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Rent a Hero

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Not to be confused with Rent-a-Hero (1998 video game).
Rent-A-Hero
Developer(s)Sega AM2[1]
Publisher(s)Sega
Producer(s)Yu Suzuki
Designer(s)Keiji Okayasu
Programmer(s)
  • Keiji Okayasu
  • Katsunori Itai
Artist(s)
  • Kazuhiro Izaki
  • Mika Kojima
Writer(s)Yukinobu Arikawa
Composer(s)Hiroshi Kawaguchi
Platform(s)Mega Drive
Release
  • JP: September 20, 1991
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Rent A Hero is an action role-playing video game series released by Sega for the Mega Drive console in 1991 with a large emphasis on humor. The game features the same graphic engine previously used in the development of Sword of Vermilion. However, Rent A Hero has an unusual innovation for the genre. Instead of using standard turn-based battles, fights are in a similar format to 2D fighting games.

Plot

Taro Yamada, or "Rent A Hero" (レンタヒーロー, Renta Hīrō) lives in the town of Corja in Japan with his mother, eccentric father and younger sister Alyssa; the family moved there after his father changed jobs. He received his Combat Armor by accident during their house-warming party, when he ordered pizza from 'Sensational Cafeteria' or SECA and instead received the suit. After realizing the suit gave him incredible strength, and that he is required to pay for the armor, Taro decides to become a hero for hire, performing various heroic tasks and odd-jobs for the townspeople of Corja.

Release

Rent A Hero was released for the Mega Drive on September 20, 1991, in Japan by Sega.[2][3] It was later released on the Wii's Virtual Console download service on April 17, 2007.[3]

Remake

Rent-A-Hero No. 1
Developer(s)Aspect
Publisher(s)Dreamcast
Xbox
  • JP: Sega
  • NA: AIA Games
Platform(s)Dreamcast, Xbox
ReleaseDreamcast
  • JP: May 25, 2000
Xbox
  • JP: September 4, 2003
  • NA: Cancelled
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Rent A Hero No. 1, a remake of the original Mega Drive game, was released for the Dreamcast in 2000. It features similar events to Rent A Hero, this time adding Rent A Hiroko, a female counterpart of Taro. The fighting engine used for the game is the same used for Sega's SpikeOut games and allows the player to receive hints via in-game email.

The game was enhanced and given online capabilities by Coolnet Entertainment for the Xbox in 2003, and also translated into English for a North American release in what would have been the first Rent A Hero overseas release. However, the English version of the game was never released due to distribution problems, and the Xbox version remained only in Japan as had previously happened with the original Dreamcast version.

In 2008, the unreleased English-translated version of the game was leaked and appeared on torrent sites in an apparently complete state, with only minor text errors present. This version was very close to completion and was reviewed by GamePro and Electronics Gaming Monthly in February 2003. An unofficial English patch was released in 2023.[4]

Reception

On release, Famitsu scored the Dreamcast version of the game a 30 out of 40.[5] IGN called it "a bordering-on-cheesy, yet outstanding action-RPG". They praised the 3D combat system, comparing it to SpikeOut and Shenmue, as well as "the meticulous attention to detail" in "around five large neighborhoods, each with plenty of houses, universities, and restaurants" as well as a video arcade with minigames. They also praised the animation and "brilliantly rendered graphics", concluding that "the gameplay is tightly focused, it looks great, and definitely has a soul".[7]

GameSpot called it a "wacky" game that is "definitely unique and uniquely Sega". They praised the battle system, comparing it to Virtua Fighter and Dynamite Deka, as well as the "admirable" camera work, "rock-steady 60fps" and "fluid" character animation. They criticized the character models for not looking "as nice as" Soul Calibur or Shenmue, but praised the environments for having "a texture quality that rivals" Sonic Adventure, indoor and outdoor designs that "are nothing short of breathtaking" and "a large number of suburban homes" where "each house is unique". They concluded that it is "a humorous, irreverent joy to experience" and a "surprisingly excellent game."[6]

Other media

Taro is available in Fighters Megamix as an unlockable character. He is one of few characters to use projectile attacks, and one of the strongest fighters. However, he has an additional handicap: above his life bar are battery symbols, that deplete the longer a fight lasts, if they deplete fully, Taro's armor will disappear. In this state, he will not be able to perform a number of moves, including all projectile moves, and he will also take more damage.[citation needed]

On July 12, 2016, it was announced that Steve Pink will direct and co-write with Jeff Morris a film version of Rent-A-Hero.[8] There has been no news on this since.

Stage play

The series itself was adapted into stage play titled Rent-A-Hero and was hosted in Japan's Rokkokai Hall in Tokyo from January 17 to 21, 2018; it was sponsored and produced by SPIRAL CHARIOTS.[9] Seiji Hattori, who runs SPIRAL CHARIOTS, was in charge of the script and direction with supervision and special cooperation from Sega Games and Sega Holdings.[10]

Stage version main cast:

  • Rental Hero/Rentaman/Taro Turner: Ken Ogasawara
  • Rent-A-Hero Darkness/Mac Albite: Ryutora Isogai
  • Susie Stripe: Haruka Ohara
  • Rent-A-Hero Rent-A-Hiroko/Piano Doremy: Hana Toshima
  • Rental Hero Ursalaman/Ursalaman: Shota Minami
  • Combu Dasijiru: Tatsumi Sheena
  • Rent-A-Hero Blycarnman/Will Antony: Sho Toda
  • Organo Doremy: Sayuri Yamato
  • Travel Travolta: Texas
  • Money pear: Misa Kurihara
  • Mink: Minami Kashimura
  • Tomato: Karen Misaki
  • Hyena: Ryotaro Matsumura
  • Gazelle: Takahiro Saito
  • Alisa Turner: Rio Sudo
  • Yoshiko Turner: Saeko Shono
  • Inspector Zenikase: South American Jin
  • Officer Ryogae: Tooru Hirayama
  • Buster Alvide (President of Nomorwa Chemical): Shota Yamada
  • Kent Albede: Mahiro Komatsuzaki
  • Maitake Jackson: Chizu Hanasaki
  • Mu: Kaori Natsuka (voice appearance)
  • Lars (Chief of Dahane Police Station): Seiji Hattori

See also

References

  1. ^ "SEGA-AM2 - Games : 最新のAM2作品 -". 2004-06-30. Archived from the original on 2004-06-30. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
  2. ^ [セガハード大百科] メガドライブ対応ソフトウェア（セガ発売） (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on November 24, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  3. ^ a b レンタヒーロー まとめ [メガドライブ]. Famitsu. Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on March 19, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2016.
  4. ^ "Dreamcast Cult Classic 'Rent-A-Hero No. 1' Gets a Suitably Heroic English Translation". 2 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b ドリームキャスト – レンタヒーロー No.1. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.51. 30 June 2006.
  6. ^ a b "Rent-A-Hero No. 1 Import Review - GameSpot".
  7. ^ a b "Rent-a-Hero No. 1 (Import) - IGN". June 2000.
  8. ^ Evry, Max (July 12, 2016). "Steve Pink to Direct Sega's Rent a Hero Movie". Coming Soon.
  9. ^ "SPIRALCHARIOTSが「レンタヒーロー」を舞台化、出演に小笠原健＆磯貝龍虎". ステージナタリー (in Japanese). ナターシャ. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2018-12-22.
  10. ^ Ron (2018-01-18). "メガドラ迷作『レンタヒーロー』がまさかの舞台化！…ていうかナゼこれを舞台化しようと？ 重度のセガマニアな劇団主宰が語る作品への"偏った愛"【舞台化希望タイトル募集！】". 電ファミニコゲーマー – ゲームの面白い記事読んでみない？ (in Japanese). ドワンゴ. Retrieved 2018-12-29.
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