Hero Project Redemption Season

While an ok standalone game, The Hero Project: Redemption is an honestly pathetic sequel to the phenomenal Heroes Rise series. Where the games before rely on characterization and entertaining and deep story arks, Redemption falls flat on its face by not only refusing to give any background information other than what you already know from the other games, but also by having flat; one dimensional characters and a terrible power set which gives you a different animal power set every in-game day. The story is meant to be an essay on minorities and discrimination but winds up feeling overly preachy because of the narrative style of the new author. Although the attempt to take this series in a more serious and realistic direction is admirable and fairly well executed, the story ultimately has the same problems as Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I came in expecting a fun, silly ride with dark, serious undertones. Instead I received an author’s noble yet misguided attempt to make a statement and bring about change at the cost of what amounted to a power fantasy With a healthy dose of political intrigue with racial undertones when fighting in the slums and a power fantasy of epic proportions when you fight with the Heroes Rise universe’s version of the JLA or the Avengers, the Millennial Group. I am going to try the next game that comes out. Here’s hoping that it’s handled better.

I appreciate the efforts the author is going to be inclusive but there isn't an ounce of subtlety in this story. There are about 5-6 different points in the game where your character monologues about underrepresented people and has to make a decision about what you plan to do about them. They're literally the same questions and answers slightly reworded with no effect on the story. Of all the Hero Project games I felt like I had the least control over the outcome in this one.

this book, along with the heroes rise trilogy, is absolutely wonderful to read. weaver is literally one of my favorite characters ever. can’t wait for the second book!

This game takes a lot of liberties with the way your character thinks and how they look at the world. It is completely out of your control, you can have a bad relationship with other characters, try to be cutthroat and manipulative, yet can’t help but to be ‘inspired’ or ‘uplifted’ by them. I wanted to play the game as a bitter underrepresented separatist, who sympathized with the games antagonists... and they are options that suggest you can do that, but no matter what, through the narrative you are not that person. I wanted to play as someone who doesn’t like the idea of being idolized or deified, but again no matter what your character will feel like it is their duty to speak for other people. I didn’t feel like this when I played the first trilogy.

The writing of this game is fantastic, and the world you play in seamlessly flows from the world of Heroes Rise- sometime shifting focus of story/characters can make you feel like it’s a different setting, even if it all takes place in the same city. I especially enjoyed all the different powers and characters shown in the story. I also very much like the story itself, with the reality TV show, the PC’s strange powers, and the shocking twist in the story revealing the Big Bad. However, the entire story is utterly riddled with social commentary and seemingly non-stop condemnation of racism, sexism, and bigotry. These things are important issues, but it feels like we’re beaten over the head with them at times. One of the characters, a straight white male (from the South no less! Horror of horrors!) is called out by a trans character for being, surprise surprise, a bigoted, privileged, white male. The man was already written as sort of a jerk character, at that point you’re just trying to write him as a villain. That’s just ONE example If you overlook those issues- and they’re hard to ignore because it feels like they’re literally everywhere in the story- it’s a very fun game to play through, and I love my character and her relationship with her sister, JK. I hope the next game isn’t so heavy-handed with the Social Justice though.

The reality show was probably the high water mark of this author's other series, but this one just appears to be long on wind and short on action. Question: what sort of RPG has you describe your character's powers long before basic facts like your character's gender or orientation? Presumably this is some sort of message from the author, but I came here for a fun adventure, not to read the pretentious opinions of some windbag. Give this one a pass. If you want to see a Choice of Games app that handles political messages well, try Choice of Robots or the Hosted Game Choice by Gaslight, which have amazing writing and interesting choices.

I have always loved these interactive books and I can’t wait for the next one 😁 This one kind of ends abruptly.

This was like having to relive finding out what it means to be bisexual, and I loved every second of it 👌👍.

I love this series dearly and hope that this next episode is as good as I hope

I don't buy a Superhero book for Social Justice Warrior moralizing. I enjoyed the first three books because it wasn't the predominant feature, though it was all over it, but this was too much to read; both the subtle and the overt social moralizing made it just boring. I couldn't finish. Let's just overlook the hypocrisy of an SJW writing about equality and not being arbitrarily put into boxes while requiring you to adhere to rigid stereotypical tropes. Maybe I'm calculating but honorable, or a loyal ally but I make my own decisions and won't do anything mindlessly just to keep a trope up so that my legend level doesn't drop. Maybe I let Sparrow or Tarana Rain die over Sonja Challa not because I am a fame seeking sociopath, but because I see the role of a hero to be protecting civilians even at the cost of our lives because we signed up for the job. Final complaint, why is my straight male character who has identified as straight and male, constantly checking out other dudes and having awkward moments of attraction to the same gender? Sexuality isn't as fluid as they teach you at SJW school, try respecting a declared orientation. I would not buy this again.