This is one of my favorite video games of all time. This gave is pretty much the start of the Ghouls and Ghosts franchise and it's a very good start. I remember as a kid playing and seeing this in the arcade, I thought it was cool as I'm a fantasy fan and was into "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe".
It's your simple damsel in distress scenario, but it's really in how you rescue her that counts and in this game, you really have your work cut out for you. The graphical presentation I thought is very good, I like how they created a dark fantasy world, which wasn't common at the time this was before games like the "Dark Souls" series. The game always takes place in the night, there are some gothic and even dilapidated structure wherever you pass which adds to the spooky, isolated, and unfriendly atmosphere; this world just has death written all over it as it's just designed to kill you.
The gameplay is solid it's the typical platform action as it's going from point A to B, controls your basic attack and jump but there's nothing wrong with that. You have a decent variety of weapons, my favorite is the shield which you get in the latter levels, I just think it's cool being able to throw shields at your enemies much like Captain America.
Music is also very good there's a solid sum of tracks but the one track that stands out is the one from first level which is practically the theme song of the franchise. I really love that track because it's sort of a combo of a spooky fantasy horror and medieval action adventure tone.
I even like the character designs, which are cool. From the main character, but mainly it's the monsters I really like whom truly are the real stars of the game, hence it's title. I like that they look threatening but at the same time a bit comical much like with those monsters (or should I say fake monsters) in the "Scooby Doo" cartoons. This doesn't just add to the humor but also makes you feel like your playing through a Saturday Morning Cartoon.
There is a good variety of monsters like the zombies that are always in purple wardrobe, little flying demons whom kind of remind me of the Subspecies from that horror film series from Full Moon, just with a wingspan. The red Gargoyles whom is known as Firebrand, Tan colored ogres with a heart sailor tattoo, Venus fly traps that shoot out eyeballs, the list goes on.
And the bosses also look great and in good variety like a Cyclops, Flying Purple Dragon and my favorite Satan. I'm not kidding that is the final bosses name, it's a unique design on Satan (ok it's probably just the genuine article just another monster with that name) as he has a lion like head which consist of blue hair, another face which is on his chest and is wearing a kingly robe.
I really like how the game has a sense of humor, it's not one you take too seriously or take itself seriously. Like those heart tattooed ogres where one of their attacks is to puke maces balls from, the fact each zombie is always in blue attire (it's not like there a Macy's in that world) and just the fact that when you get hit you lose all your armor and have to fight in your boxers.
Yeah, this game is really hard, though that's because the game is actually by it's nature short as it has about six levels with two stages within them, which is to be expected from these games. Though I'll admit I remember the amount of frustration I felt as a kid having to go through the ordeal again and again which is a common staple to these game and most hard games in general.
But despite what I felt I was always still having fun, and the difficulty isn't totally unfair it actually is fair, sometimes when I died it was because I made a misstep, an error in judgement, or failed to do something at a certain time. The game operates on the trial and error principle, you can't expect to get it right the first time. Perseverance in this and the other Ghouls and Ghosts games is the key, if you keep with it long enough you be able to find the way though. I can get though the levels easily, ok not really but not with as many problems as before.
Ghost and Goblins is grave hopping fun.
Rating: 3 and a half stars
It's your simple damsel in distress scenario, but it's really in how you rescue her that counts and in this game, you really have your work cut out for you. The graphical presentation I thought is very good, I like how they created a dark fantasy world, which wasn't common at the time this was before games like the "Dark Souls" series. The game always takes place in the night, there are some gothic and even dilapidated structure wherever you pass which adds to the spooky, isolated, and unfriendly atmosphere; this world just has death written all over it as it's just designed to kill you.
The gameplay is solid it's the typical platform action as it's going from point A to B, controls your basic attack and jump but there's nothing wrong with that. You have a decent variety of weapons, my favorite is the shield which you get in the latter levels, I just think it's cool being able to throw shields at your enemies much like Captain America.
Music is also very good there's a solid sum of tracks but the one track that stands out is the one from first level which is practically the theme song of the franchise. I really love that track because it's sort of a combo of a spooky fantasy horror and medieval action adventure tone.
I even like the character designs, which are cool. From the main character, but mainly it's the monsters I really like whom truly are the real stars of the game, hence it's title. I like that they look threatening but at the same time a bit comical much like with those monsters (or should I say fake monsters) in the "Scooby Doo" cartoons. This doesn't just add to the humor but also makes you feel like your playing through a Saturday Morning Cartoon.
There is a good variety of monsters like the zombies that are always in purple wardrobe, little flying demons whom kind of remind me of the Subspecies from that horror film series from Full Moon, just with a wingspan. The red Gargoyles whom is known as Firebrand, Tan colored ogres with a heart sailor tattoo, Venus fly traps that shoot out eyeballs, the list goes on.
And the bosses also look great and in good variety like a Cyclops, Flying Purple Dragon and my favorite Satan. I'm not kidding that is the final bosses name, it's a unique design on Satan (ok it's probably just the genuine article just another monster with that name) as he has a lion like head which consist of blue hair, another face which is on his chest and is wearing a kingly robe.
I really like how the game has a sense of humor, it's not one you take too seriously or take itself seriously. Like those heart tattooed ogres where one of their attacks is to puke maces balls from, the fact each zombie is always in blue attire (it's not like there a Macy's in that world) and just the fact that when you get hit you lose all your armor and have to fight in your boxers.
Yeah, this game is really hard, though that's because the game is actually by it's nature short as it has about six levels with two stages within them, which is to be expected from these games. Though I'll admit I remember the amount of frustration I felt as a kid having to go through the ordeal again and again which is a common staple to these game and most hard games in general.
But despite what I felt I was always still having fun, and the difficulty isn't totally unfair it actually is fair, sometimes when I died it was because I made a misstep, an error in judgement, or failed to do something at a certain time. The game operates on the trial and error principle, you can't expect to get it right the first time. Perseverance in this and the other Ghouls and Ghosts games is the key, if you keep with it long enough you be able to find the way though. I can get though the levels easily, ok not really but not with as many problems as before.
Ghost and Goblins is grave hopping fun.
Rating: 3 and a half stars