The second H.E.R.O. tribute game from Luca Carminati was released for the PC in 2020. It is called “H.E.R.O. Is Back 2” and is an excellent update of John Van Ryzin‘s classic mine rescue game.

In H.E.R.O. Is Back 2, the gameplay is slightly more forgiving than in H.E.R.O. Is Back 1. The caves now scroll around you, rather than being flick-screen, which works really well, and gives you a bit more warning of traps ahead. The controls are sharp, and give you enough time to react if you see something bad below.

The graphics are perfect: updated with a bit of shading in a few places, but all the colours and animations are authentic to the original H.E.R.O. The new dynamite explosions really do have some ‘oomph’ to them, which is great, and they also feel like they’re easier to get caught in, if you’re too close. Maybe they are? I dunno…

The challenge grows gradually through the 16 levels that are on offer, and the game will let you start from certain checkpoints (levels 6, 11 and 16) when you first reach them.

Pressing F11 cycles through the display modes (if you want to get rid of the scan lines), and F12 cycles between windowed mode and full screen.

The game also has a really nice, relaxing electronic soundtrack to play along to. I’d say that H.E.R.O. Is Back 2 is well worth a play by anyone today – not just H.E.R.O. fans. It’s a great homebrew tribute to a classic game, and a compelling and enjoyable game in its own right.

More: H.E.R.O. Is Back 2 on itch.io