Twilight Heroes
A turn-based superhero RPG with surreal humor and wordplay.
Twilight Heroes is a browser-based, multiplayer role-playing game released by American studio Quirkz Media in October 2007. Players assume the role of superheroes in a turn-based setting, fighting monsters and villains while collecting items and chips. The game is free-to-play with donation incentives, and its operation was later taken over by Metroplexity Games in 2011.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Quirkz Media
- Designer
- Ross "Ryme" Patty
- Released
- October 31, 2007
- Genre
- Turn based RPG
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Web browser
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Gameplay in Twilight Heroes has been described as similar to a Choose Your Own Adventure story but more interactive. The player selects an area of the city to patrol, which may result in combat or a brief story. Patrolling consumes game turns; once all turns are used, the character must rest for their day job. Players can increase daily turns by consuming caffeine-based items like coffee or tea, up to a limited amount per day. The game day resets at rollover, which occurs daily at 11:10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. Initially, players can only visit Somerset Square and their Hideout. Somerset Square is the player's suburb with stores and low-level patrol areas, while the Hideout allows resting to regain Hit Points and Power Points, as well as assembling items, accessing a computer, managing specialty items, and switching transportation. As the player levels up and gains new transportation, more areas become accessible; for example, a bicycle opens more areas than walking, and a jetpack allows sky patrols. The game shares similarities with Kingdom of Loathing in its humor, wordplay, and turn-based system with limited daily actions. The creator, Ryme, consulted Kingdom of Loathing creator Jick on game design and coding.
Plot
The game is set in Twilight City, a fictional American city where superpowers, renegade robots, and monsters are common. The currency is the casino chip. The player starts as an average, apathetic citizen whose apartment is ransacked, prompting them to fight crime. After encountering a suspicious figure and being knocked unconscious, the player wakes to find a talisman granting superpowers. The talisman's qualities depend on the chosen character class: Elemental, Gadgeteer, Naturalist, or Psion.
Reception
Twilight Heroes was listed among the ten best freeware role-playing and Roguelike games of 2007 by IndieGames.com. Video game journalist John Walker called it a surprisingly in-depth and complex RPG, noting that while combat becomes repetitive quickly, the writing makes it a lot of fun, particularly the in-game dictionary with off-the-wall item descriptions. Eurogamer's Jon Hamblin rated it 6 out of 10, citing limited character customization and few activities for experienced players, though new quests were regularly added. Hamblin found the tone inconsistent, with descriptions occasionally too serious and neither specific enough for parody nor funny enough on their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Twilight Heroes released?
Twilight Heroes was released on October 31, 2007.
What platforms is Twilight Heroes available on?
Twilight Heroes was released for Web browser.
Who designed Twilight Heroes?
Twilight Heroes was designed by Ross "Ryme" Patty.
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