Strider Returns for Genesis
Review #4556
Strider Returns
Could've used a bit more blast processing
Gameplay
Controls are more stiff than the original. Jump is just as unforgiving so again, best to stay grounded.
Massive slowdown every time you jump. Or attack. Or an enemy appears. Or an enemy dies. In fact, pretty much everything cuases slowdown and a drop in framerate.
Weapon has long reach but short height so it's hard to hit enemies, especially those dumb birds. You have to time it just right during a jump.
Level Design
I had way more trouble navigating these levels than the original. Platforming is tough and there are more open areas with ambiguous paths to take. It feels bigger, but less structured.
Theme
You're still a cool looking ninja guy but the first level has you facing off against an endless supply of birds while climbing trees. I felt like I was playing Rescue Rangers instead of a futuristic ninja title.
Art Style
Far more generic looking than the first game. Backgrounds have added "detail" which I'll put in quotes because it's just a few alternating pixels to break up a single colored tile. I much preferred the clean look of the original.
Oh and did I mention the horrible performance in the graphics?
Audio
Same shrill music from the original. The sound effects are greatly improved, so props for that.
This was my first video game purchase. I got it because my brothers liked the original. I played it and gave it a very fair shake, even beating it a few times.
ReplyDeleteThen I played the original, and then I realized why this release was a huge disappointment. The first one sees you fighting through Soviet Russia at night with search lights in the background, climbing on tops of buildings until you enter a form where all of the members present morph into a giant dragon. Absurd, but never a dull moment.
Strider Returns starts in the most generic looking forest, and the most generic looking castle. It’s almost like someone made a game like RPG Maker, but for Sega Genesis platformers, as none of the levels or assets are unique or interesting.