Vertical Drop Heroes HD

Endlessly replayable game

INT. GHOSTLY BLUES' DIMLY LIT OFFICE - NIGHT

The room is shrouded in shadows, the only source of light emanating from the faint glow of a computer screen. GHOSTLY BLUES, a spectral figure draped in a tattered trench coat and fedora, sits perched at his desk, his translucent fingers tapping with uncertainty on the keyboard.

TITLE CARD: VERTICAL DROP HEROES HD - A NOIR TALE OF DESCENT

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.)
Nerdook Games...a name that prowls the digital shadows like a specter, unfamiliar to my spectral essence. Thus, I plunged into the enigmatic depths of the game.

His voice, tinged with both skepticism and intrigue, echoes through the dimly lit office.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Back in the era when the internet was an uncharted wilderness, I traversed its murky landscapes in search of elusive treasures. Yet, Nerdook's creations remained cloaked in obscurity, evading my spectral grasp.

He peers through the veil of darkness, fixated on the flickering screen.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Vertical Drop Heroes HD...a title that lures with the promise of adventure, yet conceals its true essence beneath layers of pixelated veneer.

His spectral fingers dance across the keyboard, navigating the game's labyrinthine corridors with cautious apprehension.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But alas, the journey unfolds like a cryptic enigma. The graphics, touted as "HD," resemble mere apparitions, devoid of substance or coherence. It's akin to solving a mystery with clues written in invisible ink – frustrating and futile.

He reclines in his chair, the dim light casting eerie shadows upon his spectral form.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And the controls...a labyrinth of confusion, a maze of uncertainty. A dance with frustration, set to the melancholic rhythm of a forgotten jazz standard. It's as if the developers handed me a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces and expected me to complete the picture.

A melancholic melody drifts from the speakers, mingling with the scent of aged parchment and lost dreams.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope emerges. A tale of upgrades, of levels conquered, of bosses vanquished. Yet the journey feels akin to navigating through a fog-laden alley, uncertain of the dangers that lurk around each corner.

With a sigh, he delves back into the digital abyss, his resolve unyielding, his spirit undaunted.

GHOSTLY BLUES (V.O.) (CONT'D)
In the end, Vertical Drop Heroes HD remains a puzzle wrapped in a mystery – a descent into the unknown, with only shadows for company. But perhaps, therein lies the allure of the noir – the promise of revelation amidst the darkness.

He fades into the obscurity, his spectral form dissipating into the night, leaving behind only the echoes of his digital odyssey.

FADE OUT.

In the realm of pixels, there lies a game,
Vertical Drop Heroes, with its claim to fame.
A journey downward, through levels it takes,
But let's ponder if it's a masterpiece or just fake.

Its graphics, reminiscent of a bygone era,
Simple and rudimentary, lacking in allure.
In an age of visually stunning spectacles,
Its dated appearance feels like a technical obstacle.

The gameplay, touted as thrilling and profound,
With promises of roguelike adventure abound.
Yet beneath the surface, grinding thrives,
A tedious cycle that never truly thrives.

The characters, a motley crew at best,
With shallow traits, they fail to impress.
Their designs lack depth, their stories thin,
Leaving players yearning for more within.

But amidst the sea of mediocrity it floats,
Moments of challenge, where victory gloats.
For in the midst of its flaws, there lies,
A fleeting sense of triumph that occasionally flies.

So let us not overly exalt nor disdain,
For Vertical Drop Heroes, despite its stain,
Is a modest offering in the gaming sphere,
With highs and lows that often veer.

In the grand tapestry of digital delights,
It finds its place among the dimming lights.
A divisive creation, it must endure,
Critiques and praises, harsh and pure.

For some, a hidden gem waiting to explore,
For others, a tedious journey to deplore.
But in the end, it earns a nod, however small,
For daring to exist, flaws and all.


[INT. CHAOTIC GAMING HAVEN - NIGHT]

The gaming haven is ablaze with neon lights and the sounds of laughter and chaos. JINX, TALIYAH, MISS FORTUNE, and ZIGGS from League of Legends, along with BRICK, TINA, and GAIGE (in full anarchy mode with a modified Deathtrap), MOZE with her Iron Cub (talking like Mr. Torgue and Tiny Tina), ZANE, MAYA, AMARA, MR. TORGUE, ATHENA, MORDECAI, and JANEY from Borderlands are gathered around a massive screen, ready to dive into Vertical Drop Heroes HD.

JINX
(grinning maniacally)
Alright, losers! Get ready for the Jinxperience! 🚀💣

TALIYAH
(adjusting her goggles)
I hope this game doesn't crumble under my earth-shattering skills! 🌪️🔥

MISS FORTUNE
(raising an eyebrow)
Let's see if this game is worth more than my bounty list. 💰🏴‍☠️

They fire up the game, and the screen bursts to life with retro graphics and quirky characters.

ZIGGS
(rubbing his hands together)
Look at those explosions! My kind of party! 💥🎉

BRICK
(punching his fists)
Time to smash through these levels like a psycho on a rampage! 💪🔨

TINA
(bouncing excitedly)
EXPLOSIONS! It's like my birthday and Boom Boom's birthday combined! 🎂💥

GAIGE (to Deathtrap)
(in Arnold's voice)
Time to crush it, Deathtrap! Show them how we roll! 🤖🔫

MOZE (to Iron Cub)
(in Mr. Torgue's voice)
Iron Cub, baby! Let's turn this game into an EXPLOSION FEST! 💣💥

DEATHTRAP (to Gaige)
(beeping and whirring)
Affirmative, Mistress Gaige. Let the chaos commence! 🔧🤖

IRON CUB (to Moze)
(booming voice)
I'M READY TO EXPLODE, TINY TINA! LET'S DO THIS! 💥🔥

They dive into the game, their characters leaping, slashing, and causing mayhem in every corner of the screen.

MAYA
(raising an eyebrow)
The art style is... unique. Reminds me of the weird tattoos in Sanctuary. 🎨🤨

AMARA
(nodding)
Definitely has a Pandora vibe. Let's see if it's worth our time. 💥🕹️

ATHENA
(skeptically)
But does it offer any real challenge? Let's find out. 🤔🎮

MR. TORGUE
(bellowing)
EXPLOSIONS AND MAYHEM! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! LET'S ROCK, BADASSES! 💥🤘

MORDECAI
(raising a glass)
To a game that better not waste my time. Cheers, Vault Hunters. 🍻🎮

JANEY
(rolling her eyes)
Alright, let's give this game a shot, but don't expect any miracles. 😎🎮

As they progress, frustrations and laughter fill the room in equal measure.

JINX
(annoyed)
Are these controls sponsored by Teemo's mushrooms? I can't hit anything! 🍄🤬

TINA
(bouncing excitedly)
Look at these adorable pixelated monsters! Can we keep them, Brick? Please? 😍👾

ZANE
(smirking)
I've seen smoother gameplay in a Claptrap dance-off. Let's hope it gets better. 😏🕹️

MOZE'S IRON CUB
(yelling)
I WILL TERMINATE ALL PIXELATED ENEMIES! FOR THE GLORY OF EXPLOSIONS! 💥🤖

Eventually, they face the final boss, battered and frustrated.

AMARA
(determined)
Team, let's show this boss what we're made of! 💪👊

TALIYAH
(focusing her magic)
I'll bring the elements to their knees! 🌪️✨

MOZE'S IRON CUB
(in Mr. Torgue's voice)
PREPARE TO BE DEMOLISHED INTO PIXELATED DUST! 💣💥

With a final, epic battle, they emerge victorious, albeit slightly disappointed.

MISS FORTUNE
(surprised)
Well, color me impressed. That boss fight was actually pretty intense. 💥🎉

ZANE
(smirking)
Not bad for a pixelated adventure. It had its moments. 😏🎮

MR. TORGUE
(bellowing)
YEAH, THAT WAS... ACTUALLY KIND OF AWESOME! LET'S DO IT AGAIN! 💥🤘

MAYA
(raising an eyebrow)
I guess there's more to this game than meets the eye. Not bad, not bad at all. 🕹️👍

As they exit the game, a sense of satisfaction fills the room, along with the echoes of their epic adventure. 🎮😄

Really hate to give this a bad review, but the flash game was much much better. The whole draw of that for me was the class system, which virtually is nonexistant here. For reworking so many mechanics, they didn't actually improve the flash jankyness. If you want to get this game, just play the original version. It's free and better.

The first one was better. Awfull mechanics. I hate when you kill and your screen freze for 0.01 second. It crashed 2 times.

Another sweet little co op roguelike. The name is literal you spend each stage dropping down slaughtering things and collecting things to power yourself up. If you enjoy these kinds of games then you'll like this one too.

You pick one of the three randomised character builds at the start (or pay in-game coins to re-roll for more choices). Then you choose your own path through each randomised level (not just layout, but one major variation eg. all creatures fly), descending through traps, NPCs, pickups, and of course monsters, until you reach the exit guarded by a boss.

The main challenge comes in later levels when the enemies start to get deadly and more numerous. And freeing allies, whilst generally quite helpful, can occasionally cause more problems, like destroying parts of the level to kill monsters, or triggering monster reinforcement points. But it's awesome carnage, and generally only happens when freeing the knight. You can skip levels with enough keys or coins, and most levels have plenty of teleporters to get you back up to the top.

VDHHD is loads of fun and more than enough replay value in the $7USD asking price. It's not easy, but it's not overly hard either, and successfully beating it ramps up the difficulty next time. It's not perfect but it's quite polished for a cheap indie, and it's certainly a one of the better roguelites for people who want a good mix of skill, variety, platforming and choices.

EDIT: In 10 hours of overall playtime (multiple sittings) I did get one total freeze of the game, and that came after during a 3+ hour session. May have just been a coincidence or a once-off. I speculate that you're more likely to run into it the longer your place session, if at all.

I'm not usually into platformers but I tried this one because I've always loved Nerdook's games. I'm very impressed. It has a nice progression system that let's you upgrade future generations of heroes and randomly generated maps so you don't get bored easily. I would recommend this game especially if you like platformers but as I already said I enjoyed it despite not being a fan of that genre.

Here are some videos I made of me playing through the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVQwttSasNo&list=PLEUGIFN2mBj2WoF1YCLirzfC-ZUY_P3rF

Multiplayer is insanely buggy. Don't bother if you want to play with a friend....been out for over a year and apparently that's still not enough time to fix major gamebreaking bugs.

Didn't really hold my attention for very long, but I feel like I'm going to return to this some day.

There's no bugs I found. The controls are crisp, the graphics are...graphics, and you understand what you're doing the whole time.

I don't know how much I like certain aspects of the game such as the character you choose after your character dies being random and the fact that your character dies and you have to get a new one each time. That's okay I guess but I wish you could spend gold to keep a character or something.

All in all, I think this is a pretty decent game that most people would enjoy

Good fun. My 7 and 8 year old sons had their friend come over and play this co-op mode winner stays on and they loved it. Played it for 3 hours solid. They couldnt get past level 2 but they didnt care. They just kept starting again and again. Graphics are obviously nothing spectacular here but for a cheap little indie game (and my review is based on gameplay for kids) it is great. I have bought them tripple A titles in the past for over £30 and they have got bored after 5 minutes. If you are a parent then buy this game. You can't go wrong.

Legit game. Tough and simple. Less cutomization than rogue legacy and less rushy than magicte, yet really similar to both games. Its also the same genre (upgrade in death)

main differences, here you can only upgrade health and damage. However.. you buy traits (and you have 2) and spells(also 2) in maps for new heroes. You also buy access to portals so you can jump right into map x (there are 10 maps ?). Spells are charge based and not mana.

The game is really simple. maps are short and you can only go down. sometimes you miss blocks (or destroy them) and you cant go up unless you get a teleporter. Anyway. maps are short and intense. Easy to die but its also easy to learn and truly grasp the game.

Careful when buying spells and traits, you dont pick them and some are better than others.

[Summary] (Summary first for clarity and people who don't want to read a lot)
Over all a quite bad game. It would be ok as a flash game to kill an hour or two but not worth buying. The only redeeming quality is the local co-op, but the game still has fundamental issues with their design.

[Combat]
Very repetative and dull combat. Hitting someone isn't an issue of hitting them with you weapon but more of them being in front of you when you strike (as in the weapon never connects). Every battle is composed of hitting the opponent then stepping back quickly so you can go in and stab them again (with slight variation if you still have your spell left to use).

[Store system]
You can buy two things that makes you stronger. More damage and more health. You can also purchase an upgrade for the passive coins on the maps (they are worth experience and gold, they disappear when an enemy is killed).

Spread out through the map are merchants selling a single ability each. These will then be shuffled into your random spells for your new generations. Most of these purchases are regretted as there is no way to confirm if an ability is good until you purchase it and use it.

The store system is over all very underwhelming and it feels like the store system was added last minute to balance the fact that levels only get harder because the monsters have more health and hit harder.

[Level design]
Throw in random blocks in a maze where you navigate to the bottom where the boss is. Add prisoners (that help you if you let them out) and treasures. Plus a quest per level that is either find Y of X or kill Z and come back to me. The map is not designed so that you can travel upwards, to combat this there are teleporters that bring your to the beginning spread out across the map.

You start from level 1 and progress upwards. Some levels have the ability to pay gold so that you can teleport there instantly (for a negligible price) in new generations. Monster design is pretty limited, the higher level the map is the harder the monsters hit. They look different and sometimes they might be ranged but all in all this doesn't change much.

[Stability]
Crashed only once every 30-45 minutes and never in a way that progress was lost. Starting the game is quick and easy through Steam Big Picture Mode so this was more of a nuisance than a problem.

Paid as much as I would for a decent cheese burger and it was a fun game to play for a few hours. Not terribly long, moderate replay value, and like Rogue Legacy, you spawn as a new hero with new abilities, but I didn't die enough to fully enjoy that mechanic.

7.5/10 would play a game simular.

Just to relive the nostalgia, I had to go back and play the original Vertical Drop Heroes on Kongregate. This truly does its predecessor justice, giving that fantastic risk-reward system and adding so much more to it. There are some aspects of the game that are easy to exploit (using Confusion on the Worm boss makes the fight ever-so easy, especially when I know recharges are around the corner), but even with that, the game provides a good challenge and requires you to put both your platforming skills and rogue-like decision making skills to the test. I especially like the addition of the pacifist system. Normally the choice of "To fight or not to fight" comes down to whether or not you can gain more than you lose, but in this case with many fights being winnable without much or any loss, a reward for avoiding the easy massacres is tempting and very worth it. The story itself is also simple but very befitting; so often do games tell of the great hero that overcame evil with the dozens of game-overs in between never even being acknowleged. Knowing that each failed attempt is simply another step in the story makes me even more anxious for the next attempt.

I look forward to seeing what comes out of Nerdook Productions next. Even if it's another remake of an old Flash game, I know it will be as good-- if not better than-- the original.

This was an impulse/curiosity purchase and ends up being a game I play most often...and I have a lot of games! It's fun, it is challenging, but not to the point of discouraging or losing enjoyment, and it has the feel of new-and-different on every playthrough. Levels are also varied and add to the freshness of each play. There is a load of variety in weaponry and special abilities, more special weapons and abilities you can work toward, and there is a rougue-like feel throughout. If you are thinking about getting this, it's a safe bet you'll have fun with it, and can either play for a short term or long. I've put a good amount of time into this game...I suppose I like having fun, then! All in all a very pleasant surprise.

Disposable Heroes HD: The Legend of Ferretbearer, and Pinecloak, and Skybane, etc.

VDH is like a crash test facility for fantasy themed champions. The player will spend their time trying to find the perfect hero to use as a protagonist (after generations of disappointments), able enough to complete the 10-level quest by which so many predecessors have inevitably failed.
Approaches to play-style can differ from chaotic to tactical; the path of progressive pacifism is possible, though most will prefer to engage with blade, bolt or blast (amongst other things).
It is simple to grasp, though many heroes will meet their doom early. Fortunately, no effort (death) goes unrewarded as resources (as well as abilities) stockpile, which means it is not nearly as frustrating as it should be.
Skill acquisition is indefinite, meaning earned abilities become inherent, allowing for a more expansive genotype, and thus is an inspiration to continue despite the permadeath nature of the game.
The only notable grievance comes within a poorly designed HUD, which can hinder co-op interactions, making for a slightly cramped feel to split screen mode.
'Falling to progress' is a significant enough change logistically to alter the feel of the game from similar titles, and works to enhance the fast paced direction that the game embodies.
VDH is fun without the demand of time input, and although it isn't one you would likely spend hours on, you'll come back to it often; the epitome of the casual indie.

- MénageGameTrois
, J.

Definitely a must buy for all Rogue and Spelunky lovers.

You start with a hero and fight your way to the next level. On your way you can collect coins, free heroes to help you, activate shrines and unlock a lot of abilities and passives.
After your hero dies, it starts all over. The ability to upgrade the stats of further heroes (permanently) makes the game addicting and replayable though.

Even if you beat the game, there will be a new mode, where you get three times the amount of your abilities and the mobs are much stronger. Fight your way down and beat the high-score of everyone!

If what you're used to is the flash game, you'll find a lot of things different here. I was surprised, but I also ended up liking what I found. It's a much more complex game now, while still keeping the fun and speed of the original.

The big difference is the relationship between your character and the trapped heroes. Freeing a hero from their cage doesn't transform your player character into that hero, but instead releases the hero into the game world to fight alongside you as a friendly NPC. Luckily, your player character is no longer the powerless vanilla jump-man from the original either. In a system that, yes, is a lot like Rogue Legacy's, you start each game choosing from a trio of characters generated with different statistics, traits and equipment. You can unlock new character options through achievements and in-game merchants.

My main complaint about this new system is that the AI heroes can sometimes be quite unhelpful, particularly the paladin breaking blocks you'd rather leave intact and the archer, who lacks mobility-based powers, getting stuck and being unable to contribute to the battle. AI heroes can also trigger alarms, though this never felt too obtrusive or unfair.

A lot of fun, very simple, but some frustrating parts that I really hope get changed. The fact that you can get stuck is super annoying, some way to teleport back to start without the teleporters would be great. Also it's hard to see when you're hitting the enemies, seems much more forgiving for the enemies than it is for you.

All in all a good game, and I recommend it, but I think some of it needs to be changed for me to be 100% on board.

Very lovely casual, yet addictive RPG that rely on simple mechanics with engaging randomly generated levels + characters. Well worth the asking price!

Characters are generated randomly before each run, with random assortment of skills and traits. There's a nice touch with the hub world (a but empty but nifty)

Graphics are simple and clean, with each monster bearing it's own personality. But don't admire them for too long, you'll be cutting them down left, right and centre!

Music is simple, changes every few levels. The first song in the early levels remind me of Maplestory, which is quite nice~

If in doubt, try out the flash version that's available online free to play, its obviously less polished than the current version, but gives enough away to help decide whether to buy or not. Hopefully there will be new additional content in the future! <3

Highly addictive Rogue-like game, the gameplay is really fun and a lot similar to Rogue Legacy but instead of side-scrolling you slide down till you reach the bottom of the level where you fight a boss then you can proceed to the next stage.
at the start of each playthrough you have a choice between 3 randomly generated characters with different attributes, choose what best suits your type of playing and proceed, you character starts at level 1 everytime but there are upgrades you can buy before starting the game with the money you collected from your previous runs, you can even buy level ups to your character and skip stages with that money.
the game is really fun and addictive, the soundtrack is good and the graphics aren't bad at all, and like all Rogue-like games, if you like it you will end up spending tens of hours in this game and you will never regret spending your money on it.
highly recommended of course.