Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider‘s combat and platforming also call back to Shinobi. In terms of gameplay, it also feels like JoyMasher and The Arcade Crew pulled it right out of the 16-bit era, with a couple of refinements. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider does so, just as Blazing Chrome successfully did. And those who want the game to look even more retro can turn on its CRT filter, which looks excellent but does lower the typically smoother 60 frames-per-second frame rate.īecause retro throwback games are so common, new ones need to go above and beyond with their presentation to stand out. Even when enemies are defeated, there’s an impressive amount of detail as you see them sliced in pieces and falling apart, not just flicking away and disappearing in an explosion of pixels. Shinobi is also an evident influence in that the player character is quite large on the screen and that JoyMasher put a lot of effort into attack animation. Image used with permission by copyright holder We’ve seen plenty of highly detailed 16-bit indie games at this point, but Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider’s pixels do a particularly great job at eliciting the beautiful chunkiness of Sega Genesis platformers with detailed graphics like Shinobi while still having a satisfying sci-fi edge.
That said, most of the Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider knows it can take a step back and let the game’s beautiful visuals and gameplay sing. Its story elements in surprisingly cinematic 16-bit cutscenes provide a compelling narrative backdrop for the adventure, much like the stories of the original Ninja Gaiden games did. Within moments of the start of the first level, the titular Moonrider defies his initial programming as a guardian of the totalitarian state and goes on a vengeful rampage to kill other super soldiers, bring down the current regime, and give people the freedom to make decisions for themselves.
Its opening cutscene sets the stage for the dire, totalitarian world where the game takes place. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider nails its 16-bit setup right out of the gate. If you’re wondering if there are any great 2023 games to play ahead of highly anticipated games like Forspoken, then you won’t want to ignore Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider. The result is the quintessential retro experience.The teams behind 2019’s fantastic Contra-like Blazing Chrome - Brazilian developer JoyMasher and Dotemu’s indie publishing label The Arcade Crew - reunited for the project, cementing themselves as some of the best retro throwback studios out there. From start to finish, you’ll enjoy seamless platforming action for a tight, focused experience that never lets its blade get dull.Ĭomplementing these beautiful pixel graphics is an incredible soundtrack with a timeless, nostalgic vibe. The gorgeously desolated world of Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider flawlessly channels the halcyon days of the 16-bit era through intricate pixel art, inspiring a striking gauntlet across eight deadly stages. Powerful modifier chips are hidden and guarded throughout the adventure, allowing you to customize the Moonrider’s fighting style while gaining killer advantages and abilities.īEAUTIFUL PIXEL GRAPHICS COMPLEMENTED BY AN INCREDIBLE SOUNDTRACK The design of Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider puts the best classic action-game elements in the laser-precise sights of its starring ninja, ensuring snappy, responsive combat that’s supremely challenging. GEAR UP AND PREPARE TO BATTLE YOUR CREATORS Conceived as a tool to preserve the totalitarian state, the Moonrider instead rejects its intended purpose and wages a relentless battle for vengeance against its creators and fellow super soldiers. After building an army of super soldiers as weapons of war, the authoritarians unwittingly seal their own fates by bringing online the ninja warrior known as Moonrider. In the oppressed world of Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, humanity finds an unlikely hero. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a side-scrolling action platformer that channels the golden age of classic 16-bit action games in a full-throttle quest for revenge.
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