The revival of the glories of 8 and 16-bit is no longer news: the recovery of video game formats of the past has become an established trend, with certain genres now precipitated as new current proposals. Just nostalgic operation aside, the positive thing is that what matters now is to suggest games that are valid above all, not just fascinating style exercises. JoyMasher It seems to understand the situation, because one of the few teams that can go beyond aesthetic elaboration to save the truest spirit of classic 2D action is proposing titles that are true to tradition but also apply to the game regardless of stylistic refinements.
We’ve already seen great results with its previous game, Blazing Chrome, and the sensations from this new game. Vengeful Guardian: Tried Moonrider They also cause us to hope for positive things for this work, which we tested the current demo version with thanks to Steam Next Fest and can’t wait to play it for sure.
The loud name already fires up the ’80s-90s from all pixels, but beyond the graphics, it’s the action in the controller, including jumps, repetitive shots, and impressive bosses, that leads us right into the SNES/Mega Drive era. The game doesn’t have a firm release date yet, but it should arrive this fall, which means it’ll take a few weeks so far, but in the meantime we’ve had the opportunity to enjoy a pre-release that has definitely convinced us.
something classic
In an uncertain future, the world is the victim of a totalitarian state that suppresses all voices with the power of a massive military apparatus. Conceived as the ultimate weapon of this oppressive power, Moonrider awakens in the lab, but surprisingly decides to follow his own conscience and turn against his creators, finding himself forced to fight alone against a massive super-tech army. Beyond the useless introductory words, know this: you are in the place of a cybernetic ninja warrior in samurai armor, capable of wielding a variety of highly destructive technological weapons. In short, the building exudes an arcade spirit from 80’s Japanese construction, but in this case the inspiration shifts from the militaristic atmosphere of Contra we saw in Blazing Chrome to hybrid ones. between science fiction and tokusatsu Japanese.
The result is a zibaldone reminiscent of Strider, Shinobi, but above all Hagane: The Last Battle or a 2D action game Gliding, where the protagonist mainly uses short-range weapons such as knives and melee attacks, while not downplaying some of the special attacks provided by the extraordinary technological arsenal built into the armor. Between enemies, obstacles and platforms, the game requires alertness and understanding of the attack patterns of the enemies, with the challenge culminating in spectacular boss fights designed reminiscent of the classic Japanese sci-fi style between cyberpunk and samurai.
Action and platform
this Gameplay reminiscent of the classics of the genre, mixing platforming elements with pure action, inclined towards physical confrontation rather than shooter following the dictations of the aforementioned Strider or Hagane. The demo only let you try out a few levels, but these gave you an idea of the various situations where it’s possible to find yourself switching from a classic supertech base with a cybernetic end boss to a fleet of flying ships. On which hero you need to find your way by jumping and climbing.
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is everything focused on execution speed and accuracy, because mistakes pay dearly even if the hero can rely on an energy bar that allows a certain margin of maneuver. In the early stages, the Moonrider can use a very fast short-range main attack carried with his sword, or a secondary laser beam style weapon that is particularly powerful but limited by the consumption of a stick placed next to the main energy, but these can happen. saw for a moment the many additional weapons and evolutions that could be applied to the hero.
The moves are very similar to Strider’s, with the ability to walk and jump at two different speeds (there’s a button dedicated to running that also expands the range of jumps), clinging to certain parts of the levels, and sticking to the levels. walls to make more jumps from an elevated position. To these are added airborne kicks and blows, as well as the downward dodge, a complete set of classic moves that practically allow both a certain variety in combat and indeed a good interaction with scenarios that often develop in different directions. with obstacles and dynamics platform pure.
this rhythm As befits this type of game, it’s frankly tight and exciting, with constant and rapid engagements that require a certain memorization of the enemies’ attack patterns, forcing you to change different types of blows and defensive moves.
A refined yet consistent vintage style
There graphic By Vengeful Guardian: Appropriately in bitmap, Moonrider is far from the more ambitious drags of pixel art: it’s a complete and fairly honest redemption of classic 16-bit stylistic elements, obviously with a certain desire for nostalgic revival but without sacrificing itself too much for aesthetic trappings. staging an important action that looks at great examples of the past. While the scenarios present the classic clichés of the futuristic action genre, classics are respected, such as some parallax panoramas reminiscent of various 2D shooters. While the levels are short and concentrated enough to never allow for boredom, the bosses shape up as inevitable pinnacles of suspense and design, at least from what we’ve seen so far.
The demo was extremely small, but already in this and in the distributed video materials you can see a certain search for diversity. level design and in game situations, between moments on motorcycles and various vehicles that we have already enjoyed in Blazing Chrome. The technological style adopted later represents a particular mix of proposals, combining samurai armor, warriors and ninja weapons, as well as a cyberpunk heavily built on the fusion of mechanical and biological organisms, bringing tokusatsu almost to horror effects.
On the other hand, this is also an intention declared by the artistic director. Danilo Dias By JoyMasher, which references works like Genocyber, Cyguard, Kamen Rider Black, and Hakaider, combining them with Western classics in the most disturbing sci-fi genre. It should be noted that he also cites Keita Amemiya as the main inspiration for his graphic style, making the comparison to Hagane: The Final Conflict particularly apt. Also on the audio front, the fidelity to 16-bit stylistic features is striking, with classic “synthetic” and punchy rock, as well as suitably distorted and “lo-fi” effects and samples.
The Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider demo was short-lived and made us eager to jump into the full game. After Oniken, Odallus, and Blazing Chrome, JoyMasher seems to want to make a mark in the indie world with another heartfelt, honest, and well-built homage to the classic action of the 16-bit era. Also in this case, you immediately feel the presence of an excellent game to support the project, with the recovery of the classic form of the 2D action platformer, which is seen as a tool to deliver basic and fun gameplay beyond the nostalgic animation. more than just a simple monkey now in vogue. It remains to assess the actual variety and overall quality of the action, given the brevity of the trial piece, but Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider seems like a game to keep an eye on if you like action from the past.
DOCUMENTS
- Fun, exciting and challenging just like the old action platform games
- Cool style reminiscent of sci-fi and Japanese elements
- Seems to have quite a variety of situations and good speed
- Longevity and overall level design to be evaluated
- The final version will need to have more diverse and challenging enemies
Source: Multiplayer
