Fantasy adventures often begin with a chosen hero, a legendary prophecy, and a destiny that must be fulfilled. But what happens when the person chosen to save the world wants absolutely nothing to do with that responsibility?

In Oops! You’re the Hero!, players step into the role of a thief who accidentally finds himself carrying the weight of a powerful artifact and the expectations of an entire world. Instead of embracing the title of “Hero,” he’s determined to get rid of it as quickly as possible, creating a unique twist on the traditional fantasy adventure.

Developed around themes of responsibility, identity, and the pressure of expectations, Oops! You’re the Hero! blends humor, exploration, and action while challenging the idea of what truly makes someone a hero. Through its top-down adventure gameplay, boss encounters, and character-driven storytelling, the game explores whether heroism comes from destiny—or from the choices we make.

We sat down with the developer behind Oops! You’re the Hero! to discuss the inspiration behind the reluctant hero concept, the world of Othaya, designing a protagonist who refuses the call to adventure, creating meaningful player choices, and the journey of bringing this first commercial project to life.

Q: The game starts with a unique twist: a thief steals a powerful artifact but wants nothing to do with the responsibility that comes with it. What inspired the idea of creating a reluctant “hero” instead of a traditional fantasy protagonist?

A: When I first came up with the idea, I wanted to do something different than the ‘’Chosen One” trope. I was in a mythology class at the time, and we were comparing stories that followed the Hero's Journey, and how there's the moment of acceptance and change in the main character. That's where the idea to create one that doesn't change at all and who's only goal is to get rid of that title came from.

Q: The tagline asks, “Who are you meant to be? A Hero? Or just someone who deals with responsibilities?” How does the game explore the difference between being a hero and simply handling the problems life throws at you?

A: Since the game is narrative-heavy, a lot of that exploration is done through the characters who are reacting to the Thief's responses. When pressed with the idea that he has to fit into his role, his answer is just “No.”, and nothing more than that. He may do what's considered to be heroic, but that comes down to the player's actions. At the end of the game, he gives back what makes him the Hero.

Mechanic-wise, the game offers the player a choice with each boss they come across; do they want to rise to the challenge and get through it? Or are they more prone to taking an easier path and finding an alternative way around, leaving the boss still alive.

Q: Can you tell us more about the world of Othaya? What kind of fantasy setting are players stepping into, and what makes this world different from other adventure games?

A: Othaya and the way I tried to portray it is a world that has almost forgotten that magic and monsters exist. There are very few who still believe and work with it, but seeing a massive monster on their way to work is not really what the normal folk can deal with. That's why when the Hero shows up, it's a big deal and everyone intrinsically knows who and what they're supposed to be - it's written in their DNA from the goddess that made them.

Geographically-wise, because the game is short, I wanted to make the levels as diverse as it could along with what fit into them. Fields, caves, mountains, they all were made as bite-sized areas to explore and were really built around the boss that inhabits them. Because there’s still these remnants of a goddess, there are ruins and rumors that follow through the levels. There’s definitely more to the world than what’s on the surface and covered by rubble.

Q: The main character is a thief who actively avoids the role of hero. How did you approach writing a protagonist who doesn’t necessarily want to save the world?

A: I approached him with a bit of my attitude, honestly. A lot of “the only way out is through. But I'm going to be sarcastic about it the whole time”. He has to make it constantly known he doesn’t want anything to do with the role, but still knows that while he has it, these monsters are going to keep appearing. However, I didn’t want to make him completely negative the entire time and complain about what he’s doing, so I gave him his little tutorial to stick with him and talk to him the entire time. That relationship allowed the riffing and humor between the two, where you come to see the Thief isn’t a ‘bad guy’. He may not want to save the world, but he does care about other people to some degree.

I originally made the game so that it forced the player to fight the monsters. But as I continued to work with the Thief, I felt like it wasn't doing his character justice on how he may go about taking on challenges. His only real goal is to get rid of what he stole, so why wouldn't he want to find the easiest path? The game, however, highlights that there are consequences to that. I spent a lot of time going back and forth about whether I should put that mechanic in the game, because then someone could theoretically skip all of it, but I think that's allowed with this type of game. Do I have a canon way the game should play? Absolutely! But it's worth doing “right” by a character who does stuff wrong.

Q: The creatures of Othaya believe the player character is “The Hero” and want to destroy him. How does that misunderstanding shape the story and gameplay experience?

A: That misunderstanding is something I played up for the humor for sure! All the monsters you see immediately know who you are and they’re ready to jump into a fight, regardless if they’ll lose or not. The Thief could try to convince them all he wants, but there’s something written into them that ‘has’ to fight him.

When it comes to the NPCs though, there is humor to them when the Thief tries to convince them as well, but you’ll notice there’s more of a ‘hope’ that comes when they see you appear. You’re the only thing that can stop the monsters that have ruined their lives. They don’t know you don’t care; they just have this picture of what a ‘Hero’ should be.

Gameplay-wise, you get this sort of push/pull effect when you see how the NPCs react and can sense they need help, vs when you actually get to see the size of the boss and maybe how difficult it is to take them on. It then comes down to the player and what they choose that affects that specific moment in the game.

Q: The game features a top-down fantasy adventure style. What influenced your decision to use this perspective, and what advantages does it bring to exploration and combat?

A: The top-down perspective was something that came from the original version of the game. It was going to be made as a top-down, pixel RPG, but I changed it to how it looks now after putting the concept down for a few years and then picking it back up. I convinced myself I wanted a ‘challenge’ and had already made a few little projects in 3D/Unity, this was to make a full experience and release it. RPGMaker (the engine I originally started the game in) would have let me make the game more like Pokemon, and RPG-like with its combat, but changing it really pushed me to remake the combat and work with the camera angles as it became more of an adventure game.

Keeping it top-down while changing the dimensions and art style gave me a bigger range for movement and assets. Working in a 3D space changes the way both the player and the bosses interact with the environment around them, as well as each other when combat is happening. I don’t think I could have gotten the characters feeling the same if it stayed as a top-down pixel. Though I would have tried!

Q: Combat is described as “Baby’s First Fights” in the demo. How are you approaching combat design, and how do you plan to evolve the system as development continues?

A: Combat was definitely simplified from its original design. The player was supposed to have options like ‘Attack’, ‘Items’, ‘Taunt’, and ‘Run’, with results based on what was successful. Now, I tried to incorporate the Thief’s personality in what kind of tools he uses both in and out of combat. He has his sword, but in order to get a leg up in the fight, he also has teleportation (gifted by the artifact) and a rope he can use to hold back the monsters for a quick moment. The enemies that the player faces each have their own quirks that you have to adjust to, and while the player doesn’t change mechanically-wise, the way you think and go about the bosses has to change.

As an aside, the ‘Baby’s First Fights’ was a reference to the demo showing the player how to fight in the first level, but it’s also because I don’t think the Thief has ever been in a fight before this. He’s not exactly the tough type.

Q: The demo introduces players to the story, world, and first battles. What feedback from early players has been the most valuable so far, and has it changed anything about the direction of the game?

A: A lot of it has been movement/combat, which I’m grateful for because it’s gone through a lot of adjustments since the beginning. Sword swings, dodge mechanics, even attack timing have been things I’ve been adjusting even up until now.

Another but was the level layout and flow that guides the player. Originally, the levels were way more open and free for the player to explore, but players would miss things because it wasn’t as obvious where they could go and if anything was even worth looking at. I’ve added more paths and visuals to encourage exploration to find hidden things!

Q: What kind of experience do you want players to walk away with after playing Oops! You’re the Hero!? Are you aiming more for comedy, emotional storytelling, adventure, or a mix of all three?

A: I’m aiming for a bite-sized adventure for people for sure. The humor is a big part of the game, but the moments that make the story and show who each of the characters are is something I hope players do appreciate. There’s more to the story than just the Thief’s goal of dropping off the artifact, but I do hope that if they choose to fight the monsters, they feel as if they can go against anything, even if it’s tough to get through and they don’t want to.

Q: For players discovering Oops! You’re the Hero! for the first time, what is one thing you hope they understand about the game and the journey you’re creating?

A: I hope they see this game as a labor of love! This game’s story is really about responsibility, the challenges that come with it, and not having to subscribe to the idea that what you do is the only thing you are.

In terms of the journey, this is my studio’s first commercial game, and it may not be the most groundbreaking experience, but it’s made by humans who have put effort and care into it. I hope when they experience it, it leaves a good taste in their mouth, and once another game comes out, they’re as excited as I am to release it!