Ganryu 2 First Impression
177Ganryu 2 First Impression ( Ganryu 2 )
#ganryu #retrogaming #arcade
Bio:
It was reminiscent of games such as Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden, challenging players to make their way through levels while overcoming environmental obstacles and troublesome enemies. Though Ganryu also featured a second protagonist, Suzume, whose abilities varied from Miyamoto Musashi to give playing as her a distinct feel. Unfortunately such an option isn’t available in Ganryu 2, a sequel released in 2022.
After the events of Ganryu, in which Miyamoto Musashi defeated the evil Sasaki Kojiro, the legendary swordsman thought he might finally be able to get some rest. But then one day, while meditating, he hears the spirit of Kojiro taunting him. And so, once again he must spring into action and travel to the island of Ganryu-jima. This time, he can hopefully put an end to Kojiro’s machinations for good.
Previously:
While the Visco Collection doesn’t have high-end 3D menus or the granular wallpaper and filter options of other collections, it’s still a fun and accurately emulated series of seven solid arcade games. Appeal will vary; what’s on offer here won’t have the same arcade allure as the likes of Final Fight or Strider, despite remaining an enjoyable, varied set of titles, elevated greatly by their ability to be played online. It’s a shame, however, that Puzzle de Pon, the Vasaras, and Breakers didn’t make the cut — even if the latter two are available in other Switch collections — as they would certainly have boosted it to the next level.
Ninja platform action game Ganryu is a curious one. It’s pretty, colourful, and well-animated, but the controls are slightly stiff and take adjustment. A feudal period setting fused with early industrial affectations, you can slice and dice with your sword, slide attack and head stomp, and fire out a retractable claw that can cling to objects and swing you over gaps. What you can’t do is dash, which, when combined with the rather slow and abrupt movement of your player sprite, seems an odd oversight. Still, the stages are fairly nicely assembled and the bosses feature challenging attack patterns that feel rewarding to navigate. Ganryu is a nice production on the whole, although one that for whatever reason feels less suited to arcade than it does a home console.