GRAPHICS SOUND CONTROL FRUSTRATION FUN FACTOR OVERALL

NES Action/Platformer 1 Player Password Strider is one of those games a person either loves or hates. I used to be on the latter end of the spectrum until I actually sat down and took my time with the game. I managed to beat it in about a week and a half with a little trouble on each and every stage. The game provides a magnificent learning curve, though the end of the game could have been a little bit harder. But I'll get to that in a bit. You play as Strider Hiryu, who's friend, Kain, has apparently been kidnapped. For some reason your commander sends you out to kill him instead of rescue him. Hiryu decides that he must first meet with Kain and then decide whether to kill him or not. Not exactly the most original or thrilling plot, is it? Making things much worse is the god-awful translation, but if you ponder the dialogue enough you should be able to decipher it. Speaking of deciphering (warning: bad pun!), you possess the cipher, a unique weapon that can be swung in front of you or held above your head to take out flying enemies. Eventually the cipher gains the power to charge up and fire a shot of plasma at your unfortunate enemies. The cipher itself is a bit difficult to get used to. Sometimes it seems as though the tip of it can strike an enemy, yet they'll remain unscathed. This is only the beginning of hit detection woes that plague this game. When jumping over the spikes in the first level, you actually have to run into them for a split second before you jump, or you won't make it far enough to clear the spikes. It took me quite a long time to figure this out. Also, making simple jumps from platform to platform can be tough, especially if there's a height difference. If you so much as touch a wall while in mid-air, you drop like a rock. This makes pulling off the triangle jump (a wall jump) much tougher than it needs to be. You must jump toward a wall, then press away from the wall and the jump button at the exact moment you hit the wall. If you don't do it just right, you'll drop straight to the ground. The triple jump can be done as many times as needed, but I found it impossible to do more than three in succession (which is all the more I ever need to do, thank goodness). Other moves include the slide, which can be used to go underneath low ceilings and jumping enemies. Attack boots can be obtained which allow you to attack the enemy with your slide. The other two pairs of boots that can be obtained are the magnet boots, which allow you to walk on certain walls (you'll recognize them), and water boots, which allow you to perform the miracle of walking on water. The game is non-linear, requiring you to backtrack to previously visited countries in search of new files and keys. There are six files that must be obtained to complete the game. Once a file is obtained, you can take it back to base and analyze it, which moves the story forward a bit, and usually allows you to transfer to at least one more country. Keys are used to open the various locked doors throughout the game, which prevent you from accessing certain areas until later in the game. Each key will open the doors with the corresponding number. It's relatively easy to find your way around the game if you make (mental) notes of where certain doors are. The game can also be continued later by the use of a password system, which is done very well. The passwords are short and none of the characters look like each other. When you obtain a password, part of the story is revealed as well (which is prompted by the text "Next story!" appearing on the screen). You can get hints as to where to go next this way, and sometimes it seems as though they're needed. This makes progressing through the game a bit easier as well. All that being said, let's see the scores. Graphics: The characters are large and animate fairly well. Backgrounds match the environment of the country you're in fairly well (though I'm not sure why Kazakhstan is so dark and industrial-like). Sometimes there is a bit of slowdown when alot of enemies get on the screen, and the graphics flicker much like other Capcom games. Also, the hit detection is off in many places. After playing the game for a day or so, one can get used to these flaws, however. But, they are flaws. Sound & Music: From the title theme to the boss music, the instrumentation used in Strider is very unique, and very effective. Some of the tracks do repeat, but I didn't find it to be much of a bother as they always fit the environment well. Sound effects are done well, even though they seem to be a bit sparse. The lightning sound in Kazakhstan is pulled off very well. All in all, very well done... what else would you expect from Capcom? Gameplay: I've ranted about how awkward the controls can be, and they drag this score down quite a bit. Aside from control, the game itself is just flat-out fun to play. While the story could have been translated a little better, toward the end of the game you do feel a sense of involvement in what's going on. The game is a bit on the short side, but that keeps things from being overused. Aside from the control, this game's a gem when it comes to gameplay. Replay Value: The only reason I want to replay this game (besides its fun factor) is to find the attack boots (I couldn't find them... you can stop laughing now). Despite its non-linearity, there is pretty much a fixed route as to how you do things, though you can scout ahead and see what you're up against next if you wish. I know I'd like to play through this one at least once more, just because it's such a unique playing experience. Nostalgia Value: I remember my cousin playing this game constantly when I was younger, and I always thought it looked impossible. Now I understand why he loved it so much: there's no other game on the NES quite like it. I can't point out exactly what makes it so unique, so I suppose it's a combination of everything: the quirky plot, fast action, and pure platforming action that make it so addictive. I know I'll be using this game as a platforming milestone for other games to try and rise above. Learning Curve: The game gets progressively harder with every level, and you'll gradually have to use all the moves available to you. The game doesn't put you in situations where you have to rush, so you have plenty of time and space to practice your triangle jumps (and believe me, you'll need to practice!). The game gradually gives you more energy and life, which aids you even further. On top of this, boss fights are few and far between and aren't too difficult. You'll fight basically the same enemies during your entire quest, with a few variations here and there. If the game sounds easy, believe me, it isn't. It's just masterfully designed. ......BOTTOM LINE: Strider remains one of my favorite games to this day despite its flaws. It's a classic in every sense of the word, and any true gamer has to play it at least once. -FlowingMindspin