The classic Sega Saturn adventure beat-em-up, created by Treasure, returns on the Xbox Live Arcade in true style this October. Guardian Heroes, one of the gaming gems of the Saturn era, has finally returned with online multiplayer, a complete graphical overhaul, and of course, “achievements.”
For fans of the classic title, the differences in this remake will be apparent as soon as the game begins. Everything from the characters to the backgrounds to, yes, even the menus have seen a complete and utter overhaul to the visuals. Now, don’t worry, if you’re in the mood for the true classic experience, just like many recent remakes, you can always revert to the original graphics style.
Everything from the classic rock and techno filled soundtrack to the quirky and unique art style are still alive and breathing in the remake. While the artwork from the original release is amazing, the new, almost-sketched style works fantastically well with the overall feel of the game. Magical effects and special moves look gorgeous, while the combat flows by beautifully with incredibly detailed new artwork behind it. All the great iconic music from the original release is still present in this re-mastered version and the quality is fantastic.
For new players to the series, the Tutorial mode found on the main menu is highly suggested, and due to the slightly higher difficulty levels a first run on easy may be a good choice for newcomers while they learn the ropes. The title is designed for multiple playthroughs and with each new enemy slain, the player will unlock them for Arcade mode play. Here, the player will take on an endless horde of enemies, trying to last as long as possible and defeat as many enemies as they can before falling in battle.
Along with the new addition of online gameplay, both story and versus modes can truly show their worth like never before. Versus mode, supporting up to 12 players online and 4 with bots locally, gives the player the ability to truly take on a whole new world of Guardian Heroes. With six modes of play in both remix and original variants, and the ability for players to create their own personal rule sets, Versus mode is an amazing experience. Gameplay online is incredibly smooth and will keep the player busy long after they have exhausted the primary story mode.
The controls, while simplistic in concept, have an enormous amount of depth. Newcomers to the series, or brawlers in general, will find them friendly enough to pick up and use in a matter of minutes. For fans looking to brave the “Hard Mode” waters, some practice will definitely be needed if they wish to master them.
In story mode, the player will be given the choice of Han the warrior, Randy the mage, Nicole the healer, and Ginjirou the combat monk. Each has a completely unique move list and truly have their own play style to pick up and master. As gameplay progresses and players level up, between stages they will be given the opportunity to upgrades their character’s stats however they wish, only further adding to a player’s ability to customize their experience.
The tale begins just after a small band of heroes find the mighty Sword of Legend, they are cornered by the Royal Knights inside a small hideout and the player is thrust directly into the action to keep the blade out of the nefarious hands of the aforementioned and dreaded Royal Knights. Through a stroke of luck, and in keeping with their titular namesake, the small band of heroes summon the power of the long-dead Guardian Hero from beyond the grave. This hero will not only fight alongside the player, but can also be given simple commands in the heat of battle by using the directional pad in conjunction with the right bumper. This not only helps greatly in single player games, but also adds a unique twist on the genre.
Essentially, the primary conflict found in the story centers around the clash of two powerful mystic races who have placed humanity square in the middle of their war. Humanity, dealing with its own deadly politics within their kingdom, are being forced to use magic against their will. Yet a brave few stand against the tyrannical government, along with a little help from the Guardian Hero of course.
One unique feature found within Guardian Heroes is the three layer battle system. One major flaw found within “beat ’em ups” throughout the years is the inability to truly know if an attack is correctly lined up on the intended enemy before wasting your hard-earned mana points. Guardian Heroes solves this issue by aligning the player to three selectable paths. By quickly using the left bumper and trigger, the player can quickly jump from one path to another. This control not only allows for a heightened accuracy in attacks, but also places the combat 100% at the forefront. The action on screen, not the awkward need to line things up, now becomes the player’s main responsibility.
Upon completing the first tutorial area, the player is greeted with a major feature found within Guardian Heroes: player-controlled story path selections. Instead of merely moving from one level to the next as in most beat-em-ups, the player is, more often than not, given a choice as to what to do next in their journey, or how to react during a story sequence. This not only adds a feeling of control over the story, but great amounts of replay value.
In the end, Guardian Heroes is a great game for fans of the classic title and newcomers to the series. While the overall story can be a bit campy at times, it is a treasure trove of pure and simple fun. With crazy classic anime inspired characters like the Kleptomaniacal Glutes, a group of tights-wearing ninja-like bandits who always fail, or the weasel-like Lord Zur and his battalion of pretty pink armored knights, Guardian Heroes is quite the interesting brawl-filled romp through the gaming days of yesteryear. If you’re looking for a great brawler, or just something to play with some friends, this one’s definitely worth a download.
