The tactical RPG/CCG/VN hybrid "Hero.EXE" is now live on Kickstarter

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Press release:
The US-based indie games publisher Top Hat Studios and indie games developer Mystery Egg Games today announced with great delight and excitement that they have just launched a Kickstarter campaign for their cool-looking tactical RPG/CCG/visual novel hybrid “Hero.EXE” (which is inspired by the classic “Mega Man Battle Network” series and popular modern-day favorites such as “Hearthstone” and “Fire Emblem: Awakening”).

“Here.Exe” is coming to all major PC storefronts, Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X-S, HERO.EXE is expected to release in Q1 of 2024. A Kickstarter campaign for the game is also now live and available until the 21st of October, where enthusiasts of the genre can pick up exclusive rewards/merchandise and reserve copies to play on day one. A demo is also accessible from the page.

In another world, The Grid was created in much the same way our own Internet was: with elbow grease and a dream. However, their world turned out very different from ours. Instead of websites, they built oceans. Instead of vlogs, they built cities– and soon A.V.A.s came into being. A.V.A.s are all partnered with pilots in the real world. Shopping, socializing, and browsing the grid are some of the many everyday essentials done through A.V.A.s.

However, one day upon logging in, you realise something’s not quite right on The Grid; soon enough, an A.V.A. you’ve never seen before materialises before you, and changes your destiny with just a handful of words:

“I need you to pilot me”.

Connect to the internet of another world, choose your A.V.A., and go on an adventure to change both of our worlds! Each A.V.A. is a living being that will act and respond to your actions. Each of them have their own personalities and goals, their own histories, stories, and relationships, and all of these have an effect on your play-through. Get ready to take on whatever the Grid has to throw at you, together!

A Kickstarter campaign for the game is also now live and available until the 21st of October, where enthusiasts of the genre can pick up exclusive rewards/merchandise and reserve copies to play on day one! A demo is also accessible from the page.

FEATURES

Deep, fully customizable card-based combat systems and decks! Use the A.V.A. Build System to build and compile together your own personal combat deck with over 300 unique cards and abilities! Collect ‘em all and have fun trying out different combinations.

A journey around a diverse, interconnected digital world! The Grid is made up of users from all walks of life, with all sorts of hobbies, and all sorts of weird personalities. When these people come together, they form “server worlds” – and you’ll journey across them with your A.V.A. Move from tile to tile as you explore each server, uncover mysteries, meet new friends (or foes), and then flick back and forth with your P.O.K.I.T. to customise your deck and keep up to date with what’s going on with other pilots.

Complex characters and complex narratives – every A.V.A. is unique, with their own personalities, histories, and goals. Bond (or clash) with them as you navigate across The Grid, and who you might know (and how much they like you) might change how things turn out… just be aware that as the Pilot, your decisions are final and may have unforeseen consequences!

Gorgeous artworks and story segments! HERO.EXE’s deep story is told through the usage of lovingly crafted illustrations and on occasion visual novel-esque sequences.

Intense, multi-phase action and combat! Get onto a grid to fight glitches, weird mischievous monstrosities that have begun terrorising the inhabitants of the server worlds. Pick your hand of cards, set up on the grid, and out-skill your opponent.

A real next-gen game! On Xbox Series X/S and Playstation 5, Hero.EXE will support 4k at 60FPS and next-gen platform specific features.

ABOUT MYSTERY EGG GAMES
Mystery Egg Games is a team of dedicated indie game developers from around the world, with years of industry experience. The studio was started in 2016 between university friends: Branson Lowman (Data), Kat Whittaker (Katoonist), and Takorn Sueksagan (Gatakka). Together they released their first title GUNGUNGUN on Steam in 2017. After the team spent some time prototyping various other projects, Branson began the initial work on Hero.EXE. After Hero.EXE transformed into the most promising game, artists Mikhail Manuel (Mboymanuel), Hasan Hüseyin Penekli (Phenecly), and programmer Vladimir Limarchenko (Silver) also joined the team to make the game a reality.

ABOUT TOP HAT STUDIOS, INC.
Top Hat Studios is a niche New York-based boutique publisher whose titles include Synergia, Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story, and Potion Party. Top Hat Studios are the video game industry’s leading Kickstarter success consultants, having designed and supported campaigns for successes such as Ova Magica, Steamdolls: Order of Chaos, and Cloudscape. Having started as a genuine grassroots indie company with no external investment, Top Hat Studios now provides a holistic suite of publishing, business development, and porting expertise to indie developers and solo devs.