Like I mentioned in my Bionic Commando review, Strider is one of Capcom's franchises that have been left to rot in comparison to some of their other bigger properties. Which is a shame too, because it is a series with a lot of cool ideas, coupled with a style and flair that I love in video games, and I wish that it was brought back at one point (again, of course, after the 2014 game). For what we did get though, it looks like a pretty solid series (with an exception or two in there), and the original Strider is no exception.
This was my first proper experience with the Strider franchise, and after playing it, I would say that it is a pretty solid first entry, and an overall really damn good arcade game. Sure, it has its problems, and it is probably outshined by sequels later down the road, but it is still worth playing today.
The story is very basic for this kind of game, but it is helped with story visuals and the presence of voice acting (even if both of these things are presented in the blink of an eye, and then they are gone), the graphics are very nice, the music is pretty well done and memorable, the control is alright, aside from one aspect I will touch upon in a second, and the gameplay is simple, yet very fun in execution paired with many elements the game presents.
The game is a 2D hack-and-slash platformer, where you move from left to right, defeating enemies, getting powerups, fighting bosses, and all the stuff you have probably seen plenty of times before, but what makes it pretty unique compared to others is the types of enemies, powerups, and bosses you run into throughout the game, with the enemies and bosses being pretty creative for the time. In addition, the powerups themselves have what you would typically expect from a game like this, but you can also gain robotic helpers, such as a robotic tiger and hawk, to help you take on what lies ahead.
In my opinion, the simple gameplay, coupled with ideas the game introduces with the enemies and powerups make this game really fun to play and very memorable. Not to mention, it is extremely satisfying to run through these stages as fast as you can, slashing through so many different goons, coupled with the extreme precision and skill you can pull off. Not too many other games (at least from this era) can replicate this kind of style and look.
Of course though, it isn't perfect, with plenty of elements that can be done a lot better. For instance, your movement and jumping in this game is pretty fucking awkward, with many different directions and ways you can jump around the screen. This is cool and all, but given how much this game throws at you, and with the precarious terrain you will most likely encounter, it can be pretty frustrating to control. This is also paired with the climbing mechanic you have in the game, which does help out a lot, yes, but it isn't all too reliable when I feel like it should be.
In addition, yes, this is an arcade game, and as such, it is pretty short, and they throw as much at you as possible to try to get money out of the poor kids that played this back in the day, and that can make the journey more stressful than it needs to be. It is doable, yes, and it is still fun, but it can be a bit of a hassle.
Overall, despite the awkward jumping/climbing and the cases of arcade syndrome, it is still a pretty solid game after over 30 years later, and it has me looking forward to what the rest of the series after this has to offer.
Game #115
This was my first proper experience with the Strider franchise, and after playing it, I would say that it is a pretty solid first entry, and an overall really damn good arcade game. Sure, it has its problems, and it is probably outshined by sequels later down the road, but it is still worth playing today.
The story is very basic for this kind of game, but it is helped with story visuals and the presence of voice acting (even if both of these things are presented in the blink of an eye, and then they are gone), the graphics are very nice, the music is pretty well done and memorable, the control is alright, aside from one aspect I will touch upon in a second, and the gameplay is simple, yet very fun in execution paired with many elements the game presents.
The game is a 2D hack-and-slash platformer, where you move from left to right, defeating enemies, getting powerups, fighting bosses, and all the stuff you have probably seen plenty of times before, but what makes it pretty unique compared to others is the types of enemies, powerups, and bosses you run into throughout the game, with the enemies and bosses being pretty creative for the time. In addition, the powerups themselves have what you would typically expect from a game like this, but you can also gain robotic helpers, such as a robotic tiger and hawk, to help you take on what lies ahead.
In my opinion, the simple gameplay, coupled with ideas the game introduces with the enemies and powerups make this game really fun to play and very memorable. Not to mention, it is extremely satisfying to run through these stages as fast as you can, slashing through so many different goons, coupled with the extreme precision and skill you can pull off. Not too many other games (at least from this era) can replicate this kind of style and look.
Of course though, it isn't perfect, with plenty of elements that can be done a lot better. For instance, your movement and jumping in this game is pretty fucking awkward, with many different directions and ways you can jump around the screen. This is cool and all, but given how much this game throws at you, and with the precarious terrain you will most likely encounter, it can be pretty frustrating to control. This is also paired with the climbing mechanic you have in the game, which does help out a lot, yes, but it isn't all too reliable when I feel like it should be.
In addition, yes, this is an arcade game, and as such, it is pretty short, and they throw as much at you as possible to try to get money out of the poor kids that played this back in the day, and that can make the journey more stressful than it needs to be. It is doable, yes, and it is still fun, but it can be a bit of a hassle.
Overall, despite the awkward jumping/climbing and the cases of arcade syndrome, it is still a pretty solid game after over 30 years later, and it has me looking forward to what the rest of the series after this has to offer.
Game #115