Upyoo! “Hebereke” has been reborn as super cute!

Explore the strange world

This work is a sequel to the action game “Hebereke” released on Family Computer in 1991. It was praised by enthusiasts for its surreal worldview, high-quality soundtrack, and exploratory action similar to what we would now call a Metroidvania. Various sequels have been announced so far, but this is the first proper 2D action sequel.

The story begins with Utsujin crashing on the planet where the main character, Hebe, lives. Utsujin is planning an invasion using a new threat called “Bumyon” that will pollute the earth, and Hebe and his friends use their special weapon “Popun” to fight.

This work is not just a sequel to a retro game. It has modernized in many ways, and is a great game even for a 2024 game.

The genre is exploration-type action, and you advance your adventure by moving back and forth between areas. You can control four characters: Hebe with standard performance, O-chan who can swim in water, Sukezaemon who can fly far with fluffy jumps, and Jeniffer who can dive in water, and press the L/R button at any time. You can switch.

In battle, you can attack by stepping on it with “Butt Attack”, which can be activated by pressing ZR/ZL in the air. Enemies surrounded by “Bumyon” can be eliminated by throwing popoons, and enemies without Bumyon can also temporarily stop moving.

The maps are relatively simple, not as complex and intricate as typical “Metroidvania” games. Using Hebe’s home as your base, you will travel to various areas. Goals are clearly defined, so you don’t have to worry too much about them. At the end of each area there is a character called “Bobodori” who will transport you to your base for free.

However, I’m worried about getting tired of going back and forth…but a unique system has been devised in this regard. In this game, when you enter an area you have already been to, the terrain will randomly change from multiple patterns. There are new tricks and hidden items, making it very rewarding to play. There is an item called “Utsu-can” on the map, which is necessary for progressing in the game, but you can obtain it by purchasing various items from the vending machine at the base.

In addition, sub-missions such as breaking through an area within the time limit or breaking through without taking damage are assigned, and bonuses can be obtained by completing them, so the game is designed to keep the game from becoming monotonous.

Cuteness and surrealism are the best match.

The charm of this work is its cuteness…! The design has a handmade feel, with felt-like graphics, speech bubbles for conversations, and iron beads for character illustrations. The characters’ movements are cute and you won’t get tired of watching them.

In addition, the unique Hebe language that was so appealing from the previous work is of course still there. “Supyo,” “upyoo,” and “supyoropun” are meaningless but very cute. The characters have distinct personalities, such as O-chan’s ladylike tone such as “O-ho-ho-ho”, and Sukezaemon’s samurai-like tone of “-degozaru”.

Characters you don’t use will help you depending on the situation, and they’ll add Cha-Cha to you, so the screen is always lively. Everything on the screen is filled with cuteness.

There are a lot of surreal laughs, such as slightly meta remarks and lines that give a sense of weakness, and it matches the looseness of the graphics very well. The soundtrack is also based on the highly acclaimed original work, arranged in a chiptune style, and is full of impressive songs.

This work is an ideal revival of the Famicom game that was popular among enthusiasts. This is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of the original work and retro game fans, but also to those who like cute games and surreal gags, so why not give it a try!