Astyanax
Reviewed by Nightshadow
Astyanax. A game that is lost in the minds of most gamers. I
don't blame them. Astyanax is a good game, but there isn't
anything to put this game out in front of the herd. However,
it should not be forgotten. Astyanax is in fact a good game,
just not enough to make you poop in your pants.
Graphics 7 out of 10
There is little or no various shades of color, just one standard
blue, red, orange, brown, green, etc. Sprites are bland and more
simplistic than most Nintendo games from that "dark age" of gaming.
However, the backgrounds are richly detailed (as far as games from
that lost era go, per se) and make the characters look even worse
than they already do.
Music and Sound 5 out of 10
Music is, well, I don't know, I didn't notice anything special about
the music. To me it sounded just like something that I had heard
in the Ninja Gaiden games, and I mean EXACTLY like the Ninja
Gaiden soundtrack. The sound effects were as equally bland. They
sound no different than any other game. To be more accurate,
they sound just like any (take a guess) Ninja Gaiden game.
NOTE: Score 35 bonus points if you guessed right.
Game Challenge 8 out of 10
This game is challenging, but pretty much to a fault. There are many
very hard to hit monsters on the screen at one time, not to mention
the little blobs that love to swarm the screen in Super Bowl attendance.
The bosses are impossible to hit without getting hit yourself. Enemies
are placed in convenient enough places such as on small platforms
over huge gaps, flying too high to hit, where you flat out can't see
them, the list goes on. Enemies can take up to eight blows before
they die. A real hamper when practically six dozen other enemies
of equally difficulty are hacking of your arms.
Game Play-Fun 6 out of 10
This game isn't too much fun since it feels so much like a, you guessed
it, Ninja Gaiden game. It sounds like, feels like, and basically is a (say it
with me) Ninja Gaiden game. It even has the cut scenes in between
the levels! When you fight the last boss, first you fight him as himself,
then he turns into a huge monster. Sound like something from a
Ninja gaiden game (Two was my favorite)? This game has (fill in
the blanks) N_nj_ G_id__ written all over it.
Frustration
I have already mentioned that there are tons of monsters on the
screen at one time (just like Ninja Gaiden you might say) and that
the bosses are a pain in the butt, but that's all that there is to say
about the IRRITATING parts of Astyanax.
Replayability 7 out of 10
You'll have to replay the game many many times before you beat it.
Then you'll never touch it again.
Game Value 5 out of 10
It certainly isn't worth the asking price when this game came out.
About one-half to two-thirds of that price.
Overall 6 out of 10
This game is a total rip-off of the Ninja Gaiden series (in case you
didn't know) down to the last detail. The half dozen hardcore Ninja Gaiden
fans left would love this game, but it's that minority that should
actually get this game. Everyone else should probably just leave
it alone. It's not for us.