Mamono Hunter Youko - Dai 7 no Keishou for MD

Image: MobyGames

Mamono Hunter Youko - Dai 7 no Keishou

Ninja Gaiden 2 with ice jumping physics

Genre: action - hack n slash

Publisher: Masaya

Year: 1991

System: MD

Gameplay Score: 2

Gameplay Notes:

At first I liked how it felt - grounded lateral movement is fast and responsive and you can mash B to attack. However, platforming is a nightmare because of the weird momentum physics when jumping. You gain forward momentum and can't go backwards. You can slow your forward movement a little bit by holding the opposite direction, but not enough. It's not like Ghouls n Ghosts where you're committed to the direction, instead the momentum increases. It's like having ice physics when jumping. This makes it really hard to land on small platforms or to climb the many uneven surfaces in the game. There's a breakfasting combination of these floaty jumps and the crazy level design. Your offensive moves are interesting. If you hold down on B for a couple of seconds, you develop a circular shield around yourself which blocks most projectiles and some enemies. When the shield is hit it weakens in that spot so a large enemy can hit it, take some damage and might even come into your shield and deal damage. And they deal a ton of damage! You'll die in two or three hits. The shield also acts as a boomerang projectile so long as you throw it within a second. So you can either hold down on B Mega Man style to keep your shield at all times or produce a shield and then mash B to continually throw it. Enemies shoot a lot of projectiles at you and attack from all angles so it's difficult to keep everything at bay. I really like the idea of this projectile shield, which looks like a hula hoop, but in practice it's not fun.

Level Design Score: 1

Level Design Notes:

I really wish I could give this a better score, because there's potential here, but the execution is terrible. The first level has a ton of platforms, many blind jumps, and these vertical vines that are ridiculously hard to climb. And on top of all that at the end of the level you have to fight Ninja Gaiden 2 wind as you make a nearly impossible climb. Oh you barely have enough time to get to the end of the level before you run out and die. You have to be a speedrunner just to finish the level. It's insane.

Theme Score: 3

Theme Notes:

Japanese horror setting, but you're a cute anime girl in a formal dress. The setting reminds me of Musya.

Art Style Score: 3

Art Style Notes:

Small sprites. Lots of reds and darks. Looks a bit like Majuuo for the SFC. Nothing too impressive. A little bit of parallax scrolling.

Audio Score: 2

Audio Notes:

First level music is off key. Could be ok but man is it an off kilter start. Sounds like an Egyptian theme, but you're in a swamp. The second stage music isn't any better suited to the setting. You're on a fire volcano and in caves but the song is upbeat. Not as offkey as the first one, thankfully, but equally mismatched. Sound effects remind me of Atari titles.

Overall Score: 38

Review ID: 6042