Fans of the PSP-exclusive Half-Minute Hero will be pleased to hear that developer Xseed has announced Hero 30 Second, a sequel to the PlayStation Portable hit, coming to Japan November 4th 2010 (with no word yet on a US/EU release).

Half-Minute Hero, for those unfamiliar with the title, follows the aptly named 'Hero', attempting to save the world in 30-second chunks. As with most Japanese RPGs, there is a massively overblown story involving Knights, Princesses, Goddesses and Evil Lords. Unlike many other RPGs, however, Half-Minute Hero is designed to be self-referential, hilarious and utterly ludicrous, whilst still staying core to its tried-and-tested various gameplay styles.

Revealed in this week's issue of Famitsu, Hero 30 Second appears to be a far more focused affair than the original title. Whereas Half-Minute Hero involved several different gameplay styles -- RPG, RTS and Top-down shooter -- the sequel seems to consist entirely of RPG scenarios. As well as this, it appears that time will stop when you're exploring the fields, meaning that Hero 30 Second will be less intense than the original Half-Minute Hero, giving you far more than the 30 seconds the title may suggest.

Hero 30 Second will be a much larger journey than the original: with a total of five RPG scenarios and 90 quests, it'll keep you playing for a while to come. According to the Famitsu, the scenarios are as follows:

Hero 30 Overture

You play as the one-winged hero Yusha. You've been ordered to kill off a monster named "Eight Elements."

Hero 30 Judgment

The door to hell has opened, and demons are spreading throughout the world. Yusha, the same dude from Overture, is being pursued by both humans and demons alike. "And then, the battle with the rival who crossed time begins."

Hero 30 Revolution

In this school-based RPG, you play as Princess Yushia. The gate to your school opens for only 30 seconds. Yushia and her classmates head off on a fun adventure.

Hero 30 Ragnarok

You play as Yuja, who advances through a world that has been destroyed. Along the way, you'll encounter the mysterious mech #30. "As the songstress sings her song, the god who will end everything descends."

Hero 30 Destiny

"The Hero Castle, which rises up to the sky. The 1000 year battle between the gods, mankind and demon kind at last comes to an end."

As well as the five main scenarios, Hero 30 Second will include three additional side-modes:

Hero Wars

A four player RPG battle mode. For Hero 30 Second, wireless play offers new stages and rules. You can play tag match or co-op, and can make use of the stages that you create in the game's Romancing Tsukureeru mode.

Romancing Tsukureeru

An edit mode that lets you create 30 second quests. You can place buildings and land formations, set up events where you converse with townfolk, and make other such settings. The quests can be uploaded to a server and shared with other players.

Infinite Hero

A new mode of play where you continue defeating demon kings over and over again. Each foe has to be killed in 30 seconds, of course.

While I will admit the five main scenarios sound horrifically cheesy, I must admit I'm quite excited to play Hero 30 Second. The original Half-Minute Hero is one of my favorite PSP titles and I'm excited to play more from developers Xseed. The best thing about the 30 second gameplay mechanic was that it allowed the game to be played in short bursts: on the train, on the bus, wherever I happened to be. If Hero 30 Second manages to live up to the extremely enjoyable standards of the original, then I'll be a happy gamer.

What about you, readers? Are you excited for Hero 30 Second? Did you enjoy the original Half-Minute Hero? Let us know in the comments below.

Hero 30 Second is releasing in Japan exclusively on PSP November 4th 2010. No word yet on a US/UK release.

Source: Famitsu (via Andriasang)