The Cruel King and the Great Hero

 Switch
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
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  1. Happyspelling
    Mar 18, 2022
    10
    Pros:
    -One of the most visually stunning games I have ever seen. The entire game was hand drawn by the incredibly talented director of this game, Sayaka Oda.
    -The music gives off a fairy tale vibe and is great to listen to. -The writing is amazing, with lots of charming characters and even some heartbreaking moments. -There's plenty of content, with dozens of side quests and a story    Pros:
    -One of the most visually stunning games I have ever seen. The entire game was hand drawn by the incredibly talented director of this game, Sayaka Oda.
    -The music gives off a fairy tale vibe and is great to listen to.
    -The writing is amazing, with lots of charming characters and even some heartbreaking moments.
    -There's plenty of content, with dozens of side quests and a story that took me roughly 40 hours.
    -The bosses can be very challenging, especially if you don't do any sidequests. The final boss specifically took me a few tries.
    -The monster weakness system is a unique and original idea that makes combat more interesting.
    -I appreciate the simpler take on RPG's. It reminds me of Paper Mario with its combat and partners.
    -This game is only $30 for a digital copy, which is a great deal for a game that will likely take at least 30 hours. The physical edition also comes with a digital soundtrack, artbook with comments by the director, and a plush of the main character for $60. There is also the Treasure Trove edition which adds an adorable plush of the dragon king and an acrylic puzzle for $105.
    Cons:
    -Battles appear to frequently
    -I personally didn't mind, but a lot of people have a problem with fetch quests and back tracking, which this game has its fair share of in the side quests due to it's relatively small world.
    -The aforementioned acrylic puzzle in the treasure trove edition of the game is not of very good quality. The pieces didn't seem to want to fit together, and required so much force that I hurt my thumbs. The pieces also came apart easily, so I spent hours on a 130 piece puzzle that shouldn't have even taken one. Maybe the one I received was just defective, but I'm definitely never taking it apart again.
    Summary: An audiovisual masterpiece with simple yet engaging RPG gameplay and an amazing story that I'd recommend to anyone with a Switch or PS4.    … Expand
  2. PMG-Writer
    Mar 27, 2022
    8
    Thus, the developers of "The Cruel King and the Great Hero" created a great and intense story of Yuu and her dragon king. Again and again, the plot of the game touched us emotionally and shows how great the developers took their time with the story. The gameplay and the game mechanics also make you want to play and drive you pleasantly through the pretty game world. The language isThus, the developers of "The Cruel King and the Great Hero" created a great and intense story of Yuu and her dragon king. Again and again, the plot of the game touched us emotionally and shows how great the developers took their time with the story. The gameplay and the game mechanics also make you want to play and drive you pleasantly through the pretty game world. The language is Japanese with good English texts. The sound rounds off the very positive impression of the game. Those who would like to experience a new adventure should gladly check out "The Cruel King and the Great Hero" for their console.… Expand
  3. Nintendist
    Jun 29, 2022
    0
    terrible game. the gameplay is really empty, no good content or good characters
  4. fastica
    Sep 18, 2022
    8
    Beautiful game. It could be repetitive, but the amazing soundtrack, charm and beautiful visuals makes it for its repetition. Characters are great and the story, while simple, it's good.
    It's a simple game that ooze charm.
  5. Capnhuggy
    May 16, 2022
    7
    The game is cute, if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on the story book edition it comes with a plush, and a story/art book/ beastiary down side is 20 hours of gameplay.
  6. MrWaffelmann
    Mar 22, 2022
    9
    This game is just really amazing and I'm very happy that I decided to buy it. It comes with an amazing story, interesting cast of characters, really good soundtrack and a fairly balanced combatsystem. The graphics and the fairytale like story give the game a unique feel as if you would take part in reading a story book. The game is giving of positive and happy vibes as you follow the storyThis game is just really amazing and I'm very happy that I decided to buy it. It comes with an amazing story, interesting cast of characters, really good soundtrack and a fairly balanced combatsystem. The graphics and the fairytale like story give the game a unique feel as if you would take part in reading a story book. The game is giving of positive and happy vibes as you follow the story of Yuu, a human girl who was raised by the Dragon King who helps her to fulfill her dream of following her father's footsteps and becoming a great hero. Yuu's Papa became known as a hero when he defeated the Demon King, the cruel leader of a monster army that threatened humanity at the time. The kind and naive Yuu who grew up around monsters get's on an adventure secretly followed by the worried Dragon King who tries to help Yuu throughout her adventures and watches over her to ensure that she grows up to become a great hero who will have to face difficult situations and meet new friends throughout the game. You will find the story to be exciting and emotianal at times, but overall well made and in addition with the enticing world filled with an interesting cast of characters and a well-balanced, but fairly simple combat system you are guaranteed to have a great time. Though it has some minor weak points including side quests that lack a bit of variaty, random encounters that become a bit annoying when you have to go through areas where enemies are no challenge for you anymore and slight performance issues on the switch. These issues are very minor and don't turn the game down too much though they have to be addressed. For my personal experiece I had a great time and I even became emotional in some parts of the game. If you wish to follow Yuu and the Dragon King on their tragic adventure then I can recommend 'The cruel King and the great Hero' for you can enjoy this game as much as I did.… Expand
  7. Piniferd
    May 8, 2022
    10
    Ths game is beautiful! the art is wonderful, the music is phenomenal, and the mechanics are easy to use. I would recommend this game to anyone who is unused to the genre because of how the mechanics are set up your grandmother could play it!

Awards & Rankings

68
#68 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Starbit
    May 10, 2022
    70
    Its accessible difficulty level is a very positive element for less experienced players but along with a rather slow pacing, it makes this effort less attractive for more versed hands. All in all, The Cruel King and the Great Hero may not tower above its peers but it's certainly a worthy and lovely-looking work to explore.
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  2. Hey Poor Player
    Apr 19, 2022
    100
    The Cruel King and the Great Hero is my current contender for GOTY 2022; although it’s only April, I just don’t see this changing. With its wonderfully whimsical aesthetics, glorious soundtrack, blossoming world-building and character development, and delightful turn-based combat combining action and slight brainteasers, it cannot be overstated how phenomenal The Cruel King and the Great Hero truly is. It’s probably the only game I’ve ever consciously desired to give a standing ovation, tears welling up in my eyes as the credits rolled. The sum of a thousand tiny details done correctly, The Cruel King and the Great Hero achieves greatness through the lens of a bold and brave young girl, following her heart and her dreams, with her supportive dragon dad by her side.
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  3. Nintenduo
    Apr 19, 2022
    72
    A warm fairy tale with wonderful audio-visual aspects, but little gameplay innovation. If you are looking for a short adventure that allows you to experience a good turn-based RPG experience without having to invest too much time in it, this game is a very good option for that.
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