Iro Hero Reviews

Iro Hero is ranked in the 17th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Cubed3
Top Critic
4 / 10
Jun 7, 2018

This shmup is only recommended for those out there willing to put up with a lot of tedium.

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4.1 / 10.0
Jul 29, 2018

Fantastic music and unique scoring system aside, Iro Hero simply isn't a fun shoot 'em up.

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Jul 30, 2018

Iro Hero, a new shoot-em-up on Nintendo Switch, takes too many conventions of gaming past.

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5 / 10
Jul 19, 2018

Iro Hero feels more like a tribute to old-school 2D shoot'em ups than a contemporary game on its own. Its gameplay mechanics are indeed able to provide a good experience but the game is much more catered towards experienced players who are looking for a very hardcore experience, rather than general members of the audience who could be potentially interested in a 2D shoot'em up.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

5.5 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2018

Iro Hero isn’t a particularly bad shmup, it’s just a thoroughly uninspiring one. Given the abundance of classic Neo Geo shooters, Ikaruga itself, and a hodge podge of others on the Switch already it really doesn’t distinguish itself. If you’re a genre fan you’ll no doubt be able to get some hours out of trying to get through its increasingly-challenging stages. Unfortunately, for anyone who isn’t intent on proving their chops on every shooter possible there’s no compelling reason to recommend Iro Hero over its competition.

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5.5 / 10.0
Aug 20, 2018

There are great bosses with different fighting styles, the graphics are fun and non-distracting from the gameplay, and the music and sound effects all add to the overall action. However, throwing endless enemies and obstacles at a player all in the name of creating a difficult game does not inherently produce a rewarding challenge. Unfortunately this title sorely missed that mark.

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5.5 / 10.0
Nov 14, 2018

Iro Hero is a decent game with a poorly thought-out execution. The game is difficult but almost unforgiving, as longer-than-usual levels and a high enemy count mean you'll start at the beginning of stages far more often than you'd like. The mechanics are barely explained in-game due to the ill-conceived layout, and the story suffers the same fate as well. With an inconsistent presentation to boot, Iro Hero is a game that's solely for hardcore genre fans, as everyone else will barely make it out of the first stage before deleting it in favor of other, better-executed shooters.

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6 / 10
Jun 14, 2018

Iro Hero is a decent enough shooter that doesn’t want you to see how good it could be. The lack of continues or any aid in progression will leave newcomers to the genre feeling cold enough to probably put them off altogether.

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Digitally Downloaded
Clark A.
Top Critic
Jun 21, 2018

Iro Hero ambitiously seeks to reinterpret polarity switching shooters. Baffling design choices render it alienating even to seasoned shoot 'em up fans, however. The blueprint for a clever shooter is here and it's possible the developers will rectify that base game with patches and updates, but the Iro Hero of today does not reflect that lofty potential.

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65%
Sep 7, 2018

If you're the type of player who likes to be challenged by a game, then this one will certainly scratch that itch. Iro Hero wears its influences with pride, and it brings a hardcore shoot 'em up experience to Nintendo's hybrid console, paying homage to the classics while ramping up the difficulty considerably. Are you up for the challenge?

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7 / 10.0
Jan 13, 2020

Iro Hero is quite interesting title. It mixes classic shoot 'em up gameplay with color changing mechanics that allow you to avoid enemy fire. The game is short and provides quick 1000G on Xbox.

Review in Polish | Read full review

Evan Norris
Top Critic
7 / 10
Jul 26, 2018

On balance Iro Hero earns its wings.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 4, 2018

Quote not yet available

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7 / 10.0
Aug 10, 2018

No, it won't replace the Ikaruga's or Raiden's of your past, but Iro Hero is a valiant crack at the all-too-rare shoot ‘em up genre. If you've got a top-down, bullet-heavy adventure itch that needs scratching, Iro Hero will likely satisfy.

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7 / 10
Jun 15, 2018

Iro Hero ends up being a competent euro-shmup homage to the dual phase/puzzle shmup gameplay pivoted by Treasure's Magnum Opus. While some designs choices could be avoided with some proper care while transitioning the game to Switch, what is on offer is solid shmup action for those who are seeking something a new challenge. Hard as nails, often unfairly so until you learn to play with perfect precision, we still consider it worthy of your time.

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TheSixthAxis
Top Critic
7 / 10
Feb 17, 2020

Another solid, but fairly unoriginal shoot 'em up, Iro Hero's colour coding mechanic adds a layer to the gameplay that elevates it above a bog standard shooter. A cheap and cheerful game to pass ten minutes while a 30GB update for the latest AAA game downloads.

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7.9 / 10.0
Jun 7, 2018

A new twist fora type of game that couldn't be more classic. The inclusion of puzzle elements gives this shmup a new point of view over it's competitors. Iro Hero tells you a story and makes you fly through it switching colors and avoiding enemies, making you think and act with speed and precision if you want to succeed.

Review in Spanish | Read full review