Bad controls and bad design all around, even for its time. Nostlagic though
I bought this to relive my PS2 days with a bit of nostalgia. This was one of the games from my childhood that I had almost forgotten. I should have left it that way, ha! Excluding how cheesy or cheap it is, or how re-used enemies, repeated lines, and overall lame-ness, makes the game very low budget and painful, the development to just PLAYING it is atrocious. The controls are opposite from any game I have ever played (even for its time). Only the left analog controls movement, while the right analog does what your buttons should, like attack, punch, etc. This makes playing the game, and fighting enemies behind you, very difficult, and you are constantly bombarded from all sides by enemies. I remember why I hated many games back then - they were so damn hard, and in this case, because of poorly designed controls. Weapons also do not make sense, your sword (AS EVEN PICTURED ON THE FRONT) can almost never be used, only for seconds at a time once or twice each stage. With all of the extra ammo you can get for guns, you run out of ammo after a few uses, leaving you to fight multiple enemies with only hand-to-hand combat (which as I said is very hard with the controls anyway). And the throwing star you have (utilized for multiple enemies) has to be 'charged up' by holding a button down, however if ANYONE HITS YOU you LOSE THE CHARGE, making using it when fighting multiple enemies impossible. It all comes dow to poor game development and contradictory design. The controls make navigating impossible, the weapons defeat their own purpose, and overall its a damn hard game because of it.
Its nostalgic, but as an adult who has played many games, new and old, this one is very bad. Not just because it's old and Im used to new games-even for its time, it is so bad it makes it difficult.
I still play it for old times sake, but only for a few minutes at a time.
Not that a review for a game over 10 years old is really needed, lol.Read full review
