Half Minute Hero dated for February 12

Rising Star's announced that Half Minute Hero will release in Europe on February 12.

"It's impossible to play without a massive grin on your face. But don't let that fool you - this is one deep and engrossing game, with a substantial single player adventure and countless multiplayer options," said managing director of Rising Star Games, Martin Defries.

"Despite being firmly grounded in the fantasy RPG mould, Half-Minute Hero is a game unlike any other."

Game looks good, we have to say. Go get.

Some new screens and artwork were also released on the PSP exclusive. Find them, and the PR, below.

Half-Minute Hero to arrive in a flash

Only a month and a bit to go as innovative - and bonkers - quick-fire RPG to be published by Rising Star Games on February 12th 2010, exclusively for PSP

14th January 2010: PSP owners: grab your dairies, flip to February and blank out half of that, plus March and April: Rising Star Games has announced Half-Minute Hero, the incredible fast-paced RPG from Marvelous Entertainment, will be arriving in Europe on February 12th 2010.

In TV and film, it's a well-worn cliché: This message will self-destruct in 30 seconds. But in the land of bloated videogames, size - it is sometimes claimed - matters. Half-Minute Hero goes completely against the grain: in each level, the hero must save the world, 30 seconds at a time.

A homage to a bygone era, Half-Minute Hero fuses old-school visuals with a modern-day twist. In each level, a Dark Lord discovers a new way to destroy our Hero's world: he must solve a series of puzzles and level-up enough to defeat the massive end-of-level boss. In 30 seconds. Every time.

Of course, there are certain mechanics to extend our Hero's lifespan. Worshiping the Goddess of Time at certain locations - for a fee, of course - can replenish the clock, but only up to a maximum of 30 seconds. Levelling up - the old RPG staple, though this time possible every few seconds - allows our Hero to plough through combat more quickly - but only when the legend "You > Evil" appears does he stand a realistic chance of defeating the level's Dark Lord.

Four different gaming styles and in-game characters combine to offer tremendous variety. Blazing shooters, escort missions and quick-witted strategy will all play a part in the game's 100-plus missions - and then there's the multiplayer options which cater for up to four Half-Minute Heroes at a time (ad hoc mode).

Half-Minute Hero is genuinely one of the most inventive games around, and impossible - as proved by science - to play without grinning.

Visually, it's a love-letter to 8-bit classics, with gorgeous exaggerated sprites running around fantastic top-down and side-on visuals, just like the games they used to make. Lush hand-drawn interludes bring the graphics bang up to date between chapters, whilst the script buzzes and fizzes with fanboyisms.

At odds with its title, Half-Minute Hero is a real monster, offering around 20 hours of gameplay. The key difference is that each section is divided into bite-size chunks - so you can play for as long as little as you like: while away an evening, or have a blast when you're on the bus.

"Despite being firmly grounded in the fantasy RPG mould, Half-Minute Hero is a game unlike any other," says Martin Defries, managing director, Rising Star Games. "It's impossible to play without a massive grin on your face. But don't let that fool you - this is one deep and engrossing game, with a substantial single player adventure and countless multiplayer options. It's a game which keeps on giving - but like an inexperienced teenager: 30 seconds at a time."

Half-Minute Hero will be published by Rising Star Games on February 12th 2010, exclusively for PSP.