Playing Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition feels like taking a step back to the 1990s in all the best and, unfortunately, worst ways.
While Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition was not released until 2008, it was already mechanically outdated at launch, even though many JRPGs adopted 3D visuals and visually and mechanically impressive turn-based combat mechanics since the 1990s. Choosing to launch a title in 2008 that would have looked outdated in 1998 was certainly a bold move, albeit one that didn’t pay off in 2008 and certainly doesn’t in 2024.
Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition’s turn-based combat mechanic is very similar to systems used in far too many RPG Maker Engine games; while it does serve its purpose and allow players to level up their characters, it is not going to appeal to many people who were not already a fan of similar combat mechanics.
Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t hate it, as while it was bland, it was perfectly functional. However, I am fast approaching 40 years old and enjoyed games that used similar systems back when they were still fresh, so there is an element of nostalgia at play, something that younger gamers or those who didn’t play JRPG in the 1990s and early 2000s would have to fall back on.
Image credit Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition - Published by PQube and developed by Zerodiv.
Mechanics aside, Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is a really nice-looking game with gorgeous HD 2D visuals and sprites, making it a real joy to play for fans of traditional JRPGS who place more emphasis on character aesthetics and freedom of stat allocation than they do on engaging or modern gameplay, as we have already covered, Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition looks great, but mechanically is rather bland, and it is far more grindy than most modern gamers have a taste or tolerance for.
Image credit Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition - Published by PQube and developed by Zerodiv.
A JRPG lives or dies on the strength of its narrative and dialogue, and honestly, Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is not that bad; while the dialogue is occasionally cringy and, once in a while, unpalatable to modern audiences, especially in the way it occasionally portrays minorities and (assumably) LGBT characters in a stereotypically offensive manner, it services its purpose, and as far as JPRG narratives from the era the go, it’s decent narrative, even if it is rather forgettable.
Image credit Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition - Published by PQube and developed by Zerodiv.
Finally, the bread and butter of every JRPG is its combat system, and Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition’s combat system is no exception; unfortunately, it is also unexceptional, and while it works and is occasionally fun, for the most part, it offers very little beyond what is possible in an unmodded RPG Maker Engine game.
While part of why I feel this way is because newer games have more impressive combat systems, I must counter that many games older than Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition also had much better combat systems, and while Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition’s turn-based combat mechanics are functional, they are rather boring, and due to the repetitive nature of Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition’s gameplay and excessive grind required to level up, players will be forced to engage with it far longer than a system of this lacklustre calibre warrants.
Image credit Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition - Published by PQube and developed by Zerodiv.
Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is a role playing game video game developed by Zerodiv and published by PQube, it was released on 26 April 2024 and retails for $19.99.
Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is available on the following platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, and Playstation 5.
The following peripherals are officially supported:
Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is rated PEGI 12+ and contains:
Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is a pretty good game, and long-time fans of the RPG genre will get their money’s worth; however, it is very much a relic of simpler times and, as a result, is unlikely to appeal to gamers who do not already have an established interest in the franchise, or a fondness for the late 1990s roleplaying games, which is very much the era that inspired the game, despite it not releasing until 2008 in Japan and 2009 in the USA.
Overall, Class of Heroes: Anniversary Edition is a decent but far from unmissable title that will not hold the attention of gamers who are used to more complex RPG mechanics and more user-friendly user interfaces for very long.
