Recently I've been playing a lot of Guardian Heroes.
This is one of the many games that was ported to the XBLA from the Sega Saturn. It is my belief that buying such games will prompt more conversions of some of the other lost gems that were on the Saturn - a misguided belief to be sure but you never know...
What is particularly impressive that this is a conversion that actually enhances the original: Aside from the inevitable graphical update and the inclusion of achievements, the game keeps track of the branching paths that have already been visited, cutscenes are skippable, there's a better translation and the Versus multiplayer has been increased from six to twelve. Truly a shining example of how to make a game from the mid-nineties and making it better whilst staying true to the original (it makes one wonder how numerous other such games got it so wrong).
As for the game itself, this is one game I've come into completely blind - The only thing I knew was that was a Saturn game and one of the best games on the system (and considering the amount of trash that was on the system that's saying a lot). What I wasn't expecting was to seeing some superb anime-esque art - much of which still looks great eighteen years later. Nor was I expecting to a real entertaining brawler with RPG elements and branching paths - granted this is a common sight for brawlers today (Castle Crashers anyone?) but to see it being down in a game from 1996 was a revelation indeed.
Not much else I can say except that has, so far, been something of a surprise package. I can't say that I'm one to go into a game completely in the dark but in this time I think it has paid off. How fitting it is then that finding a diamond in the rough should be a Saturn game.
No comments:
Post a Comment