Game Freak has been around for decades and produced many games over the years, but are primarily known for their Pokémon series. So what happens when they truly flex their muscles and create a new RPG IP? Well, we get one of the most innovative and charming games in a long time, with Little Town Hero. A game where Game Ffreak is allowed to go all out with new ideas that would not work for Pokémon and truly experiment again, and it may be the most inventive game I have seen in years.
Little Town Hero takes place in a single town that must be defended from monsters, but its how you defend the town that is interesting. Rather than just go about having a typical magic and weapon system, Game Freak brought in a neat system where you use ideas to attack and defend. This works similar to a magic system, but requires far more strategy. It is not hard to adjust to though, as the game does a very good job of explaining what to do. But more than that, the town itself plays a role in fights. You must use strategy to involve people in the town in fights and it feels like a breath of fresh air when it comes to RPG battles.
But what about the world itself? Little Town Hero takes place in one town, but it feels very developed. Maybe its because of the writing and good character work, but I really like what Game Freak did here, and it makes the world seem alive. This may not be the biggest RPG ever made, but it does seem like it is fully realized, which is more than I can say for certain big name RPGs that shall remain nameless. Everything feels like it has a point here, and that makes all the difference to me. Nothing feels superfluous and there was always something new to discover. If anything, this felt like a game designed for function first, and made full use of everything they had to create the world space and the people within it. I love the characters and they are a big part of why the game works well. Likeable protagonists and good NPCs make a big difference, and Little Town Hero does a great job here.
I really do love the art style chosen for the game, and it looks truly excellent on Switch in both docked and handheld mode. But you are not here for the art style and visuals are you? What has caught the interest of many about this game is that most of the music was done by Toby Fox of Undertale fame. Toby did an incredible job here, both in creating atmosphere and tension, as well as giving the music a different feel than his work with Undertale. This is some of Toby’s best work, and is a real high point of the game for me.
Little Town Hero is not a long game, so do not go in expecting a 60 hour experience. This is more of an experimental outing by Game Freak, by a small team trying something different. It will not take away from Pokémon at all, but may actually end up influencing some ideas in future Pokémon games if anything. You shouldn’t come into Little Town Hero expecting a game on the level of Pokémon, but don’t discount it either. There is plenty here for fans of JRPGs, and those who just want something different.
In conclusion: Little Town Hero is a fantastic game, and I urge many to check it out. Just be aware of what the game is and isn’t before you do.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.