H.E.R.O. Is Back 2
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, and Linux
This game is a homage to H.E.R.O. from John Van Ryzin, published by Activision in 1984.
This version contains completely new levels, graphics, and sounds.
Every 20000 points, you earn an extra life.
Introduction
The hardworking miners of Mount Leone have been locked in the cave system through sudden volcanic activities.
Our hero Roderick Hero now starts for the search of the missing persons with his special equipment (backpack helicopter, integrated helmet laser and dynamite).
After a successful rescue, the player reaches the next level.
Power
The energy is filled up at the start of every level. When the full energy is used up, the player loses a life and starts again at the beginning of the level.
Dynamite
The pits spread far vertically and horizontally into the interior of the mountain. Sometimes walls, which Rod needs to blow away with dynamite, block the way. At the beginning of every level, the player gets 6 sticks of dynamite. After the ignition, Rod must move away fast or else he will lose a life.
Laser beam
The player can use the laser to kill the enemies. The laser can also be used in place of dymanite to evaporate a wall, though this method takes about 10 seconds.
Enemies
In the pits lurk different creatures such as spiders, bats, poisonous moths, snakes and scorpions. At some lava rivers, an invincible, hungry sea monster appears, constantly following our hero. Some walls that contain magma sediments glow red and must not be touched.
Raft
A heat resistent raft can be used at some places to cross the lava river.
Table of points
| 50 | Shooting an enemy |
| 50 | For every dynamite stick that is left at the end of the level |
| 75 | Removing a wall |
| 1000 | Rescuing a miner |
Controls
| Arrow keys Controller lever | Move Hero left/right |
| Up arrow key * Controller up * | Go upwards |
| Down arrow key * Controller down * | Ignite dynamite stick |
| Fire button * | Laser beam in direction of sight |
| P | Pause |
| Home | Stop game and return to title screen |
| F1/F2 | Adjust sound effects volume |
| F3/F4 | Adjust music volume |
| F10 | Change pixel effect |
| F11 | Toggle integer scaling |
| F12 | Toggle fullscreen |
| Esc | Exit game |
* The keyboard keys and the controller buttons are customizable (press F1 during the title screen).
The gamepad D-Pad can also be used.
History
Version 1.0
- First release.
Version 1.1
- In fullscreen mode, the game could be jerky using certain video cards.
Version 1.2
- You can now use the WASD or IJKL keys as directional keys.
- You can now use the Z or M keys as fire button.
- You can now use the gamepad D-Pad.
Version 1.3
- Sound effects and music are now suspended when the game is paused.
- Now you can press F1/F2 to adjust the sound effects volume and F3/F4 to adjust the music volume.
Version 1.4
- More controllers are now recognized.
- Up, down, and fire keys/buttons are now customizable.
- Replaced the password system with the unlocked level system.
Version 1.5
- Reduced the dead zone of the analog stick to allow better use of the controller.
Version 1.6
- Removed the option to change zoom factor. Instead, you can now toggle the integer scaling of graphics.
Version 1.7
- Added the helicopter sound effect.
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Development log
- H.E.R.O. Is Back 2 version 1.7 has been released91 days ago
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
Wow! A very nice HERO remake. It still has the original mood but is extended. Good job!
I'm really happy to receive comments like this, thank you!
Great job. It's like HERO got ported to the SNES!
It's very faithful. No complaints in that regard except perhaps when trying to go down a 2 body width hole with an enemy it was harder to avoid dying. I recall being able to not overshoot the cliff. But perhaps I'm rusty.
Being able to dedicate the dynamite to a separate button is nice. But I was a little disappointed when after doing that I could no longer press down to use one. I guess old habits never die. I could see how newer gamers (and by that I mean people who at least started on the NES) could get discouraged by accidentally using dynamite when they press down at times. Perhaps make it a separate option. Or make it obvious how I can skip a button configuration.
Keep going! Playing your game makes it very easy to think about all the cool ways HERO could get enhanced even further.
I'm glad you appreciate my work.
As for the rest, it's not clear to me whether you have problems with the dynamite button or its customization. Can you be more precise?
So I think there are 2 issues:
I get a sense of how you did things. Although I didn't try or realize until right now, I'm guessing that if I set a key other than "up" to make the hero fly, the previous "up" key would cease to do it.
I know button configuration is a bear, particularly introducing the logic required to interactively assign multiple buttons to an action. So, I propose that there are separate checkbox options like "up direction to fly", "down direction to place dynamite", which would both be enabled by default and could be disabled if there has been a different key / button assigned to it.
HERO is in that group of platformers where the hero can't jump. And there is also the group of platformers that require pressing up to jump. And HERO kind of intersects both. As I mentioned before, some people gag at the notion of pressing up to jump. But interestingly, I think the idea of controlling the flying with up doesn't break these rules. I bet people would really dig if you added a Pitfall style jump in addition to flying. In some alternate timeline where HERO because wildly popular, Activision created it's own console, and HERO was its Mario, I have no doubt in my mind that he would be able to jump.
I realize that the system used to configure keyboard and joystick is not entirely practical, but it is the simplest in terms of programming.
Maybe one day I'll program a more complex interface that allows you to configure keyboard and joystick separately, and that allows you to configure only the buttons you need, but I'm not sure it's worth it, and anyway at the moment I have other priorities.
And to be honest, I think that once you decide which keys to use and get used to them, you won't need any configuration anymore.
Really awesome sequel! But the helicopter controls feel different and are hard to master…
No one has ever complained about this before. I guess it's a matter of practice. I also guess it depends on what type of controller you use. I'm afraid a gamepad isn't the most suitable controller. A microswitch joystick or simply the keyboard is certainly preferable.
The controls are spot on compared with the C64 version. Couldn’t be better!
I'm glad you said that, thanks!
Even more powerfull with the new helicopter sound effect- The game is truly indeed a masterpiece 👍
For the helicopter sound effect you have to thank Claus, another fan of the game, who created it for me with a synthesizer!
Ok, Thank you Claus for an excellent contribution with you synthesizer👍
Would it be possible to make HERO2 (and HERO) stretch the full screen, just like in Mike Mech or other horizontal games?
I'll take it into consideration.
That's good news! Thank you.
I did what you asked, or at least I hope so!
Oh wow, that's so much better. Really really good. Thanks a million Luca.
Glad to have satisfied you!
When c64 version ?
Too many other projects in mind, sorry. :(
Fantastic! Thank you for Linux support!
I answer once for all your posts: now that I can compile for Linux, it's a pleasure to do it. ;)
Lovely game, was my favorit game of all time on the C64 together with Fort Apocalypse. Glad you made a PC version : ) Unfortunately I can't get the sound to work or the fullsceen mode (but that's not a big deal). The sound however just came on a few seconds (quite impressive though) and then whent away. Tried all the buttons, restarting the computer and so on but only silence remains. I have win 10 and usually have no problems with PC games, am I doing something wrong?
This is the first time anyone has told me they are having problems with the audio. Two possibilities come to mind: 1 - During gameplay, try pressing F1/F2 to adjust the sound effects volume and F3/F4 for the music volume (see if it changes anything). 2 - Try updating OpenAL-Soft
Found that the sound works if I don't press F12 for fullscreen, so it's probably my computer that's a little old. Will try the update you suggested otherwise it might be time to invest in a new computer. Thanks for reply and an absolutely magical game, really love it : )
According to what you describe, it might not just be an audio problem, so I recommend you try updating OpenGL for graphics as well.
I'll try that, thanks : )
Awesome !
Thanks for appreciating and for the video!
Are there chances that you pick up that game again and release it for the C64?
Not for the moment, sorry.
OK, thanks for replying. Your other games are great as well.
Thank you so much.
I really love this remake, and also the first H.E.R.O. is Back remake! The only suggestion I would make is to make the caverns different colors in each level, just like they were in the first H.E.R.O. is Back remake. Either that, or give the option to play using the original C64 graphics like in the first remake.
A level editor would also be sweet.
But besides that, these two remakes are awesome!!
First of all, I'm really happy that you like these two games!!
Regarding HERO is Back 2, the walls of the caves are already of different colors depending on the level, but, by graphic choice, the colors are rather dark and dull, so the difference is not so marked.
As for the level editor, it would be a significant additional job and given that the game, in 2 and a half years, has been downloaded less than 600 times and I have received donations for only 16 dollars, it is evident that the game is not so liked by most of the players, so it's not worth it. If I ever made a level editor, I would make the game downloadable for a fee, but this is not possible because the rights of the original game are reserved and I would be infringing the copyright.
600 downloads vs 16 dollars? What's wrong with people?
Just because people download the game doesn't mean they actually like it and play it. I imagine this is the reason for the low donations. So, given the lack of interest in my PC games, I doubt I'll make any more in the future.
I'm with ya. I've just started playing this and it's really well done. Would think it should have a lot more traction. Convinced me to go back and get HERO is back also. I've been playing both a lot over the last couple days. Maybe we just need to get the word out more on these. I didn't even know about itch.io until I started looking for my theC64 games and now am discovering a lot of really cool titles. I was pretty much just getting most everything from Steam or some older games on GOG.
Thank you for your support and for appreciating my work. I realize that my PC games have low visibility, but I don't know how to increase it. I've posted videos of all my games on YouTube and Rumble. I left comments on videos about retro games indicating the link to my page on itch.io. I wouldn't know what else to do. If the situation doesn't change, I will continue to make games for C64 (and maybe, who knows, for Amiga), since they give me much more satisfaction.
Anyway, thanks also for your donations for both of my versions of HERO! 👍
such a good remake !! many thanks for the good work and intact feeling, dude ;)
Really thank you for appreciating!
Thanks to you.
very good