Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. For the retro gamer connoisseur, this is a time period that’s worth living. The thriving game preservation, emulation, retro handheld and the homebrew scene, along with the frequent dosage of new retro-inspired games have opened the floodgates of nostalgia for us big boys. There’s a slew of retro RPGs, Metroidvanias and Platformers that’s seeing the light of day each month and I couldn’t be happier. Yet, among the zillion “Nintendo Hard” titles, you’d be hard-pressed to find a game that does what Nintendon’t. While I was a Nintendo kid all the way through, the importance of the other superpower in console wars, aka the Sega Genesis, is too huge to forget. Developer JoyMasher, hot off the success of Blazing Chrome, probably thought the same way and made Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider.
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a retro-inspired action-platformer developed by JoyMasher and published by The Arcade Crew. The game was released on PC, PS4/5 and Nintendo Switch on January 13, 2023. Oh, and it also works flawlessly on the Steam Deck. Why yes, I am a proud member of the “Deck Heads” now.
Oppressors Beware
Vengeful Guradian: Moonrider is a 16-bit Sega Genesis throwback through and through. It’s violent, choke full of action and does what Nintendon’t. Much like the genesis games from the late 1980s-early ’90s, Vengeful Guardian: Moonriders has a badass title to grab your attention, a power-fantasy plotline and a hero that can kick ass (but sadly not chew bubblegum) and take names. Set during a totalitarian regime, you play as a cyborg ninja that defies its programming and turns on its masters. Your name- Moonrider. Your aim – kill the oppressors. True to classic fashion, that’s all the plot there is. Feels as if you’re watching a hyper-violent Japanese superhero show.
Inspired by games of the time like Shinobi 3 and Mega Man, the game has you fight a plethora of enemies and overcome various challenges through 2D platforming. The 2-hour campaign depicts Moonrider traverse 8 diverse levels to slay supersoldiers as well as equally badass bosses. There is a nice variety in the look and feel of the levels and, similar to classic Genesis games like Contra: Hard Corps, there are levels where you get to ride in (as well as platform across) vehicles and the such. Similar to Mega Man, you get to pick the order in which you want to tackle the levels. This is such a small yet underrated design choice that should be in more games. There’s not a lot to complain here other than the short length of the game. But then again, most games at the time were of this length.
A Blast From the Past
If you’ve played any of the classic action games or previous entries from developer JoyMasher, then Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider will make you feel right at home. The goal of each sidescrolling level is to go from A to B while dispatching grunts, mini-bosses and bosses, all the while avoiding hazardous challenges. The game uses a classic lives system. When you die, you lose a life and are sent back to the last checkpoint. Once all lives are lost, then the player has to start the level over from the beginning. I’d have liked if there were more checkpoints or if you respawned back right at the screen where you died. But that’s just spoiled me talking.
Moonrider, while challenging at the start, is not a very difficult game and the player is given plenty of tools to mow over enemies. The ability to unlock secondary weapons (that use up MP) after defeating bosses is a trip down memory lane for Mega Man fans. There are 7 such unlockable powers to be gain, and some of these make the game an absolute cakewalk.
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, while being very faithful to its action-platformer roots, also includes a few modern features. For example, Moonrider can sprint while holding down R2 or double tapping the directional button. This can be used with jump and attack to either jump further or perform a devastating slash. This can also be used in tandem with Moonrider’s jump kicks for some creative combos. In addition, players can also discover Power Modules that give certain abilities or passives hidden within levels. These range from passive health/MP increase, adding a second jump, increasing attack power with kills, etc. Moonrider can be equipped with two of these at a time. You can make playthroughs easier/more difficult by using these items, and are a welcome addition.
Summing up, the combat is satisfying, level design is varied, the traversal is decent, and there’s plenty of enemy variety to go around. The only major drawback when it comes to gameplay are the controls. Sometimes, especially during platforming, the controls can come across as stiff and unreliable. Making walljumps through hazards especially can become a test of patience. The sprint can also seem like a curse at times, since contact damage on enemies is a thing. There’s also a weird issue with Moonrider using his secondary attack twice while pressing the dedicated button once. Kind of annoying, if you ask me. Other than these complaints, Moonrider is smooth sailing
Nailing the Feel
Kudos to JoyMasher for nailing down the 16-bit aesthetics. Vengeful Guardian: Moonrirder looks and sounds as if it was tailor-made for the Genesis. The spritework is highly detailed, the environments look amazing, and the music is the cream of the top. Not to mention that the CRT filter is hands down the best I’ve seen in a video game. Petition for more games to have the exact same filter, please. As I’ve mentioned above, Moonrider works great on Steam Deck (as well as my RTX 3070 PC) with 60 fps, and it looks so good on the small screen. Keep up the magic, guys!
Real Talk
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is a good action-platformer and an even better retro throwback. Amidst a sea of retro-inspired games, Moonrider does enough things to make itself stand out. The controls could have been smoother and a game bit longer. But, as it stands, the satisfying gameplay loop and the excellent aesthetics make it a must-have for folks like you and me.
FINAL RATING: RECOMMENDED