen that many proper superhero themed visual novels
For all of the superheroics (which I love) and character interactions (which are amazing) that are squeezed into this brief demo, the part that hit the hardest is our erstwhile MC's job search.Beam Man may be right about the Department of Valor being shady (though I hope he workshops his name in super-jail), but I for one would happily be a paper-pusher for spandex-clad do-gooders and/or amoral shadow agencies if it meant a steady paycheck. We need to buy cat food, gorram it!
That said, every other part of this demo is also amazing. The art style is bright and vibrant, nailing that comic-book aesthetic without feeling cookie-cutter in the way that actual superhero comics sometimes are. (As a comics fan, I say that with love.) And while it may seem like a small thing, I really like the logo. That is some excellent design work! I appreciate the number of choices for even seemingly insignificant decisions, and the fact that choices are given equal weight: Some may have "better" results, but they're all presented as equally valid in the moment, which isn't something you can say for all choice-based fiction. I also very much appreciate being able to save the dog! The writing is strong, and the Clammy Woman's personal space invasion felt genuinely claustrophobic; Beam Man's attack was appropriately chaotic. I like the fact that the first supervillain we see is the MC's old teacher and what that says about the game-world, which feels like it's putting real effort into creating a grounded, believable setting despite all the superpowers. Beam Man also feels a bit like a callback to old-school comics, where the hero's nemesis was always the first person they foiled or someone they went to school with.
TL;DR: I really enjoyed the demo, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
The demo was super fun and cute! I loved the commitment to the comic book aesthetic - I really felt as if the game had been lifted off the pages themselves. Looking super forward to seeing your next updates :)
I don't have a ton of details in this overall review, but I will say that I was super intrigued by the clammy woman in the demo - and at the sheer variety of choices you could make in interacting with her! Each interaction felt real and grounded, despite the extraordinary world you've created for us to play in.
I do have one question for the final game, though: are you planning on CGs for the portraits you have on the resume? This isn't for the demo or your progress, since that does feel like a lot of work, but I was wondering if it would be in the final game (or if it could be something we could pay extra for - I know I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for a cosmetic bonus, esp. as a thank you for working so hard)!
Omg this demo was so well done! I love how realistic the MC was because usually in otome games, the MC is some kind of perfect princess type :^] I also love how we get a cat companion <3 Katie is so cute wosjaioawisja
The art is very beautiful and I found myself going through this game super fast (time does fly when you're having fun) and became disappointed when the demo was already over.
Warden already looks like an interesting character and I bet his route would be fun :]
Anyways thank you for giving me like 20 minutes worth of entertainment and I'm very excited to see the finished product of this game~!
The demo was amazing! What most stood out to me was the fun options for every character, even the seemingly minor characters had choices to them that were charming and fun to see the reactions to. The facial expressions for the characters were also nice to see, really conveying the atmosphere in a situation while also just being able to view the beautiful art style! I'm really excited for when this full game comes out and I'll be doing my best to stay updated!
I do have a question though for thoughts about the final game or maybe even an update after the game is finished. Have you planned or maybe thought about coding for a he/him mc? :))
honestly, I cant wait to see this whole game in full! As many players have said below, the art style of this game is so unique and gorgeous. The developments of the characters, even the most minor characters is HILARIOUS in a lot of cases. As an advocate of making the "dumb" choice, I had a range of choices which sometimes I felt like the game heavily judged me for making those choices sometimes xD Honestly the overall premise of where this game could go is too good not to pass up. I cant wait to see the continued development of this game!
I really loved this demo! I'm really excited to see the rest of the game when it comes out. As I've said before, it's all very charming. Despite how plain the premise or whatever could sound, you've really captured my attention, especially with the demo. I really want to see more of this whole story in general!
Ah, and I'll elaborate more on what I really liked, lol. I hardly write reviews, sadly, so you know this is good already. Despite how oversaturated the superhero and otome genre can be, there's just something about the designs and characters that really pull me in.
Like another player's said at the bottom, the expressions (especially Warden's awkward expressions in the MC's doorway) and development of everyone's character are really on point. To me, everyone feels very real, whether they're minor characters, the protagonist (who tends to be bland in otome games sometimes), and Warden! I'd say he's already on my list of top ten characters, and I'd like to see more of him.
Warden and everyone all feel like people, and the simple way the story is being told through its music and protagonist really interest me. I've said this numerous times, lol, but everything is very much no-frills. From the design of the game to Warden's awkward expressions, it all feels like something that could actually happen. A lot of otome games tend to abandon that grounded sense of reality to pursue a grand sense of beauty, tragedy or romanticism, but Herotome doesn't. It has that nice, weirdly comfortable sense of reality and sticks to it! Although reality is usually much harsher and worse than reality in otome games, it really works here because of how grandiose the plot could be. With that strong sense of realism, all characters' personalities shine through as people, especially Warden and the MC. Warden is very human and down-to-earth, and I really loved that. Too often, you don't get characters like Warden nowadays that stand out enough.
At any rate, thank you so much for such a fun demo! I really loved every single bit of it, and I bet I'll love it even more when more of the game comes out!
Do you mind my asking about whether or not Herotome will be free (not that that wouldn't stop me from getting this game)?
Hi I know I replied on tumblr already but thank you so much for the detailed and very kind review!
I'll answer your question first. I discussed the idea a bit more on this post but tldr; the game is currently planned to be free-to-play. I have some ideas for paid bonus content that can help offset some development costs, but I want the base game (including endings and CGs) to be accessible and available to everyone for no cost.
I'm glad to hear it's come across as grounded overall. That lines up with my way of thinking and how I tried to approach the worldbuilding. While Herotome has definitely has(/will have) elements of an escapist fantasy, one of its first fulfilled fantasies is just getting a job offer and moving out LOL.
Warden would be flabbergasted (and flattered, of course) to know that he's made any sort of top ten list. :D I have quite a lot to reveal about him, and hope he doesn't disappoint!
I loved the response when MC calls out warden at her door. that twitchy eyed attempt at denial. the interview preview was pretty funny too! landlord creepy though.... like seriously... kinda looks like the neighbor from aqua teen hunger force. all in all it was a good demo, and I'm looking forward to the full game ^_^
HAHA you're right, the resemblance is uncanny. My main inspiration for the landlord is Elvis from God Hand, but I must also have been subconsciously kinning ATHF's Carl during the design process.
Thank you for commenting! I hope Warden and the others can provide more even delight in the full game. ^^
![HEROTOME [Super Demo]](https://img.itch.zone/aW1nLzEzOTQzMjM0LmdpZg==/original/OxdUgg.gif)
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I LOVED the demo and had a blast playing and getting to know the characters! The art is really nice and I love how dynamic it is. Even the unfinished sketches and lineart are super awesome, excited to see it all finished and polished! I enjoyed the writing as well, it felt very engaging and kept me interested and curious to know more.
I'd like to also give my thoughts on an aspect I think could be changed, but I wanted to mention that I loved it before I gave some criticism lol. Just, something I'm kinda ehhh on is that it feels like you get punished for being shy or anxious. I get that they're not really heroic qualities, but you mainly get negative reactions from it, like hits to valor or Griffin's approval. And I think it's slightly unfair, as being shy isn't like... a bad thing to be. Or makes you a bad person. IDK, it'd just be nice to rp as someone who is more timid without getting on people's bad sides lol. As long as you're brave when it really counts, I think that would matter the most.
That's really about it. I'd just like it if there were more freedom to be someone shy (with room to grow into a more confident, brave person by the end Perhaps?) without it being a wholly negative thing. But of course, this is all just my opinions and take it with a grain of salt. Thanks for reading if you do anyways, can't wait to see the game develop overtime! <3
Hi there, it's a fair criticism! I would like to note that this demo largely consists of a job interview, and to progress in the story, the player will have to get the job.
I do explain this with some detail in my walkthrough, but I understand not everyone will read or have access to that explanation, so I will put this here as well.
There seems to be a general misunderstanding that approval = how much someone personally likes you. This is not the case. Griffin likes you regardless, but approval indicates how much likely you are to be paired with someone for work. Griffin prefers to be paired with someone who is more outgoing and is actively interested in success. He is aware that, if you're not as interested in a role in the spotlight, you would be better off paired with another team member. That's all.
Believe it or not, I've suffered from severe shyness and anxiety in my real life and it's something I've had to rein in in professional settings in order to succeed. If I lived in the game, I would take many, many hits to my valor. And that's okay! Losing points does not make me a bad person. It does not make you a bad person. It does not make MC a bad person. The points don't determine whether you're a good or a bad person.
There is no real punishment for losing valor points unless you lose a certain amount, at a certain point later in the game. There will be opportunities to recover your valor points. No harm no foul.
I understand and I apologize if my depiction of shyness did not represent you, however, it does represent me and how I've navigated the world. It is NOT a wholly negative thing, even if you feel that is the case. Later on, when the player has gotten the job, shyness and anxiety should have more room to simply be, without being associated with points.
Thank you.
Ah okie! As long as I'm not making Griffin hate me then that's good to note ksfvnsnv I didn't want to be making enemies by being my awkward self lol. And I think what threw me off was a certain option being locked behind valor points- the one where you ask if an employee was okay. I was like oh... does the valor correlate with your morality then? And I was thrown off a bit. It was more like I was confused as to why the more anxious options took hits to valor, alongside the cruel or mean ones. If that makes sense. Thank you so much for the response and the clarification btw! I hope I didn't come off as angry or something. Just thought I'd give my feedback n all that!
I love this game so far, I can’t wait until the full game comes out! Also i’m in love with Griffin.
Fantastic demo, really excited to see more in the future!
I haven't played the demo yet, but I have to say I love this itch page!! The design is SO dynamic and responsive!! I'll def give the demo a try & rate it!
I'm really looking forward to the full game. I'm wondering if other MC avatars will be displayed on the CG in the final version of the game? I really like Sunflower, I would like to see her in the CG)
My face?? Hurts??? From smiling SO damn much??? Like??? Ugggghhh I think this new demo just replaced the lost years of my life 😫💛
THIS WAS SO GOOD I CANT WAIT FOR MORE
also warden is bbg ngl
ARGHHHHHHHH THIS IS SO GOODDDD
just played it all... I really liked!
Please android version 🙏
loved it
ITS HERE!
*vibrating*
Almost there! Can't wait ^-^
woooo can't wait
cant download bcuz property of build is undefined :( how 2 fix?
It was not available until today. You should be able to download it now!
oh thank god cant wait to try it!!!!
Is this at all friendly for roleplaying as a male MC? If there aren't many mentions of the MC being female then I might be able to ignore it since the character I play as is pretty feminine to begin with; this game looks incredibly fun and I'd like to give it a shot.
Since I write based on my own nebulous experience with gender, it's hard to say whether my identity will be compatible with someone else's. Currently there very few mentions of womanhood, but in the future wlw routes may refer to themselves as a lesbian couple, and certain other routes may refer to themselves as being straight passing.
I feel like other players will be better suited to answer similar question directly in any case, and hope they will be kind enough to share their experience going forward!
the fact that you cant choose your pronouns is such a let down for me,but i have to say that the game looks good anyway,good work✨
You actually can choose pronouns, but pronouns =/= gender in this game. There's also a chance to specify whether your character is trans or cis, but you can't explicitly choose a gender outside the vague umbrella of "woman."
It hurts to hear that this may not be inclusive or accommodating for everyone, but at present I am most interested in pursuing a sense of authenticity, and a large focus of my work involves relationships with other women based on my personal experience.
Genuinely curious as to why there's so many dislikes on this. Don't get me wrong, the game is incredible and fun so far, but isn't it a fair question to ask?
Is it December 2nd yet???? 🤧😆💛
I AM SEATED AND READY.
BIG OLE MOOD
should we time travel?
🙏🙏🙏 MANIFESTING DECEMBER!!
How come there is no download button for this game?
Like it says at the top of the page!
Herotome download files have been removed in preparation for the release of an updated demo (coming Dec 2nd). Please see the latest devlog for details!
IM LOVIN THIS GAME ALREADY also will we be able to choose the gender of the mc when the game is finished.
i would like to know also
i need griffin. <33333
I hope this game is still being worked on. In addition to the cat, I'm curious with the story. I haven't seen that many proper superhero themed visual novels
please lmk about the proper ones you do know!
The only gay superhero novel that I know so far is Mister Versatile. You can see it here
I honed in on petting your cat, I'm sold.
When will Android version be available?
it's not
it's still in development
POSSIBLE MINOR DEMO SPOILERS:
For all of the superheroics (which I love) and character interactions (which are amazing) that are squeezed into this brief demo, the part that hit the hardest is our erstwhile MC's job search.Beam Man may be right about the Department of Valor being shady (though I hope he workshops his name in super-jail), but I for one would happily be a paper-pusher for spandex-clad do-gooders and/or amoral shadow agencies if it meant a steady paycheck. We need to buy cat food, gorram it!
That said, every other part of this demo is also amazing. The art style is bright and vibrant, nailing that comic-book aesthetic without feeling cookie-cutter in the way that actual superhero comics sometimes are. (As a comics fan, I say that with love.) And while it may seem like a small thing, I really like the logo. That is some excellent design work! I appreciate the number of choices for even seemingly insignificant decisions, and the fact that choices are given equal weight: Some may have "better" results, but they're all presented as equally valid in the moment, which isn't something you can say for all choice-based fiction. I also very much appreciate being able to save the dog! The writing is strong, and the Clammy Woman's personal space invasion felt genuinely claustrophobic; Beam Man's attack was appropriately chaotic. I like the fact that the first supervillain we see is the MC's old teacher and what that says about the game-world, which feels like it's putting real effort into creating a grounded, believable setting despite all the superpowers. Beam Man also feels a bit like a callback to old-school comics, where the hero's nemesis was always the first person they foiled or someone they went to school with.
TL;DR: I really enjoyed the demo, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here!
Additionally is there a planned release date for the fully finished version? The game seems pretty good so far.
Could it be possible to customize the mc's gender?
I guess not. It shows on the Page [GxALL]
G means girl btw
The demo was super fun and cute! I loved the commitment to the comic book aesthetic - I really felt as if the game had been lifted off the pages themselves. Looking super forward to seeing your next updates :)
I don't have a ton of details in this overall review, but I will say that I was super intrigued by the clammy woman in the demo - and at the sheer variety of choices you could make in interacting with her! Each interaction felt real and grounded, despite the extraordinary world you've created for us to play in.
I do have one question for the final game, though: are you planning on CGs for the portraits you have on the resume? This isn't for the demo or your progress, since that does feel like a lot of work, but I was wondering if it would be in the final game (or if it could be something we could pay extra for - I know I wouldn't mind paying a little extra for a cosmetic bonus, esp. as a thank you for working so hard)!
Loved the demo. Super cute. Looking forward to the game.
Have you got a Patreon site?
This scratches an itch i didn't know i had; im so excited for this!! fistfighting my superhero boss in his office sounds like a fun date tbh
Thus far, the dialogue's fun! Looking forward to see what becomes of this :)
Cool start, am definitely interested in seeing what this becomes.
Very epic, has great potential. But remember that with great potential comes great responsibility... Or something like that-
Omg this demo was so well done! I love how realistic the MC was because usually in otome games, the MC is some kind of perfect princess type :^] I also love how we get a cat companion <3 Katie is so cute wosjaioawisja
The art is very beautiful and I found myself going through this game super fast (time does fly when you're having fun) and became disappointed when the demo was already over.
Warden already looks like an interesting character and I bet his route would be fun :]
Anyways thank you for giving me like 20 minutes worth of entertainment and I'm very excited to see the finished product of this game~!
The demo was amazing! What most stood out to me was the fun options for every character, even the seemingly minor characters had choices to them that were charming and fun to see the reactions to. The facial expressions for the characters were also nice to see, really conveying the atmosphere in a situation while also just being able to view the beautiful art style! I'm really excited for when this full game comes out and I'll be doing my best to stay updated!
I do have a question though for thoughts about the final game or maybe even an update after the game is finished. Have you planned or maybe thought about coding for a he/him mc? :))
honestly, I cant wait to see this whole game in full! As many players have said below, the art style of this game is so unique and gorgeous. The developments of the characters, even the most minor characters is HILARIOUS in a lot of cases. As an advocate of making the "dumb" choice, I had a range of choices which sometimes I felt like the game heavily judged me for making those choices sometimes xD Honestly the overall premise of where this game could go is too good not to pass up. I cant wait to see the continued development of this game!
I really loved this demo! I'm really excited to see the rest of the game when it comes out. As I've said before, it's all very charming. Despite how plain the premise or whatever could sound, you've really captured my attention, especially with the demo. I really want to see more of this whole story in general!
Ah, and I'll elaborate more on what I really liked, lol. I hardly write reviews, sadly, so you know this is good already. Despite how oversaturated the superhero and otome genre can be, there's just something about the designs and characters that really pull me in.
Like another player's said at the bottom, the expressions (especially Warden's awkward expressions in the MC's doorway) and development of everyone's character are really on point. To me, everyone feels very real, whether they're minor characters, the protagonist (who tends to be bland in otome games sometimes), and Warden! I'd say he's already on my list of top ten characters, and I'd like to see more of him.
Warden and everyone all feel like people, and the simple way the story is being told through its music and protagonist really interest me. I've said this numerous times, lol, but everything is very much no-frills. From the design of the game to Warden's awkward expressions, it all feels like something that could actually happen. A lot of otome games tend to abandon that grounded sense of reality to pursue a grand sense of beauty, tragedy or romanticism, but Herotome doesn't. It has that nice, weirdly comfortable sense of reality and sticks to it! Although reality is usually much harsher and worse than reality in otome games, it really works here because of how grandiose the plot could be. With that strong sense of realism, all characters' personalities shine through as people, especially Warden and the MC. Warden is very human and down-to-earth, and I really loved that. Too often, you don't get characters like Warden nowadays that stand out enough.
At any rate, thank you so much for such a fun demo! I really loved every single bit of it, and I bet I'll love it even more when more of the game comes out!
Do you mind my asking about whether or not Herotome will be free (not that that wouldn't stop me from getting this game)?
Hi I know I replied on tumblr already but thank you so much for the detailed and very kind review!
I'll answer your question first. I discussed the idea a bit more on this post but tldr; the game is currently planned to be free-to-play. I have some ideas for paid bonus content that can help offset some development costs, but I want the base game (including endings and CGs) to be accessible and available to everyone for no cost.
I'm glad to hear it's come across as grounded overall. That lines up with my way of thinking and how I tried to approach the worldbuilding. While Herotome has definitely has(/will have) elements of an escapist fantasy, one of its first fulfilled fantasies is just getting a job offer and moving out LOL.
Warden would be flabbergasted (and flattered, of course) to know that he's made any sort of top ten list. :D I have quite a lot to reveal about him, and hope he doesn't disappoint!
That's great to hear! I'm, again, really excited for the next update and to see how everything plays out. The realism really works for Herotome.
I loved the response when MC calls out warden at her door. that twitchy eyed attempt at denial. the interview preview was pretty funny too! landlord creepy though.... like seriously... kinda looks like the neighbor from aqua teen hunger force. all in all it was a good demo, and I'm looking forward to the full game ^_^
HAHA you're right, the resemblance is uncanny. My main inspiration for the landlord is Elvis from God Hand, but I must also have been subconsciously kinning ATHF's Carl during the design process.
Thank you for commenting! I hope Warden and the others can provide more even delight in the full game. ^^