Se Megaman X tivesse um filho com Robocop e ele jogasse muito Metal Grear Rising Revenge, séria esse jogo, e falo isso como elogio.

É um jogo curtinho e que quer que você aprenda a jogar com as ferramentas que o protagonista tem, quem nem são muitas, apenas o suficiente para que quando você as domina, vire uma uma cibernética maquina ninja de matar.

Todos os chips de melhoria espalhados pela fase servem para você moldar a sua jogabilidade para ser o mais competente possível na eliminação dos inimigos do jogo.

Eu gostaria que tivesse mais coisa, talvez mais chips ou algo que incentivasse mais o pos jogo além de tirar Rank S nas fases.

Recomendo, claro, compra na promoção esperta e seja feliz desmembrando ciborgues do mal.

Man, I really wanted to like this one more.

I had this game on my radar for quite a bit now, and actually heard a few people say that this was one of their favorite games of 2023. The team on social media is actually what sold me though, as a lot of the trailers for this game looked really solid.

The issue is, this game really seems like it doesn't strive to do anything except be adequate. That is really the word for it. The gameplay is fine, nothing special. It is a nice mix of Megaman and Shenobi, but doesn't really do anything to surpass either franchise in that regard. The enemies are all fine, but mainly forgettable. Most stages only last for around 12 minutes, and are all fine enough.

The most frustrating elements though are with the bosses and setpieces. Almost every boss except the final one gave me little to no trouble, and were all beaten in a very short time. No fight lasts longer than around 20 seconds, with a lot of bosses not showing me their full movesets before I mow them down. Every single one except the final one, left no impact on me. The setpieces were also an aspect I was very excited for with this game, but most of them were so barebones. The motorbike was something I was really looking forward to, but the only thing I got with it was 2 very mediocre on-rails shooter sections with it.

The only standout aspects are its visuals and music. Moonrider has gorgeous visuals, with enemies and backgrounds that really pop. Almost all tracks in this game are pretty catchy and memorable, with none really getting on my nerves by the end of the game. It is a real shame that these things are bogged down by such an average game.

Look, I don't want to be too hard on this game. I know it is made by a relatively small studio, and it seems to be one of their first outings. The issue is that I feel that the worst thing a game can be is adequate or mediocre. These devs clearly do have a lot of talent, and in the future I would really love to see them try to make something a lot less safe and mundane.

Also change the name. It is REALLY bad.

Been playing this in small sessions. It's very good! Can be challenging when it wants to, but also doesn't take much to overcome them. The power ups are mostly useful, mostly in certain situations where they might be better suited. Would benefit from a harder mode, but it's fun enough.

Story is meh. Bare bones story about a guardian going rogue during a war where they are made to oppress people, something, something, revolution! Don't play it for the story, you'll be underwhelmed.

Glad something like this exists, even if indie games are a bit oversaturated with Metroidvania's. This one is a good example, takes more inspiration from something like Mega Man X instead of Metroid. Good stuff!

I believe my only experience with this is game is watching someone stream it a little and it was enough to make me want to get it. So how was this semi-blind buy?

Well graphically I couldn't help but be reminded of a Genesis game back in the day, not really any game in particular, it just has that Genesis feel to it. I really like the sprite work for the game, it REALLY does feel retro with the choice of a dark future city look as it's main setting, then goes off into caves, factories, and more. It's a very well designed game that honestly looks like a lost unreleased 90s game.

The gameplay for the entire game reminded me heavily of Strider, Shinobi, and a bit of Zero from the Mega Man series. Moonrider feels like a mix between the three characters, he's got Shinobi's Dive Kick and movement animations, he's got Strider's sword swing and fast attack gameplay, and Zero's combos and a lot of the special attacks are very much like Zero's in the X series. It's an odd mix for sure, but I think it works well. The game is basically a platformer with quick hack-n-slash action stages and leads to bosses that are quite challenging, but can be beaten if you use your platforming skills to find upgrades to strengthen Moonrider. If that all sounds familiar, yeah it's pretty Mega Man X like, but every good way.

Oh, my goodness, the music to this game is absolutely amazing. It doesn't have a single bad track, but to be fair it doesn't have many, but all of them are really good. It's got that Genesis rock and synth sound, that's blood pumping.

Like a lot of the games of the 90s that are platformers, the story is pretty much non-existent...or moreso it's just there to try to give a reason for the gameplay, but it's pretty empty, but it DOES try, but there's not really enough details of this world to have you feel anything.

So what are the game's downsides? Well...

- The controls feel kinda stiff. for a platformer, jumping feels awkward and never feels comfortable even by the end of the game, but you'll get it for the most part.

- The game is VERY short, it's best to be bought on sale because it's a less than 4 or 5 hour game probably less depending on your skill level.

- The story as I said is non-existent. you're placed in the middle of a conflict that even by the end of the game you still have more questions than answers if you cared at all.

This was a pretty good game that felt nostalgic to play despite me having never played it, I definitely recommend it to platformer fans or if you loved Strider or Shinobi games.

AKA Power Rangers Samurai Mega Man X. For a genesis style retro platformer Vengeful Guardian Moonrider plays just like a MMX game. You pick your stage, playthrough it, beat a boss and unlock a special move rinse and repeat. There are also hidden power ups throughout the stages you can equip as well. VGM is one of the easiest retro throwback titles that I can ever remember playing. It's not necessiarly a bad thing but if these kind of games usually frustrate you, I can promise you this one will not. There are no instakill pits or spikes and health drops are aplenty. I would say VGM isn't brainless though, you do have actually play it. Here's a pro tip for you beat the boss that gets you the tenticle special move. That things destroys bosses life like no other. It's pretty broken. Get that and the power up that lets you steal HP from slain enemies and you don't have to worry about the stages at all. VGM was a short but enjoyable romp. I platinum'ed this baby in under 5 hours. If you pick this up it will be a short but sweet experiance but there isn't much to want you to come back to it time and time again or even really get better at it but it's a nice one and done.

Platinum #182

Algo tienen los inicios de año con la nostalgia pixelada, que cada enero parece haber hueco para varios títulos de esos que apelan a los 16 bits.

La gente de JoyMasher está ya curtida en mirar en el espejo de los clásicos y aquí se sienten bien las pinceladas megamaneras y shinobianas, algo importante, creo yo, porque no hay nada más incómodo que la inspiración que se siente demasiado impropia.

Vengeful Guardian sabe encontrar su hueco con un planteamiento decente dentro de la simpleza: hay variedad en forma de picoteo en las diferentes fases, una duración justa, suficiente diría, y unos picos de dificultad más o menos bien medidos aunque fácilmente salvables cuando sabes cómo llegar a las S de puntuación por la vía rápida.

Falta un poco de punch, seguramente, pero quizá se fue en buscar un nombre especialmente rimbombante para el título.

Geralmente escrevo a análise em inglês pra treinar a escrita, mas como o jogo é brasileiro, vou abrir uma exceção.

Pra quem sempre gostou de jogar com o Zero nos Megaman da vida, e curtia os Ninja Gaiden antigos, esse jogo aqui é uma boa viagem ao passado.
Visual muito bem feito, combate no ponto, upgrades e poderes interessantes¹, e o mais foda de tudo na minha visão, a trilha sonora.

Penso porém que o jogo é muito fraco na dificuldade. Se tu não se importar com o rank no final da fase (meu caso), tudo vira um passeio no parque, tu talvez tenha dificuldade na parte plataforma do jogo e em alguns chefes específicos, e só.
Os chefes são uma piada de fácil, a maioria deles, basta spammar ataque ou especial que a luta mal mal dura 30 segundos. O ULTIMO chefe inclusive, eu passei metade da luta em cima dele, dando aquele ataque de chute que ricocheteia.

¹: Os upgrades são legais, é verdade, mas acho que a primeira jogada é intrinsicamente prejudicada, pois tem um upgrade em especifico que tu usa pra te ajudar a achar os outros, que convém muito. Por causa disso, tua primeira jogada vai ser com um slot a menos, e tu só tem 2 no total.

Sobre os poderes, são legais, mas vi um meta claramente neles, alguns são muito mais fortes que outros, te dão vantagem no espaço e por aí vai. Escrevendo a análise agora, percebo que os poderes poderiam servir como fraqueza nos chefes, mas agora já foi.

Nada no jogo é novo pra quem já jogou os títulos anteriormente mencionados. Basicamente uma reciclagem no liquidificador daquela época.

Hoje, na Steam, o jogo custa R$50 fora de promoção, e por ~5 horas de duração, isso é um roubo. Se for comprar, ou platine (nem vi as conquistas mas platinar um jogo desses deve ser interessante) ou compre em promoção.

Bom saber que daqui do Brasil não saí só jogo de youtuber ou cópia mal feita de jogo 3D popular.

Side scrolling action game. Control a robotic enforcer or a fascist government that breaks free of his masters and fights the other robot guardians. Somewhat Mega Man X like with the stage selection, gaining an attack from each of the main bosses, and finding upgrades inside levels.

You have a main three hit slash combo, a dash function you can do by double tapping left or right or by holding a button, dash attack, straight down or down and to the left or right aimed drop kick that bounces you off enemies, can duck and attack, and have access to a variety of sub weapons you can switch between. Stages have a good variety with some good backgrounds and the game controls well and it is satisfying to fight the game's enemies, of which each stage tends to introduce new ones.

Where the game falls a bit short is maybe getting a bit too close to the Mega Man X style feel where stages can be way too easy without the enemies being meaningful challenges to you. You fight few enemies at the same time and it is often easy to even ignore or bypass them, which is actually helpful if going for higher stage rankings for achievements that require you to finish with faster times. The sub weapons also fall into the normal issue where most just aren't very useful and there is one in particular that is both great for stages and can finish off bosses in seconds.

The equipable chips found in stages give you a variety of bonuses like regenerating health and MP over time, regenerating health and MP after a kill, longer attack range, double jumps, one that allows you to edit your color, one that causes you to die from one hit, etc. You can equip two of them at once. Losing all of your lives also unlocks one that reduces your max stage ranking but halves the damage you take. Nice to be able to customize yourself a bit but certain ones are obviously standouts in usefulness and there is nothing to out there that really changes up the gameplay.

There are a few moments where you are riding on a motorcycle across a highway avoiding and shooting at enemies in a more horizontal shoot em up style, these stages look good but like going through the main stages you just aren't challenges by enemies and the subdued music can give them a dull feel as they do on.

Solid game, just keeping some of the issues of the Mega Man games it somewhat emulates without having as many secrets and mechanics. Even going for an S rank on every stage is a quick and simple affair.

Screenshots: https://twitter.com/Legolas_Katarn/status/1619477679203577856

I saw a review of this game on YouTube and it peaked my interest. Shinobi 3 is one of my favorite Genesis games so i thought this would scratch that itch. The story is pretty generic but it’s sets it up well. Tyrannical government deploys guardians to protect them from rebelling citizens. Moonrider is one of those guardians but he decides to fight back and crush the tyrannical government.

The game is a mix of Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, Megaman x, and contra. You fight humanoid robots, armored soldiers, and mutants. The music is pretty good, a mix of Japanese style music combined with thumping techno. The game play is alright. You fight 8 bosses and then to Dr Willy’s tower. Moonrider feels kind of stiff at times, he can jump on walls, can run, and attacks with a sword. You can unlock chips that increase your defense, increase attack range, hp regeneration and more. Some of these feel like necessary gameplay features, such as the dash or double jump.

It feels kind of odd having to choose between health or defense and features such as dashing or double jump. You can only place your load out at the beginning of each level. So it’s just odd. Dashing and double jumping do not break the game at all and in fact there are moments where it seems almost necessary. Just such an odd choice.

The boss battles are forgettable. No strategy really. I honestly just stood next to them and just melee’s them to death. The levels can be fun and interesting. One you have to ride a motor bike shooting robots and soldiers. One your jumping from ship to ship on an aircraft armada. Another, your being chased by a giant robot through the woods. Some of the levels are definitely high lights,

Overall it’s very ok. Check it out if interested. I played it once and I’m good.

Buen título de corte clásico, que toma inspiración de grandes títulos de la era de los 16 bits como E-Swat o Strider. Controlamos a un guardian robótico al que podremos ir equipando con mejoras que vamos encontrando ocultas en cada fase y nuevas habilidades que vamos obteniendo a medida que avanzamos en los 9 escenarios que contiene el juego.

Técnica y jugablemente, este título podría haber salido perfectamente en Mega Drive o Super Nintendo y no habría desentonado entre los títulos destacados de la escena de la época. Controles clásicos aunque bien pulidos y responsivos, pixel art trabajado con sprites de gran tamaño y una gran banda sonora. Juego ideal cuando te apetezca algo clásico y rápido, pues su duración, también al igual que en los 90, es de aproximadamente 3 horas. Recomendado!

Lute a favor da liberdade nesse mundo futurista distópico!

Pra mim Moonrider é uma mistura de Mega Man com Shinobi, com uns controles meio complicados de se pegar a manha e difíceis de manejar, levou um tempo pra mim conseguir entender o jeito que o personagem se move, mas depois foi só mil maravilhas.

Eu amei os cenários do jogo e a forma que trabalharam com a pixel art aqui, uma palheta de cor confortável aos olhos e um modo TV tubão (opcional claro) muito bem aplicado, acho que é uma das melhores colocações desse modo CRT que já vi em jogos Retro.

Sua história é simples e fácil de entender, tu é um robôzao bolado que ta lutando contra uma ditadura, passando o sarrafo em todos os safados que controlam a liberdade do povo e justificando que este é o único modo de alcançar a paz nacional, então vai la, entre em vengeful guardian e acabe com os detentores da liberdade!

Fico muito feliz que o brasilzao fez uma obra prima dessa, sua trilha sonora que eu nem citei pois não tenho nem palavras pra explicar, é muito bem feita, e sabe qual o melhor? É que esse jogo é feito pra todos os tipos de jogadores, seja os Hardcore ou casuais.

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is one of the most "By the numbers" retro-style games you can possibly find. This game was made by the same people that did Blazing Chrome, an already "By the numbers" game, but in comparison Chrome wins by a landslide.

I don't want to call "Moonrider" bad because it's not, but it's so damn safe in it's design and execution that while playing it you will be thinking how much more fun you would be having if you were playing the games that inspired it, specially Ninja Gaiden or Shinobi III (AKA Ninja Ryukenden and Super Shinobi II) which are masterpieces.

Aside from it's obvious ninja game inspirates, there's a fair deal of Megaman and "whatever was popular in the late 80's/early 90's". What I think hurts this game a lot is that does not just pays homage to those games, it outrights tries to copy them with flaws included.
It's endearing when you play an old game that had a barebones story and limited gameplay, but doing it today feels just like a regular shortcoming, there's not tongue-in cheek commentary done about it, it's just played straight.

The story is some barebones political revolution thing with no real explanation as to why things are happening, similar to Alien Soldier (this game wishes it was as tight). But Alien Soldier backstory is an excuse to throw boss fights at the player. In this game you keep getting information you could not give two shits about.

For some retro-style ninja fix I would much rather play "The Messenger", which is a game that pay homages to retro games while building upon them instead of limiting itself just for nostalgia's sake. (Cyber Shadow might be another good alternative but I have not played it).

Amazing linear stage-based game, that pays homage to the likes of Ninja Gaiden, Hagane, and Shinobi.
The formula to how you go about doing each stage and gaining power-ups is similar to the MegaMan games. Although this game is a lot more forgiving compared to those games I just mentioned.

Skills that let you find secrets, power-ups with minor invincibility. Even with checks-points between sub-bosses and main bosses in each stage (so no worries if you use up your continues, you’ll be able to get right back into the boss fights). Most of which have a very little move-set with telepathic moves that are easy to read, although that’s not to say it’s a bad thing.

A game of this nature may be very enjoyable if you’re the type who likes doing 100% speed-runs or want something that’s less stress inducing than the Mega ManX/Ninja Gaiden games (or worst.. MegaMan Zero 1 rank system sudders). I dare say it makes a good entry point for someone who want to test their skills on a retro-inspired 2D platformer for the first time. Give it a shot, it’s very short, has kick ass cyber ninjas and it's enjoyable.

Also do yourself a favor, play this with the CRT filter on.
This game does the CRT effect beautifully, makes me wish it was set on by default (like Steel Assault).

In its structure, this is very Mega Man inspired, and that's a good thing. I was able to complete this in just a couple of hours. You complete a level, defeat a boss and then select what level you'd like to go to next, all while acquiring power-ups called chips that you can equip to enhance the gameplay.

First and foremost it feels fun to play, even if I wasn't completely good at it. I think its action is a bit better than its platforming, which was probably the most challenging aspect for me. Then again I'm sure I suck, so what do I know. The art and the style really shine here. The game has gorgeous pixel art, with its environments and enemies and in that regard was a joy to play.

Although this is similar Iength to a Mega Man title, I felt this could've been a little longer. I also think the dialogue between the characters could have been a little better, but I liked the story, I like the vibe. I think it could've been great but instead its just very good and definitely worth playing!