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When I heard that there was going to be a new Strider game, I was elated. I’m a huge fan of the Strider franchise. I even liked the often vilified and much maligned Strider Returns for the Sega Genesis. When I heard that there was 7 minutes of actual footage of the game, I had to see it for myself. I immediately stopped what I was doing to watch the video on YouTube.
With some trepidation, I clicked the play button. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The player is met with Grandmaster Meio’s taunting cackle as he presses the start button. After that, the screen fades in and Hiryu descends from the sky on a birdlike hang-glider, dodging flak rounds over the snowy skies of Kazakh City. The iconic Strider fanfare and graceful dismount from the lithe ninja alerts the player that the poo is about to hit the fan. A grin from ear-to-ear washed over my face.
I was hooked. Score one point for Double Helix and Capcom. So far, so good. I kept watching with bated breath.
Hiryu charges into the fray with his leaning run, slicing enemies with his trusty plasma sword. A simple directive pops on the screen: “Eliminate Grandmaster Meio.” I really appreciated the subtlety of the way that message was conveyed. It really adds to the immersion. You are a lone agent
on a special assignment with one clear goal: assassination. No frills. No pomp. Just a man on his mission.
I watched this video no less than six times. Analyzing. Scrutinizing. Dissecting. I’m a huge fan of the Strider games, but I’m also a huge cynic. I was looking for a reason why I shouldn’t give a damn about this game. Cyborg soldiers are yelling and cursing in mock Russian at Hiryu as they fire their guns at him. Transports in the background rush to the foreground, ferrying in new troops to deal with the external threat. There is gunfire, there are explosions, there are murderous robot drones all around to try to stop the figure clad in blue. Kazakh City is in absolute chaos. The little details are what I like most about the game. From the cool ninja scarves to the interactivity of the environment, the little things can potentially turn Strider HD from a ho-hum game into a game with teeth.
Score two points.
From what I can tell, Strider HD has promise. It supposedly has a Metroidvania like structure, Hiryu can power-up with new techniques, and the combat is lighting-fast. Strider HD takes the best elements of the NES game and both arcade games to create a synthesis of retro-inspired future ninja action. The only thing that concerns me from this short demo is the difficulty. Hiryu soaked up damage like a tank, and the player in the demo made very little effort to dodge incoming attacks until the encounter with the royal guard at the very end. Not to say that the game needs to be hard on principle, but the player should be encouraged to utilize the skills he’s acquired to win.
The bottom line: I really want this game to be good. The Strider franchise has been dormant for some time, and there is much potential for Strider HD. If Double Helix and Capcom can pull it off, the new Strider game may elevate Hiryu past cameo appearance status into relevance for the new age.