Pros:
+ a reverent, respectful throwback to the 16-bit days
+ art style and animation are impressive throughout
+ backgrounds are detailed and the parallax scrolling is great
+ the difficulty is generally high but rarely unfair
+ plenty of checkpoints prevent frustration
+ stages are varied and offer surprises at every turn
+ slide move is implemented well and offers I-frames
+ collectable items shake up the gameplay in various ways
+ magic replenishes on its own
+ bosses have specific weaknesses tailored to specific weapons
+ the final stage is a real surprise and extends the combat options
+ the story can be quickly skipped
Cons:
- extra lifebar cannot be replenished
- enemies frequently appear out of nowhere
- stage-specific items do not carry over
- jumping challenges tend towards the unfair
- store items are too expensive
- combat upgrades are not worth the money
- health pickups are randomly dropped by enemies
- magic pickups are practically useless
- music is merely okay
Magic Moment: Researching the original release date on the Sega Genesis and realizing that this is in fact a new release. It was designed for the original hardware and seems to work fine on the Genesis, which is amazing.
Playtime: 6 hours on normal difficulty without seeing a Game Over screen, which seems to place me on the slower side.
Verdict:
You will know if you like this after a few seconds of footage or a screenshot in the gaming magazine of your choice (as long as those even still exist), just like in the good old days of the early 90s. With a great presentation, tight combat mechanics, a steep but rarely unfair difficulty curve, and surprising boss encounters, Demons of Asteborg will satisfy any fan of old-school 2D platformers, and the creator's reverence for the genre is felt at every new platforming challenge. Still, the game offers nothing new compared to its peers from yesteryear, and the health and magic management system could have used a serious overhaul.
Take a look at it if you are over 30 years old and crave a nostalgic trip to the past, because they truly do not make these anymore, but do not expect a reinvention of the genre. Newcomers and players with a short temper should be prepared for a serious ass kicking.
+ a reverent, respectful throwback to the 16-bit days
+ art style and animation are impressive throughout
+ backgrounds are detailed and the parallax scrolling is great
+ the difficulty is generally high but rarely unfair
+ plenty of checkpoints prevent frustration
+ stages are varied and offer surprises at every turn
+ slide move is implemented well and offers I-frames
+ collectable items shake up the gameplay in various ways
+ magic replenishes on its own
+ bosses have specific weaknesses tailored to specific weapons
+ the final stage is a real surprise and extends the combat options
+ the story can be quickly skipped
Cons:
- extra lifebar cannot be replenished
- enemies frequently appear out of nowhere
- stage-specific items do not carry over
- jumping challenges tend towards the unfair
- store items are too expensive
- combat upgrades are not worth the money
- health pickups are randomly dropped by enemies
- magic pickups are practically useless
- music is merely okay
Magic Moment: Researching the original release date on the Sega Genesis and realizing that this is in fact a new release. It was designed for the original hardware and seems to work fine on the Genesis, which is amazing.
Playtime: 6 hours on normal difficulty without seeing a Game Over screen, which seems to place me on the slower side.
Verdict:
You will know if you like this after a few seconds of footage or a screenshot in the gaming magazine of your choice (as long as those even still exist), just like in the good old days of the early 90s. With a great presentation, tight combat mechanics, a steep but rarely unfair difficulty curve, and surprising boss encounters, Demons of Asteborg will satisfy any fan of old-school 2D platformers, and the creator's reverence for the genre is felt at every new platforming challenge. Still, the game offers nothing new compared to its peers from yesteryear, and the health and magic management system could have used a serious overhaul.
Take a look at it if you are over 30 years old and crave a nostalgic trip to the past, because they truly do not make these anymore, but do not expect a reinvention of the genre. Newcomers and players with a short temper should be prepared for a serious ass kicking.