Strider II (Genesis) Playthrough [4K]
8"Strider II" for the Sega Genesis, known as Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns in North America, is a side-scrolling platformer developed by Tiertex and published by U.S. Gold. It serves as a sequel to Capcom's arcade hit, "Strider". The objective of the game is to rescue the Princess of Planet Magenta from a terrorist group that is keeping her captive.
As Strider Hinjo embarks on each of the game's five stages, he begins in a capsule and must traverse obstacles to reach the capsule at the stage's end. Along the way, Hinjo gathers orbs that envelop him, providing protection when confronting each stage's boss. Two difficulty levels, Normal and Expert, offer varying challenges.
Players can select between the original cypher with a broad area of effect from the first game or a new "sweeping" cypher, which is flatter but extends further. Hinjo also possesses the ability to hurl shurikens, albeit with limited ammunition. Hinjo's health is represented by a gauge with five segments. Losing all health segments, falling into a bottomless pit, or the stage timer expiring results in the loss of a life. Certain checkpoints in the stages replenish the timer.
Overall, "Strider II" for the Sega Genesis is brief, just like its predecessor. It's also very difficult. The game's difficulty primarily stems from environmental hazards. Health replenishments are sparse, and even if one manages to evade enemies and obstacles, the relentless countdown timer allows almost no mistakes. There's also an absence of extra lives and a limited availability of continues. The game feels uninspired and probably not worth the patience and practice required to beat it.