Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 74 | 8 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 83% | 77 | 24 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (14)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Hero must die. again is better than the sum of its parts, with its genuinely emotional premise and a strangely relaxing feel despite the time constraint.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Hero Must Die offers a fascinatingly different approach and is well worth checking out just for that. All of the RPG building blocks used are of the most basic sort, but the game manages to combine them effectively with its wilder ideas to ensure that there’s always a sense of building towards a bigger picture and a final goal as well.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It would be remiss to not point out some severe flaws, notably how boring the actual combat is, or the lacklustre exploration. Despite this heavy criticism, there is something definitely charming about the whole experience. The de-levelling novelty is notable, if nothing else, and there is a feeling of being pulled into the game that many modern JRPGs sort of lack nowadays. This is the type of game that shows heart and passion can trump huge budgets.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Subversion and innovation marry together beautifully in this sometimes sombre, often clever, take on one of gaming's oldest genres. Even if the Hero could only live another five days, the memory of Hero Must Die. Again will remain with me for some time.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“While the presentation is nice, all the repetition makes it feel like the original mobile game was stretched out to the point where a lot of the emotional impact is lost.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“While the core idea is very intriguing, the execution left a lot to be desired. It was frustrating.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Overall I have to say I really enjoyed my time with Hero must die. again. The gameplay here is really unique and really made me want to play the game multiple times just see what would happen. I feel like getting the True Ending on this one would require a good walkthrough, but part of the fun of this is to see how things turn out if you just wing it. I spent about 13 hours on two playthroughs and each one was very different. While the game could’ve benefited from more enemy models, this is still a really solid title. I would go so far as to say this is a very underrated gem. Personally I feel the replay value make the game well worth the $39.99 price tag. If you’re a fan of classic RPGs and enjoy a good gameplay twist you should probably snag this up ASAP. You will be glad you did so.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“An interesting concept that needs a little bit more work to make a compelling game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Pyramid and G-Modes deconstruction of the JRPG genre offers a unique take on a fantasy world after a demon threat has been reduced, and manages to stick the landing with its unique mechanics.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Hero Must Die. Again is a unique non-linear JRPG that takes chances on players being capable of learning and navigating through its systems, without much handholding. Each playthrough enables the player to become more capable of handling whatever the game throws at them, even if that comes at the cost of dying multiple times.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Hero Must Die has a lot going for it, a strong, immediately compelling theme, a lovely, melancholic aesthetic, and a simple elegance to its systems. Unfortunately, the development team really struggled to find a way to marry the form and function of the JRPG, and the narrative that the mechanics are meant to support.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Hero Must Die Again is a well-crafted game with a unique concept.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
RPGamer
Cubed3
GameGrin
JRPG.moe
NookGaming
oprainfall
RPG Fan
RPG Site
Noisy Pixel
Digitally Downloaded
Hardcore Gamer…and 2 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Hero must die. again - Inventory bug fixMay 12, 2020