Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero? not only takes the crown for most ridiculously titled game to grace the PSP in quite some time, it also stands out as one of the most hardcore titles to ever see release on the system As a self proclaimed “Ultimate Hardcore Action” game, Prinny is certainly a title out for the hearts of hardcore gamers everywhere. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the first few levels of the game, and while hardcore gamers surely won’t be disappointed by its steep challenge, it looks like everyone should be able to find a little something to like about this quirky title.

Just in case you’re a little lost, Prinnies are a race of explosive penguin-like characters from Nippon Ichi’s Disgaea series who are generally left to do the most undesirable of deeds. Our hero, aptly named Prinny, is a very special Prinny. While most Prinnies rarely do anything exciting with their lives aside from exploding when thrown, our Prinny is chosen by Etna (a mid-ranking Demoness from the Netherworld) to retrieve the special ingredients for her suspiciously absent Ultra Dessert. This sets Prinny on his heroic quest through 10+ areas to retrieve Etna’s ingredients in just ten hours – or face the deadly consequences.

Such zaniness won’t come as a surprise to any longstanding NIS fan, but those worried should know that what the story lacks in substance it looks to make up for in wit and style. Prinny is a gorgeous game with carefully detailed hand-drawn sprites that pop against colorful backgrounds, with a stellar soundtrack that left me smiling as a fell to my demise. Repeatedly.

After the jarring introduction to Etna and her masses of Prinnies, Prinny’s true adventure begins. Gameplay is fairly standard (with the D-pad/analog nub for walking, “X” for jumping, “Square” attacks, “Circle” dashes etc.) with a notable exception: Prinny can execute a ground-pound on command, which allows him to build up combo points that can be unleashed in a fury of sword swipes mid-air. I found that finding a careful balance between pounding and assaulting foes with aerial attacks is the key to finishing any boss, although it’s rarely as easy as it sounds.

While I was able to navigate the introduction and first level with relative ease, the difficulty flew through the roof when I bumped into my last two bosses. Even with a bevy of checkpoints, the minions grew stronger and more persistent until I was ultimately face-to-face with not one, but two diabolical bosses who overwhelmed me with sheer force. It wasn’t until I decided to channel my inner Blue Bomber to methodically study each enemy’s pattern that I recognized my few openings that gave me miniscule advantage over the competition. In the end, I defeated the twins by the skin of my teeth; having never felt more proud of a volatile, peg-legged penguin in all my life.