Saint Sword (Genesis)

There's tons of platformer game. Most of them starring a bloke armed with a sword or other bladed weapon. One of them is Taito's Saint Sword (1991).

 

Nice golden color on title and the sword shine a small sun. Marvelous! Bu the way, what's Saint Sword? My guess will be someone who's upstanding religious swordmaster. Maybe the prologue narration can explain about it.

 

Well, that's throngs of text. I summarize that like in 101 fantasy setting, evil wizard named Gorgan threaten the world with his power and his monstrous minions. Human can't do nothing while Titans who's renowned by their magic power, won't do a scrap. But later they join force with human to defeat the evil wizard and succeed. But, wait! There's more.

 

About 1,000 years has passed, the Gorgan is back with full force. Titans forgot how to magic because of their cooperation with human. While human remain useless as ever. But there's young titan named Macress has the special magic talent. Then king sent this titan alone to confront the Gorgan along with his dark army. Makes you thinking how a single titan can accomplish something that force of human-titan do. But, hey! It's video game, he can do it.

 

So off he go on divine yet nigh-impossible quest to re-defeat Gorgan along with his evil force. As i mentioned before, Saint Sword is platformer melee style. The control is simple so far: left and right button to move, down button to crouch, 'B' button to use the sword to attack, and 'C' button to jump. Hold up button and press button to thrust upward. I'll tell you later about how 'A' button use for. For now the control that i mentioned before is enough to venture this level. That kiddy golem is one of Gorgan's minion. Not so threatening, is it? One slash is enough to destroy it.  

 

To finish this stage and the others, you do not simply reach the end of it in one of its corner like other platformer. You must tread the level diligently to search for the main enemies which don't respawn when killed, like this skeleton that have ability to block your attack sometime. One of them will drop a key upon its demise that unlock the level's exit. While the minor enemies can respawn infinitely if you leave the screen where they spawn. They often drop either smaller 'M' icon or bigger ones like in here. If you pick it, your MP will increase. I will explain about it later. But you probably can guess that MP has something to do with magic casting.    

 

Here's the key that i was talking about. You notice that Macress change from Titan who -i'll be honest- not much different from normal humans (or maybe slightly taller than them), to centaur. Yes it's magic, but it doesn't consume MP upon casting. It requires one of transformation power pickup that you can obtain from minor enemy's drop beside MP refill. While his lower body become horse's body, he become taller and the most important part: he walks faster and jump higher. Useful to move around the level swiftly. To do The duration-limited transformation: you have to pause the game, choose the power from bottom HUD and press 'A','B', or 'C' button. Chess's knight icon surely represent centaur transformation. Feather icon which you can probably guess, allows him to fly. While the last ones looks like scimitar. I had no clue about it. I couldn't activate it if i have it.  

Once you get the key, a direction appears in top-center screen to point out the exit door. Even you're guided by arrow, you probably can't find it especially later on where the level's layout become more complex. You notice that Macress is in gold armor. He's powered up. Now, he slashes twice by pressing one button and his slash is more powerful. There's system like leveling up by destroying enemies. Like literally. No special pickup or whatsoever to increase his level. Just kill as many as enemies until he's in gold armor which is the highest level of him. So, not directly go to exit door has its benefits. Beside for "leveling up", you can grind for transformation power and MP. But beware of time limit in top-left corner. By the way, that's the exit door.  

 

Behind the door is Boss stage as you can probably guess. This chimera is interesting in both visual design and gameplay design. Their weakpoint is their faces but you can't just focus on one. After their health reach 40% or so, it won't decrease anymore if you hit the same face so you have to hit the other. The lower head can spit a fireball that you can slash out, and it's able to block your attack with its horn which kind of adorable to see. The upper head can shoot its antennae or whatever. The best way to defeat this beast: grow wings so you can avoid its attacks more easily and hit its face alternatively.

 

Upon defeating the boss, i get the Magic Mirror. Tell me, magic mirror! Who's the fairest of all? What? That's not something you can do? Ok, whatever!

 

Next stage takes place in red cavern that's full of red rocks and red goo as carpet. This is like 5-stars hotel for the monsters. That fires are also enemies. Destroy them like any Castlevania's  protagonist destroys lighting decors! Except they can harm you unlike candles, lamps, etc.  

This level introduce you to water area. Macress can stay inside of it without worry of constant need to breath oxygen. He's Titan, not human. I want to show you his pose as he climb to ledge, out of water. I reckon not many platformer shows you that the protagonist can climb on ledges. By the way, that jellyfish over there is one of enemy that has potential to drop key. But i have to turn around to reach it. Just you wait!

 

On some wall there's switch that can open path in either wall or floor. Macress operates each and every one of them by simply smashing them with sword. And surprisingly it works. It's Titan's magic!  

 

Turns out, the last transformation power gives Macress lower part of mermaid and can only be activated in water. He can move faster and more freely when in this form. The only drawback: he can only use his sword in thrusting move which cover less area than his usual standing slash. By the way, the magic mirror can increase all of transformation power by 1 at cost of MP. This is the first proper magic that Macress acquired from defeating a boss. To activate it, choose the magic item while pause and later press 'A' button. Yes, 'A' button is to cast magic (item).    

The boss stage is evil's version of Aiustha (the enchantress in Defense of the Ancient). She loves to jump around and run along the stage and sometime pause to mock you by casting dandelion fluffy magic. The solution is obvious: turn yourself into centaur and corner her with you sword's swing. I kind of remember that first time i fight her, i can corner her without the transformation power. I was very lucky, back then.

 

I get Magic bell from the dead dryad. It can "freeze" all lesser enemies on screen. I was hoping for magic watch so i can relate it with Sakuya Izayoi Castlevania's pocket watch sub-weapon. Such pity.

 

I just want to show you this Gorgan army's version of sea urchin. It looks like durian (doreen fruit) and barely intimidating. Maybe the power comes from strong bad smell when it get chopped. Luckily, Titan doesn't have strong smelling sense and instead have magic talent.

The boss is this scorpion monster and its weakpoint is that bump on its head. You can jump onto platform beside me there to reach the weakpoint. While i happily abuse the power of flight to do the same and moreover much easier. As you can probably guess that the "conjure wing on your back" power is overpowered, in stage venturing and some of boss fights. But you have to make full use of what the game gives you, right?

 

The beast somehow drops dragon's fang upon its demise even though it's clearly not dragon. This magic item act as screen-clearing bomb which i assume cost more MP than magic bell. To be honest, i don't use it like at all because i don't get surrounded frequently. Or so i feel. The difficulty comes from searching the key and level's hazard instead of enemy's siege.    

This is one of the example of level's hazard: geyser that emits unhealthy blue gas. As i mentioned before that Titan doesn't have strong smelling sense, we can assume that the gas here is either very hot or acidic, or even both.

Beside to use the magic item, you can use MP to activate magic bolt that come out everytime you swing your sword. Ranged attack may sounds useful in every platformer game, but in this game it's the opposite because 1) The screen has relatively narrow area so you don't get much advantage from projectile attack 2) Once you activate it, you can't turn it off. Meaning you keep wasting MP untill you don't have any, only to have magic projectile. While there's other good use or best even, of those MP but i will talk about it later. For now, keep in mind that activating the magic projectile will force you to burn every MP you have. Somehow, this reminds me of reloading system on M1 Garand the American's WWII rifle which you can't reload it unless you empty all the magazine. If i remember correctly in Call of Duty: World at War, you can reload the rifle while the magazine still loaded but takes significantly longer time than the "standard" procedure.

Should you want to play this game, you should remember this little dragon as it's the only enemy that will drop health refill pickup. Not in 100% chance, but it can respawn.

 

Exiting previous level doesn't take you to another boss stage but instead to other level. From this stage and beyond, you have to deal with 2 mazes before boss fight. Personally, i enjoy the boss part most because finding the key is tedious or even aggravating. Some of factor that back up my reason: 1) The enemies are tougher to defeat even though you still keep the golden armor also they're lack of variety 2) The main enemies sometime refuse to spawn in place where i have visited. Therefore you can potentially miss on your thorough search for the damned key. At least in here, i can see gorgeous lavafall.     

The boss stage is Macress's evil clone. Surprise! Surprise! [Large Sarcasm]. He quite often shoots the magic bolt at will but he's not so bright or lame even. You can corner him (especially if you're in centaur form) easily. He tries to jump away but you can put him back by your sword. I forgot to mention that most of projectile in this game can be swatted away with your sword. So don't worry about projectile in this game!

 

Then i got this magic shield. Don't let the shiny appearance fools you! It's garbage. Activating it will only grants you with 1 hit invincibility moreover without special visual effect to tell you that whether the magic is still in effect or not. But you can't expect great reward by defeating the lamest boss, anyway.

Next stage is another cavern but more boring and full of spikes. My advice: don't be in Centaur mode! Or you get punctured more easily. Less annoying but still not enjoyable is this goblin. He crawls at you and constantly swings his club so you need perfect timing to deal with this critter. Also he like to jump to switch side. You can tell that he learn this strategy by playing many fighting games.

 

Next sub-level is more relaxing. No spike at all. You can freely roam the level but you still have to aware about the enemies. I have no idea why kabuto mushi/horned beetle enlist in Gorgan's fiendish army. Maybe he really hates flying Titan that disrupt his domain. By the way, 'kumbang badak' is Indonesian for horned beetle.

Actually, the place where you can get the key is in this water on bottom part of stage. These mermen are also the enemy type that potentially carry the key.  Also the exit is here too. I feel really relieved. I hope you don't get carried away on loitering around in land part of this level which is approximately 80% of the stage.

This water dragon/serpent act as the stage's boss. This is the only boss fight that allows or even mandates you to use mermaid transformation. You can only harm it by hitting either its head or tail. I love this boss fight as it tests you how well you're in mermaid form. The serpent sometime try to surround you but you can gracefully avoid that. Such a beautiful water gymnastic scenario.

 

The long waiting is over! By acquiring dragon's meat, you can full heal yourself at will. It cost 200 MP per use but totally worth it or its simply the best use of your MP in my opinion. Magic shield costs the same but is already garbage. Why would you use 1-hit invincibility when you can fully replenished health at instant? Go, figure!

Later i got attacked by a sentient tombstone, which is cool. Also i can heal myself with no problem. Double cool! By the way, the limit of MP you can have is 990. While, you can only have maximum 5 transformation powers for every type.  

Next level is another cavern with lots of spikes. Some of them are alive and eager to rub themselves on your leg. But you can "persuade" them to bury themselves with your sword. I know that this level is another bad place to be centaur. I just want to show you that Macress can perform swift back kick in this form, in exchange of inability to crouch.   

The boss stage this time: a pair of flying genie-like's head. Makes you wonder why they're in beheaded state like this. Maybe they're the remain of war 1,000 years ago that Gorgan can resurrect. It's lucky for me that i only fight them in incomplete state but i also kind of regret it. Because they like to puke acidic fluid to attack me. If they were in completed body, the fight could be more interesting albeit harder.

 

From the puking duo, i got time necklace. The effect is simply extend the duration of the transformation while you're on it. It sounds pretty useful but i have the magic mirror already. So it's kind of moot. And again, using dragon's meat is the best magic you have.

This level takes place inside of a evil castle. It seems Taito feel guilty to force player through tedious maze-y platform to search the key so this time it's linear experience. This level consist 1-way layout that guarded by skeletons. Meaning, you just have to walk in one direction to search for the key. Although the exit door is in the center of level instead on a corner.     

 

On next level there's legit platformer's staple of spike pit and insta-kill chasm. Gorgan's army doesn't hesitate to apply Ninja Gaiden's trick on you. So, watch out!

Here's tricky part. One switch will opens passage in front of me when hit. While the other will opens gap in floor which lead to previous floor. Choose wisely! :p 

Finally, it's showdown with Gorgan himself. He always levitates as befitting of the evil wizard. But you know what? I can do that too. Foolishly, this triple laser attack only target ground.

 

When he goes to crystal in center pillar then he conjures big lightning bolt then a trail of spark run along the floor. We know that flying form is overpowered on most of the boss battle. But apparently Gorgan don't know about. He must be still dazed from his very-long-time awakening that he becomes idiot either senile or careless.

After Gorgan's takes finishing blow, his head rolls out and BAM! Turns out it was just illusion. You can tell that this is Ghosts'n Goblins's gimmick of "You have to repeat the game again to see the true ending".

 

There's a number of difference in second loop: 1) The overall color of the levels are changed 2) There will be no arrow indicator to the exit door if you get the key 3) The goblins now potentially carry the key. Also all of your magic item are gone. With that aspect (except for color change), the game may sounds harsh. But it has password system so you don't have to finish it with one-sitting. Keep in mind that the key's "location" change from previous experience. 

Luckily for me and you dear reader, i have the savestate from the actual final battle. Gorgan still using same lousy tactic. "...your weak magic is no match for me." What a rubbish!

But this time he got second form. Everyone clap your hand for the mighty Gorgan's creativity! [High sarcasm]. He become dragon that blow continuous firebreath and swinging it front and down. It seems familiar.

Why, of course! Gorgan imitates Gargoyle's attack pattern in Thunderforce III. So creative, Mr Evil Wizard! [Absolute sarcasm]. He also has the same weakpoint in form of orb/jewel/gem in his stomach.    

 

Well, not in stomach. More like in his chest. Also it can emits slashable explosive orbs. You know the thing with boss's weakpoint that it's vulnerable when it's in open state usually after an attack? Well, Gorgan's adopts the opposite system. His weakpoint is invincible when it launches the magic orbs. So you have to slash it when it's closed but beware of the firebreath! Maybe this is due to localization's change. I don't think i have problem with the "initial" procedure, aside of  probability of it takes slightly longer time to do.

This time the game is really over. Gorgan's castle is crumbling due to its own demise as written in 101 Villain's code: "Thine castle shall go down with thine death". I know that texts can countain more information in more effective way than picture. But -let's be honest- narration is boring, i want to see a s image of ceremony where Macress being hailed as Saint Sword, or him building combat magic school for future, or at least Titan-Human celebration party. Anything, please! =C

 

Taito's Saint Sword (1991) is melee-type platformer with solid design and such. As this is Taito's game, we can assume that the musics are composed by Zuntata. But somehow i doubt it as they're kind of forgettable to me and there's no credit rolls at the ending. The graphic is bit rough but considered pretty well. SS adapts some of Ghosts'n Goblins's elements: 2nd looping gameplay, graveyard level, goopy/sinew-y cavern, and strange monsters as bosses. But you don't need to worry about the difficulty. SS is not as cruel as GnG although Macress wields sword in melee way. It's much friendlier, trust me! Macress has fairly robust health bar. And some aspect makes the gameplay more interesting such as: transformation powers, magic items, MP, level-up system, and magic bolts. Also SS isn't meant to be played in one-sitting as it has password system. Moreover it has rogue element that could add replayability value. Although, finding key in random monster, grinds my patience. That's just my personal assessment. My other complaint: enemies become more damage-sponge on later stage, main enemies that sometime refuse to spawn, and health pickups are quite rare.

Summary:  i can give Saint Sword (1991) fair recommendation. It's quite remarkable platformer with medieval fantasy setting. But you have to play it slow as intended. Also those texts can be hell of info dump. So beware of menacing potential of text horde!