Half-Minute Hero Demo ( #1) Arrives On PSN

The first of two demos for Xseed's upcoming lighting-paced retro PSP Action/RPG is now available for download over the PlayStation Network, which leads me to ask why you're still reading this when you should be playing this rather hilarious bit of gaming goodness. So, go download away onto your PSP (you DO own a PSP, right?) and play it to death in half-minute chunks, laughing crazily as you skip out the door a few minutes later to go preorder from wherever you normally get your games.

Or pre-order HMH online, if that's your thing. Heck, it's not like you're getting much exercise these days, anyway. A little sunlight won't kill you, y'know... Well, that's what I've heard... *Ahem,* anyway, let's see what the official press release says:

Story

For centuries, an epic battle between humans and evil lords has been raging and destroying everything in its path. The civilized world is under attack by these relentless enemies and all that remains are ruins of castles and the bodies of the faithful knights who once proudly protected them. Throughout time, heroes and legends have risen above the chaos, only to eventually disappear into the ashes. As the last wandering sage and final hope for humanity, it is up to the protagonist to somehow transcend time and death to unite these legends and their unique powers in one last battle against the Ultimate Evil Lord.

Gameplay

In Half-Minute Hero, choose between four modes of accelerated gameplay, each complete with original quests, enemies and attacks. Battles are either random, real-time encounters with monsters, evil lords and bosses, or stage related encounters. There are 50 stages in Hero 30 Mode and 30 stages in all other modes, in which players have 30 seconds, or a half-minute, to complete their tasks before joining forces with the other past and future legends to fight together in the legendary Hero 300.

An unorthodox approach to traditional RPGs, Half-Minute Hero combines adventure, an epic storyline, legendary characters and a punishing countdown clock to destruction, to create an adrenaline pumping experience that will blow past conventional fantasy games. Retaining the charm inherent in classic RPGs, Half-Minute Hero is a breakneck foray into an ancient land of monsters and magic, all under 30 seconds.

Key Features

• Fast-paced Action for Instant Gratification - A fresh new way to play games, clearing stages in 30-second intervals.

• Four Completely Different and Unique Gameplay Modes - Four distinct storylines and modes that encompass an action RPG, a shooter, an escort mission and a strategy game, keep the gameplay fresh and varied.

• Over 20 Hours of Total Gameplay - With each of the four unique modes (plus bonus modes!) containing 30-50 distinct stages, short individual play times add up to many hours of total gameplay.
  

• Intense Multiplayer Action - Connect two to four friends through ad hoc wireless connection for blazing fast competition!

• Old-School Graphics, New-Age Metal Sound - Classic 8-bit graphics give this game its unique visual style, while original music by one of Japan's most critically-acclaimed guitarists keeps a pace as fast and furious as the gameplay.