BRB Hero is in Smash

And here come Sakurai and Smash Bros. Ultimate, thwartin’ my plans like the madlads they are.

Just as well, though.  Granted I was going to use this slot to talk more about Bloodstained, but given how much Smash I’ve been playing recently, I guess I can take a minute to post briefly on the game’s latest fighter.  And who knows?  Maybe I can slip in a few choice words on Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

…Besides “Dedue is best girl”, of course.  As if anyone needs to have such an obvious truth doled out.

I wasn’t sure if Hero would drop the same day as the big 22-minute showcase, but deep down, I really, really hoped.  And what do you know?  This time -- as far as I know -- he didn’t come saddled with crippling worldwide server issues.  That’s something we can all be happy about, if not the state of the character himself.  Or his existence in the game in general.  I mean, there was no way we were going to get away with not having representation from one of the biggest JRPG franchises ever in this thing, even if the poor timing of it means he’s sharing a cast with many anime swordsmen.

I’m not saying that I’m going to blame Squeenix for another bumble…but I am going to think it, because it makes me feel better to imagine them as bumble kings and nothing else.

Anyway, Hero.  (For the record?  I’m playing as Solo primarily, with Eleven on occasion.)  Yeah, he’s got sword normals, but only just so.  Compared to some of the others, Hero’s standard moves aren’t nearly as fast as some of the others; I learned that the hard way, because challenging Roy in a head-on test of frame data is a losing proposition.  His back air has especially slow startup, though it’s compensated for by the impressive range it’s got.  On top of that?  Even if Hero lacks in speed, he generally makes up for in power.  Raw power and KO potential, even before his critical hit mechanic kicks in.  I’ve taken stocks at percentages I shouldn’t have, and had them taken in return.  He’s the embodiment of what some in the FGC would call a “robbery” character.

I’m inclined to agree…as long as you’re lucky.

Hero is less of a globetrotting demon slayer and more of a human slot machine.  His down-b mechanic gives him well over a dozen moves, but not all at once.  Only four at a time; you can reshuffle from the command menu that pops up with a roll, or if you get hit.  Still, what this means is that 1) you have no idea what you’re going to get, 2) you have to be in the right position to use it, 3) you have to pick the spell you want from the menu, 4) you have to have the right timing to hit anything, and 5) you’re open for days while you’re choosing from the menu.  Also, as an auxiliary point?  All of your special moves cost MP, so good luck surviving without it.

At this early stage in his life, I’m wary about how consistent Hero can be on the competitive stage.  Not in terms of tournaments or EVO, mind you.  Just general online play.  I’m sure some of the killers out there have already gotten him into Elite Smash, but that’s probably because people haven’t had time to adapt to him yet.  Once players sniff out his habits and gimmicks, will he be able to hang with guys like Snake and Joker?  We’ll see.

I’ll say this much, though: I don’t think it’ll matter in the long run.  Even if Hero does end up being bottom-tier trash a couple of weeks from now, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s a ton of fun to use.  It always feels like you’re on the edge of victory and defeat with him; like any gambler trying and failing to stave off addiction, the temptation to test my luck with a down-b dice roll is always there.  Personally, I try and look for buffs like Psyche Up and Oomph instead of projectiles (not even the instant kill!), though I’m well aware of the KO power behind some of them.  Hatchet Man is great for breaking shields, and despite its slow speed, it might actually have just the right animations to let you dodge an incoming physical attack.  Meanwhile, Magic Burst is an all-or-nothing attack that may take all your MP, but covers a HUGE amount of the stage with an explosion ripped straight from DBZ.  As you’d expect, given the heritage.  Hero even has an up throw that tries its hardest to recreate Trunks’ YEET against Cell.

Hero’s toolkit skews heavily toward gimmicks, but let it be known that the man still has some reliability to him.  His neutral B special basically gives him Samus’ charge shot, while a fully-charged up-B lets him make recoveries that would plunge most fighters into the depths.  Props to his side-B more than anything, though; a light tap lets you quickly shoot out lightning to control horizontal space, while a full charge turns into a slow but powerful circular slash.  Not only does it have super armor to absorb incoming blows (and covers a bit more vertical space than you’d expect, even away from the center), but with the proper timing, you can use it to punish foes that try to roll back onto the stage from the ledge.  Or rolls in general, if your reads are hard enough. 

This is me speaking from experience again.  Because evidently, I learn best when I’m being fed a porridge made from my own teeth and phalanges.

I’ll cut off there for now.  Given how little time I’ve actually had with Hero -- alongside everyone else in the world -- I’d rather talk more once I’ve gotten to play some more matches.  For good or ill; the strong showing I had with him at the outset turned into a string of consecutive, discouraging losses by the end.  But I’ll figure something out eventually.  And whether or not I stick with him, this won’t be the last Smash Ultimate post you see here.

Nor will this be the last time you see me ramble about Fire Emblem: Three Houses.  Fates didn’t do much for me -- and prior to this new game’s release, I was worried it’d be a disappointment just like Corrin’s outing -- but this game’s got me so on the hook that I’ve only got a few ounces of blood left in my cheeks.  It is a deep, dense experience, so much so that I’ve put in 16-plus hours and still feel like I haven’t done anything.  But at least I’ve found a new waifu (besides Dedue, who’s too precious and pure for this world).  The instant I saw Catherine show up, I pretty much went into “glowing eyes meme” mode, internally shouted “THIS IS THE STANCE!” and made it my mission to add her to my Blue Lion crew.

Needless to say, I succeeded.

See you next time.