Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a side-scrolling action game was released in January 2023 for PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC. It was developed by JoyMasher and published by The Arcade Crew.
In my good old days of gaming, we had a such many great side-scrolling action games featuring ninjas such as Ninja Gaiden, Strider, Shinobi, Legend of Kage, and The Ninja Warriors, so these are the classics that popularised the sub-genre term known as Hack and Slash which refer to melee weapon-based action games.
These games are known to have unique stage design requiring platforming techniques, in-depth combat system with standard melee weapon and ninjutsu powers, and of course intense difficulty challenge filled with numerous of enemies, projectiles, hazards, and bosses which makes these titles quite memorable back then.
It's basically a retro-style indie game was inspired by the likes of the classic 2D Hack and Slash games from the mid-80s to early 90's era.
I believe it was created by the same team behind Blazing Chrome, a 2D Run and Gun action title similar to Contra and Metal Slug, which I currently enjoyed playing it back in 2 years since is the reason why I'm wiling to try out another JoyMasher's title, so I've decided to get the physical copy of Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider off from online retail site such as eBay which I've got it for less than £30.
So what do I think about this Sci-fi ninja action? is it a fun-packed action games that you've just looking for this or is it not the right game you're expecting for? I will cover all the pros and cons to describe what this game can benefit your experience in terms of design, combat, and challenge doing the game's a justice.
So without go further do, let's start the review.
Presentation
The game set in futuristic like city. It all started when the entire city been attacked by the terrorist groups led by oppressive totalitarian government punishing numerous of innocent people and held them captive, but there are one of the super-soldiers named Moonrider had manage to break free from the Bioweapon Lab.
The story in this game are actually sounds interesting at the very start, as you take control of one badass cyborg-ninja seeking his revenge against the tyrannical government, who harms the entire innocent mankind as well as controls the world to create the terrible regime, as the Moonrider sets off his mission to wipe down many super-soldiers and agents in order to save the entire world peacefully.
It does give a cool 80's era vibes to it, judging with the cutscene sequences kinda reminds me of the Saturday afternoon cartoon and 80's action film being slapped together just seems to be worked pretty decently for this type of game.
I find Moonrider as a protagonist looks absolute cool with metallic-ninja suit with shogun helmet which delivers a great character concept design to make it look stale and badass, where as 8 of these super-soldiers shared with similar thing are also kinda awesome too which is why I really liked the cyber-related stuff that fits well in the game.
The presentation are remarkably looking great because this feels like it's a throwback to 16-bit era as we know back in the early 90's, so each of the stages has the Mega Man X and Hagane aesthetics feel to it which I find these levels so appealing.
Stuff like you have Desalination Facility has an underground water levelling from bottom to top, Fallen City has numerous of forrest trees and wrecked surfaces, Iwondolino City has tall buildings and large train, and Asura's Fleet filed with an airships flying around, and any other levels with futuristic environmental design gives a good Sci-fi settings to this game just feels right for the side-scrolling action game like this.
Overall, it has interesting story, badass protagonist, and remarkable overall presentation.
Gameplay
In single-player action, the game has 6 main levels as you take control of Moonrider in 2D side-scrolling perspective, so your main goal is to beat the entire levels by defeating all bosses.
Before starting the single-player action, you have the tutorial to learn the basics like the movement and combat which I will discuss further on this review.
You'll move the player by pushing the left stick or d-pad button with walking and crouching, while holding the right trigger button then push the left stick or d-pad button forward to make the player run.
pressing the cross button will make the player jump which are used for reaching on the platforms, but you can also perform wall jumping by hitting the cross button twice when the player clings onto the walls in mid-air, so do it multiple times till you've reached the top-platforms.
Be sure that you need to jump really precisely because you may end up falling off the platforms, so my advise is that the longer you hold the cross button the higher you will jump meaning that pressing the tap once will lead to a short hop, and the wall jumping mechanics that I've mentioned before works better for narrow sections of levels.
In combat, you will use the close-melee attack by hitting the square button to slash these enemies in pieces, but you can also slash them 3 times by keep mashing the square button for quick damage attack and you can also do running slash attack by holding the right trigger while pushing the left stick or d-pad button, then press the square button for good amount strike damage might help you defeating them quickly.
You will also perform 2 mid-air attacks such as jump slash attack by pressing the cross button then hit the square button, and dive air kick by pushing the left stick or d-pad button diagonally then hit the square button.
You can also deflect the enemy's bullet projectiles by using the slash weapon when the enemy's bullet gets closer to you which you will need to deflect these bullet projectiles in right timing to prevent taking damage.
You can perform elemental sub-weapon attack by hitting the circle button that deals the heavy damage on enemies or bosses and you can also change the sub-weapons by holding the left trigger button which takes you to sub-weapons menu and simply select any of these you want to use it, so I will discuss more further later on this review about gaining a new elemental sub-weapons after beating a bosses.
You can gain the items that can be found hidden in the each stage such as modifier chips which can be used to unlock new powers and abilities such as double jump, enhanced armor, regens HP or MP, extra lives, and etc. which you can equip these on the two slots on the stage select menu before you begin the mission. It does adds up the player's enhancement which is good, but be really careful to use some of these modifier chips could lead into a shorter high-score or grade so use it wisely when necessary.
After defeating numerous of bosses will reward you with the new elemental weapons, so stuff like flamestalker which is a fire boomerang, hydromancer which is water projectiles, stormdiver uses the form of tornadoes, geocrusher sending shockwaves across the floor, photodrifter firing bolt of lasers, darkchaser that spawn fleshy tendrils of open portal, and sunseeker uses waves of energy balls.
Each of these new sub-weapons can be used only a limited amount of times, as they share a energy meter that decreases as they are used.
So far, the combat worked pretty well for most of the time because I find the hit detection quite responsive as I'm able to hit the enemies and bosses in the right spot without any issues, and I got to say I really liked deflecting the enemy's bullet projectiles which really helps me preventing from taking damage.
Those sub-weapons are actually done right because it's not only just deals the heavy damage on enemies, but also works mostly on boss's weak point system just like in the Mega Man series where you had to pick and use any of correct elemental weapon that adds up the boss's vulnerability just seems to work perfectly on this game.
I also liked the modifier chips which are also come in useful may gonna help the game a bit like recovering health and do double jumps, but when it comes with gaining more high-scores and S-ranking grades it's better to unequip some of these two chips depending on which of these chips can cause to lower grades and scores, so it doesn't seem to be a bad thing because it's part of the game's difficulty challenge which you will need to be really pro at this side-scrolling action is where the fun parts really goes forward.
I got to say I love the wall jumping mechanics in each stage which are really good for the action-platforms just like you see from the classics like Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi is relying on the narrow sections of levels requires lot of wall jumping, so that's the stuff that I've liked about the game.
Each of the stages are filled with many obstacles and hazards just adds up a crazy amount of platforming segments requiring a good use of evading without taking numerous of damage, so stuff like the whole levels filled with deadly spikes, electrifying bolts, firey flames, large beams, and etc.
My favourite stage in this game is got to be a 3D bike-riding section where you had to race through the stage while shooting down the enemy bikers and ship.
Just as good as the Joymasher's previous effort of 3D tunnel stage in Blazing Chrome, this stage is quite similar to NES classics such as Mach Rider but in Mode 7 style like the F-Zero which it really nails the use of pseudo 3D effects and the pacing of biking action.
The second thing that made the game quite entertaining is the boss battles in each stage which I finding it really good thanks to tougher enemy's spot and pacing that kept me playing it.
Stuff like you have 8 of these super-soldiers to fight them, such as the gigantic robot with huge hands and large head just reminds me of one of the bosses from Contra: Hard Corps, the purple suit female soldier with floating device has ability to use open portal which shoots out tendrils and long-gigantic arm, the cyborg with red cape uses his long-ring projectiles, the bulky green one charges you with his lethal strike attack, the big masculine suit ninja uses his acrobatics jump while firing out his plasma, the blue suited guy throws out his 4 rounded-blade as well as using his aqua power to teleport, the hard steel dude unleashes his flame projectiles shoots down from the above, and of course the golden suit leader has tons of crazy moves with lot of dashing and slashing all over the places just plays it really well in this game.
While the entire whole campaign is doing such a fantastic job, but unfortunately it suffers with short-length which is likely that you could able to beat the entire game in less than 2 hours of play for the sake of speed-running, but for the completionist are likely goes up to 3 hours of play which is one hour more, but it's still rather bit short which I would prefer it adding more between 4 to 5 hours with 2 more stages could extend the game bit further.
Overall, it has solid combat, cool boss battles, great platforming, and fantastic campaign action.
Graphics
You can't really deny the overall visual representation of 16-bit era are just looking incredible in small indie project.
I was amazed with the environmental design of each stages made quite a nice balance of colours starting from back to front layouts which you'll see the boldness of the structures and the sharpness of textures surfaces which you can tell that the details on the foregrounds are strongly detailed where as the background are slightly in the darker edge gives the level design much easier to scroll through.
I also want to praise the use of parallax scrolling in some stages like Asura's Fleet which you'll see the fast and slow movement of the clouds and mists from the above and below the stage followed by the enormous space ship from the backgrounds is just looking so cool to see, and I really liked the use of transparency and wavy animation effect of bloody-red water in Lost Ruins adds up the game's atmosphere.
The sprite animation for most of the characters and bosses are sure pretty solid because I really liked how the Moonrider running through the stage with the shadowy-transparency effect behind him are sure flashy and dark at the same time, and oh boy I got to love the gory parts in the game where most of the enemies get sliced with the bloody particles all over the places.
Like I've mentioned about the Mode 7 style biking-section does have an impressive use of pseudo 3D effects because I really liked the scaling effects of city building throughout the stages which kinda reminds me of one of the game for SEGA CD title like Batman Returns does share with the great driving segment with similar graphical effects.
Overall, it has incredible environmental design, great parallax scrolling, solid animation, and impressive scaling effects.
Music and Sounds
So unlike the Blazing Chrome uses the full-on arcade style soundtrack, this game goes with much different direction using with the electronic music genre mixed with synth-bass sounds and Japanese-style music being cramed together which I got to say it's pretty sounds great in many stages because it fits with the game's action and atmospheres all together pretty well.
Stuff like Bioweapon Lab, Laser Research Base, and Duas Space Elevator sounded like more of John Wick vibes to it because of the music intensity of action, where as some of it like Desalination Facility, Asura's Fleet, and Iwondonilo City sounded more of 80's synth music which I got to say I really liked the overall music which was composed by Dominic Ninmark did a splendid job of creating epic soundtrack.
The sound effects provides the good use of slashing noises, gritty environmental sounds, and really has sharp surroundings in each stages just really made the decent balance of both 8 bit and 16 bit sound designs entirely.
Overall, it has splendid soundtrack and decent sound design.
Special Features
Honestly the game does not have unlockable features, not even with the game modes or others which sadly.
It would have been cool if they added the boss rush mode and new playable characters could have helped the game a bit.
Overall, too bad it has no features.
Advantages
Remarkable overall presentation
Solid combat
Cool boss battles
Great platforming
Fantastic campaign action
Incredible visuals
Splendid soundtrack
Disadvantages
Short length campaign
Lack of unlockable features
Final Verdict
Presentation 8/10 - interesting story, badass protagonist, and remarkable overall presentation.
Gameplay 8.5/10 - solid combat, cool boss battles, great platforming, and fantastic campaign action.
Graphics 8.5/10 - incredible environmental design, great parallax scrolling, solid animation, and impressive scaling effects.
Music and Sounds 8/10 - splendid soundtrack and decent sound design.
Special Features 1/10 - lack of unlockable features.
Overall 8.5/10 - Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is surprisingly a strong side-scrolling action game providing many great stuff that really nails the quality.
With fun-packed action stages, well challenged platforming design with many obstacles and wall jumping, epic boss battles, and solid combat gameplay with unique upgrades and abilities is what made the title a true-worthy throwback to classic era of 2D Hack and Slash genres that we knew from our childhood days of 80's and 90s.
You can get it physically for PS4, PS5, and Switch just for less than £30, where as you could get it cheaper from digital storefronts including PS Store, Nintendo eShop, and Steam just for £13.99.
Is it the easiest recommendation for those who grew up playing the likes of classic 2D Hack and Slash series such as Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi? absolutely because I know any of people likes to play this type of style would be fully appreciate with the results that turned out to be a solid side-scrolling experience.
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