Guardians / Denjin Makai II (Arcade)

Time has passed and today is the 4rd birthday of my blog, already. As per usual i will write about video game that's very special to me and this time it's Side-Scrolling brawler game. It's Winky Soft's Guardians / Denjin Makai II (1995)

 

I can't resist urge to make the title screen into moving gif. Those 8 characters are the roster and all of them has dynamic entry so why not make gif out of it? This game only release in JP version so title "Denjin Makai II" may refers to that small words above the title and not other version's title. It also suggests that there's prequel of this game. That's true. The prequel feels little worse and has smaller roster but still playable nonetheless. What's the plot? My best guess is: some big conglomerate group that own great military power and technology is about to do evil plot (most likely world conquest) and it's up for the band of hero to stop the villains.

Once you put the credit and push the start button, you're brought into this character selection. You know the usual trilogy a la Final Fight: one is fast but weak, another is slow but strong, and the last one is average in strength and speed? Imagine that trinity is expanded into 8 characters and you get this roster. In Side-Scrolling brawler/Beat em up game,  8 playable character is hardly common especially in 90s. Here's some reference: The most characters in Capcom's Side-Scrolling brawler game: 6 in Dungeons & Dragons - Shadow of Mystara. In Noise Factory's Sengoku 3, the casts are also 6 person (4 initial + 2 unlockable ex-boss). While in Noise Factory's Gaia Crusade, the casts are 7 persons (5 initial + 2 unlockable ex-boss). The most common size of roster in average Beat em up game is 2 or 4 persons. The only game that compete this game in size of roster is Gekido Urban Fighter on PS1 or Streets of Rage 3 on Sega Genesis/Megadrive. So 8 persons roster feels very luxurious. Don't worry about the quality of characters! 8 of them are pretty distinctive with each other. For some reason the female casts are located on each ends. Because the game only contains 5 levels and can be finished in rather short time, i have to replay some of them to show you all the 8 characters. For the first pick, i go with Girulian because he looks like the generic blonde guy and also he's ex-final boss of the prequel. I think he's the "Average" type person because he looks like the leader of the group because he looks like X-Men's Cyclops if Scott Summer is blonde and reborn in Anime art. You can see his movelist above (from left to right): 1) Holding "attack" button and then moving joystick down then up. 2) Holding "attack" button and then moving joystick back then forward. 3) Pressing both "attack" and "jump" button for the usual damage-surrounding move. 4) Pressing both "attack" and "shoot" button for big special move that drain your health upon use. and lastly 5) Pressing "shoot" button for semi-projectile/projectile attack.

Stage 1. Military Base

 

Look at them chilling and smoking. They will never know what hit them.

 

By that i mean oil drum. Yes. The control is quite generic: joystick to move your character around, one button to attack in the direction your character facing, second button to make your character to jump, and third button for ranged attack. Hitting the enemies consecutively will produces combo. Pressing attack button will make player pick up nearby weapon, score item, food item, or even item container that you can throw at enemy like i do here. There's not much weapons that you can pick here. Only 3 of them: Sword, Bar, and Bomb. The last is the usual hand grenade that you throw at enemies to blow them up. Here's the thing about the rest of the weapon: some character can pick one of them and treat the other as "1000 points" score item. Also the weapon takes different form depends on character that wield it. For example some sword becomes katana, fencing, or double edge type. I was hoping the bar will assume form of iron pipe but i never witness that happens yet.

You can execute running by moving joystick twice forward and the hold it. After that you can follow up with either running attack or running jump attack. You can rolling/somersault sideway by moving joystick up/down twice, which is handy to dodge projectile.

 

Of course, they deploy evil dogs to do their ill bidding. So i stab them with this candy cane. It's supposed to be fencing sword that i mentioned but it looks more resembles mint flavored candy cane what's with those blue-white stripe and the lack sharp edge of that thing. Besides provide you with extra range and damage power, sword also grants you access to new combo and special move. So it's neat idea to get weapon while the opportunity comes.  

 

After defeating those doberman and their master, i come in to deal with the first boss. Yes, that big soldier with grotesque muscular proportion is the first boss and he's loved by his underling because of it. I feel bad to that guy that manage to make card pyramid. Also i kind of wonder what synthetic orange looks and taste like.

 

The usual grabbing mechanic is here. Get very close to enemy to initiate grab. You can do secondary grab move by pressing "attack" button while grabbing an enemy up to 2 times (the third time will knock them away). You can throw them to left or right by pressing "attack" button and holding joystick left or right. There's also more powerful throw/grapple by pressing "jump" and then "attack" button. As for the boss, he likes to twist his own muscles in inhuman way but not difficult to deal with. Also i manage to slam him against the wall. Quite hilarious.

 

He feels stressed and humiliated then he breaks down the floor thus making him and the cameraman fall. But he will returns as regular enemy once in a while in future, mind you.

 

Before the stages except for first and final stage, you can choose between 2 options of stage by moving joystick left or right although the stage bosses remain the same. For 2nd stages we get: Long Bridge and Linear Railway. I will keep choosing the first option. And before showing my playthrough on final stage i will show you the alternative stages while showing you the other character.

Stage 2-A. Long Bridge

 

The stage start with a blast! A group of shield bearer that makes perfect human barricade, being blow out by bunch of grenades (presumably thrown by the heroes) while their peers hanging out leisurely without a hint of explosive terror unfold nearby.

 

The score items are gem, stack of cash, a safe (!), and Funko Pop miniature doll of the character. Like here for example: is doll of Kurokishi. What baffles me is, you do not get higher score if you pick the doll of your current character. But that just my minor complaint.

 

Then i find abandoned cat on cardboard box while occasionally meow-ing for help. To the rescue! Picking up kitty worth 2000 points. Here's another reason why i love this game.

 

Then a field commander come to pick me up and i ride on top of his van. Then bonus stage happens! This gallery shooter is pretty easy. My targets may prepare their weapon but they don't actually fire it. Maybe the idea of enemies shooting at the player in this section is discarded for some technical reason. Even so they take lots of bullet to go down. The section isn't bad. The targets move considerably fast for shootout in speeding vehicle. So i shoot at those enemy soldiers, combat vehicles, and for some reason a couple of civilian. I feel bad shooting at them.

 

I take it back. That guy flips the bird at me. You deserve this triangle laser barrage, bastard! Because the action is fast in motion, i never notice that rude gesture before. Speaking of rude.

 

The 2nd boss stage is Ninja who like to create his clones while in gesture that tell you to be quite. It's milder, but still rude nonetheless. Obviously, you can't hurt him if you keep beating his clone. Once you manage to get clean hit on him, he will vanish and replaced with log. Later her will stab you from above. It's like Hanzo Hattori's (from Samurai Shodown) Utsusemi Chizan. You have 3 option to counter this. 1) If you throw him, he can't do that ninja trick at all. 2) Running attack will allow you to attack him safely 3) You have to perform forward combo, executed by doing combo while holding joystick forward. Your finisher combo most likely allow you to pass safely his stabbing from above. 

Stage 3-A. Forest Zone

 

On this forest level, i kick Ksitigarbha (Buddha statue that sets on roadside or graveyards)...

...the giant bell falls on me. This is why you should be nice to any good deity, reader.

 

It seems sheers number of soldiers doesn't work well against me. So one of them take initiative to chop down tree that hopefully hits me. It doesn't work wonder because it's obviously telegraphed to me. Instead, it hits my enemies. Soldier_specialcompleted-assistedkill01.wav     

 

Okay. This is very ludicrous. Who dare drop large basin at me, huh? Obviously Winky Soft

 

Look at that lass who arrogantly watches her friend kicked by me while sitting on her (sleeping) fat friend! Speaking of kick, you have not 2 combo type (like in Capcom Beat em Up games: one with strong blow finisher and another with throw finisher). But 4 of them! They're: neutral, forward, up, and down. 1) Neutral combo which is executed by doing usual combo without any joystick input, deals generally good damage and minimizes your character's movement during combo. 2) Forward combo that i mentioned before, has maximum forward movement and it's ideal for more aggressive combat. 3) Up combo which is executed by doing combo while holding joystick "up", usually with anti-air finisher. 4) Down combo which is executed by doing combo while holding joystick "down",  is the combo with the shortest chain and range. It's good to deal enemies in quickest manner.  

 

The 3rd stage boss is giant robot with laser beam eye, gatling gun that fires mini rockets, extending punches, and drones that either reflect laser from the boss or freeze you upon contact. Obviously, his weaponry mostly stationed on his front but if you attack him from behind too much he will give you quick back elbow strike. My only advice besides attacking from behind is: using hit-and-run tactic by using running attack or running jump attack. He's big target so you can most likely hit him even if you jump very high.

Stage 4-A. Subway

 

Imagine this couple having their first date in this subway mall. They are nervous that they don't know what to do for first time so they stare at each other silently. When suddenly evil soldiers that ride drone come in to break the silent and the couple know what to do: run away while flailing their arms. The drones are quite annoying enemies because when defeated they explode and the explosion can hurt you. I don't like that hand-like statue of children fashion in this era. It reminds me of that hand demons from Ghouls n Ghosts.  

 

Girulian has ability to perform clothesline drop by pressing both "attack" and "jump" button while running nearby enemy. The desperation move input is not only for the "clearing nearby enemies" move. You can use it while jumping, running, or even while grabbing enemy for different special move that depends on character you play as. Also i like to tell you another thing that important. Most special move (including the desperation move) costs you some energy. The energy bar is located right below your health bar. You can execute special move even beyond the energy bar but it will cost some of your health and the energy bar is fully replenished. There's 2 way to recover energy: 1) Hitting enemies with non-special move. 2) Charging your energy by standing idly for a moment. The first way recovers energy the least but you can fend off enemies while doing so. The latter recovers energy the most and fastest but leaves you vulnerable. The idle moment require to charge your energy is pretty brisk though.

 

Using your character's shot also costs you energy. I want to say that Girulian does the optic blast like X-Men's Cyclops but it seem he shoot his laser from his wristband instead. Nonetheless, the laser is useful to deal big damage to all enemies in front of him.

 

Then Girulian decides to break the floor beneath him to escape from surrounding enemies and drop into this subway section. Then he has to fight not one but two futuristic ED-209 which were transported via train on background. You can break the cannons on the train even they are nothing but destructible decoration. It's just cool to destroy these cannons with your punch/kick/laser beam.

 

Giant soldier with inhuman proportion, ninja, and super hi-tech giant robot can't stop me. Thus they send this mutant abomination to get rid of me. It has head of nautilus, shell of turtle's, legs of lobster's, and tail of an oversized prawn. Plus a pair of sea snake's head. It seems someone at developer's team had a horrible seafood accident the night before they design this stage boss. The main problem doesn't come from the main body, mostly. Those sea snake's heads that can go and bite everywhere is the main problem. Much like that big ugly alien in Alien Storm, he's quite susceptible to attack from backside.But for safer method: use the hit-and-run tactic with running attack or jumping attack.

 

Surprise! Surprise! This boss stage has second form where it loose most of its limb while retains the jaw pair. Now it doesn't have either front or back part anymore, its body now is symmetric and equal. So attacking it from behind is no longer efficient. In this form the snake heads become more aggressive and has ability to spit explosive fireball while the main body occasionally jumps really high and will drops at you. Girulian is defeated so Skullbyule get his turn. That fetal position is his running attack: sideway rolling cannonball, if you will. It doesn't deal big damage once. It hits multiple time, instead. And i can use it to attack enemies that currently lie down. Nothing more humiliating than some giant mutant rolls on you like some kind mattress on elementary gym class. Before we move on to final level, i will go through alternative stage on previous levels first.

Stage 2-B. Linear Railway

 

Here's Rou does his desperation attack which looks like him does ribbon ballet but with electrocuted whip with sickle end. Graceful as it may be, it's deadly nonetheless. Rou probably possesses the widest desperation attack. Rou is another "average" type character and judging by his looks and moveset, he's exorcist. His shoot attack is talisman papers he throws nearby that will lock enemies in place for awhile. Unfortunately, his punches are considerably short so enemies more likely slip away from his combo.

 

Some super special move is desperation attack but stronger like Girulian has. While the other is big powerful ranged attack like Rou's here. It will be very wrong if you unleash the super special move that cost some of my health and it doesn't hit anyone like me here. By the way, our hero jump out of the train and drop to this amusement facility...

 

...and ends up fighting the ninja in virtual reality room. I like that he keep jumping into background before fighting me and wears appropriate accessories with the virtual stage. In wild west stage, he wears cowboy hat and revolver. In horror stage, he wears Frankenstein monster's mask. Lastly in alien planet stage, he wears astronaut helmet.

 

Then the bonus stage occurs after defeating the ninja. Instead of speeding combat vehicle (and rude civilian), you get to shoot thematic target such as cowboy, zombies, or space ostriches (?).  For some reason, the usual grunts also within this virtual stages too.

Stage 3-B. Chinatown

 

The stage starts with miniature building recreation place dubbed as "Gulliver's Journey" where i destroy mini Taj Mahal palace to reveal a pair of soldiers doing hanky-panky. What makes them really surprised is the sudden appearance Tulks the living muscles. It's understandable though. To be honest, Tulks' design is unsettling to me. He wears practically nothing but thong. And he holster his gun on his crotch area, for God's Sake!

 

Ok. That's harsh of me to say that. Let's see then. He's clearly The "Strong" type character. He has various grapple as you expect from him that's a wrestler, from jumping backbreaker to German suplex. He's one of character that possesses special grapple by pressing both "Attack" and "Button" together while grabbing an enemy and do mind that it cost some of your energy. The special grapple is where he rolling backward along with his opponent and sets both of them aflame and later throw them really hard. Also i discover that he has air throw! Spy_positivevocalization03.wav

 

Near the exit of Gulliver's Journey place, you will find this Taco vendor that peacefully attend his cart while smoking. Until you (or enemy) smash it and he freaks out really bad and funny that his expression could be the same level of "The Scream" painting by Edvard Munch. But i feel bad for him.   

 

After defeating the giant robot, Tulks proudly shows his well-built muscles in public. Their expression become sour. The old man begins to remember his trip on some nudist beach because he looks at Tulks' nearly-naked buttock. That dog is the only sensible one to decide to look away from him. A few moment later, the authority takes Tulks into custody for public indecency even though he saves The Chinatown from evil militaries. 

Stage 4-B. Bayside

 

P. Belva can grabs 2 enemies and his special grab is big swing that can clear enemies around. Here's the story when i was junior high schooler: i was at the arcade section of water park and i saw Beat em Up arcade on its attraction mode where a yellow robot performs spinning piledriver and i'm very sold with the idea. Of course, the game is this one and the yellow robot is P. Belva here. That's the reason he is my main. P. Belva is another "Powerhouse" type but he's the most nimble one because his dash is fast and he has ability to double jump! Those cans is special item that related to energy bar. One replenishes energy to fullest. The other grants you unlimited energy. While another one gives you "Special" status that makes your character's name blinking. Some said that during that occasion you can unleash some super secret special move but unfortunately i don't know how to pull it or at least i can't discover it by myself.  

 

Then i meet soldiers that do Super Sentai style pose. Usually, i just interrupt them harshly but this time i let them finish it for show.

 

The 4th boss get some dramatic cutscene before the fight. No, i don't get mad that he stole my kill. It's just me charging my energy for the fight.

Zeldia's turn

 

Zeldia get her own demonstration that not tied to specific stage because i'm run out of stage to show. Zeldia, the angel with Vega's claw is the "Speedster" character. She can't pick bar but she can performs slashing wave while equipped with sword. It's executed by pressing both "Attack" and "Jump" button while running.  

 

Her special grab is kind of brutal where she flies above while carrying her opponent and then plummet them to the ground while drilling them with her claws. It resembles Jedah Dohma's (from Vampire Savior) Ira Spinta move. Like P. Belva, she can perform another grapple move by moving joystick forward twice and then press "attack" button. P. Belva drag his opponent's head to the ground. While in Zeldia's case, she chokes her opponent's neck with her thighs and push them forward. This grapple move probably what Shermie (from King of Fighter) does.

 

P. Belva has double jump while Zeldia has ability to float (that drain energy overtime) by pressing and holding  "jump" button while jumping. Releasing the "jump" button while makes her flies across the screen and pressing "attack" button will readies her claw thus he can skewer everyone along the screen. Medic_positivevocalization01.wav

Believe it or not. In prequel, Zeldia is a mutant monster akin to Skullbyule that can breathes fire. In the ending, she leaves her monstrous body like a butterfly leaving its cocoon and become what she's now. 

Zeldia is "speed" type character that has various grapple move and ability to stab everyone in straight line while flying. No wonder she's another my main.

Stage 5. Central City

 

So here we are at final stage. I mentioned Skullbyule before in Final Fight review and he's "Strong" character and also my main. So my mains are total 3. Skullbyule refuses to pick any melee weapon. But once he pick grenade, he can emit explosion from his claw and no one else can do that! Demoman_specialcompleted11.wav   

 

When you press "jump" button while your character grabbing enemies, they usually vault over or jumping along their opponent. But Skullbyule is different. He launches his enemy upward and then he readies his horn to stab them. That looks hurt.   

 

I forgot to mention that there's enemy driving jeep from behind in Forest Zone and he's back in this stage. I didn't know before that i can destroy them with my claw's blast. Heavy_specialcompleted03.wav

 

Skullbyule's shot is hornets. Even better. Mutant hornets! They're more vicious than your regular hornets. They seek any enemies nearby. If you know "Insect Swarm" plasmid in Bioshock, you know how fierce Skullbyule's projectile attack is.

 

Dogs and some mutants like to grab you and you can break free from them by pressing both "attack" and "jump" button but it's different from desperation attack. In Skullbyule's case, he gives anyone who dare to grab him a swift kick. If you look closely, his feet is hoof. You can imagine how hard his kick is, then.

 

There's soldiers who hop between crocodile mutants to reach this floor. One of them get eaten by the mutant. R.I.P nameless mook.

 

Then we arrive at elevator section. Some of the enemies, drop from above. While other slide along the rail like that bloke. They got style.

 

After defeating another dozen of drone and soldier, i encounter a stereo boss fight. Spy_sf12_badmagic04.wav

Luckily this is the only boss rush in this game.

 

Skullbyule takes temporary retreat so Jinrei continues the mission. He's ninja so he's the "Speedster" character. He's more assuring ninja than Guy, because Jinrei can throw shurikens around like real ninjas do. He's my brother's main and i kind of like him too especially when i discover that he has air throw! He has good jab's reach/move speed ratio, he has faster movement speed than Rou. Meanwhile Rou is too slow to compensate his short reach. As for the final boss, he's another shifty blonde guy with moustache like Rugal Bernstein (from King of Fighter). He uses his massive flying chair against me. You only need to watch for the pair of tentacle heads. He's like the first form stage 4 boss only -you know- flying.

 

Then his chair fuses with himself and become this monster. His move is: 1) He plunges his arm to the ground and ground spikes shoot out from the ground, which predates what Alex Mercer (from Prototype) can do. 2) He grabs your face and repulse you to the ground. The last move is the most damaging one and also very rude. My strategy is: keep running jump attack or jumping attack at him like in previous phase.  

Then he's absorbed with giant mutant on background and the final phase is on! Here he looks like massaging the ground. The move may looks silly but it's damaging you if you get too close to those hands. The final boss can also shoots laser from his mouth and creates whirling blades from his hands. Again, the key to deal damage on him in relatively safe manner is: running jump attack or jumping attack.

 

Suddenly a giant beam erupts from the center of the area that knocks Jinrei out. Now that he's out of commission, Kurokishi takes turn now. She's the sexy female character and the "Average" type ones. She can unleash sonic boom by pressing both "attack" and "jump" button while jumping. (Late) Charlie Nash will be proud of this fact.

 

After destroying the final boss, Kurokishi exits the stage through hole in center of the stage. Then she's on extraction helicopter and blowing kiss at you. The field commander isn't impressed with that 4th-wall-breaking flirty action. He's serious man. Another complaint is there's no story exposition unlike in prequel. No plot text. Only this successful extraction cutscene. But that just my minor complaint.      

 

What baffles me is that strange building (which -i'm sure- is the evil HQ) doesn't explode. Not even small burst! Nothing at all.

Winky Soft's Guardians / Denjin Makai II (1995) is a wonderful Side Scrolling Brawler. I even dare say it's better than Alien Vs Predator (1994), because the roster and moveset is bigger. The reason why the developer team goes wild with the moveset because of energy bar inclusion. It allows the player to unleash various special moves without feeling too overpowered. Moreover, you can replenish the energy bar in rather easy way. Most of arcade game has lots of stages and feel overly long plus steep difficulty curve. Feels like the game wants to strip your quarter after quarter in unhealthy way. While this game only has 5 stages that's pretty brief even to take account of final stage is longer than other stage with pretty friendly difficulty curve. It seems the attraction point of this game is the replayability value even though it's very uncommon for arcade game to think about replayability. The factors that determine the game's replayability is: 1) Relatively short gameplay. 2) Big roster. 3) Big moveset (including unwritten special moves). 4) Alternative routes.

Not only the heroes, but also the enemies have some character on them. They're not some mindless thug that too focus on beating you. They have life. They hang out. They strike some cool pose. They laid back. They make dynamic entrance and such. My other minor complaint is there's no lifebar for the lesser enemies so i can't make strategic goon management during the fight. As for the boss fight, they can be tricky to defeat except for the first boss. And the efficient strategy to defeat them kind of monotone: jumping attack or running jump attack. The weapon and moveset is unique for each character and worth to conduct experiment on them.

Here's the summary of the roster:

·           Powerhouse type: the beefcake, the robot, and the mutant

·           Average type: the cyclops, the cheesecake, and the exorcist

·           Speedster type: the angel, and the ninja

Everyone can deal great damage in short period. Even the speedsters, thanks to their fast attack speed. I think Rou is the least good on whole roster. The moveset is useful all around. The back attack is swift and intuitive enough to strike anyone that creep you from behind. It's executed by pressing "attack" button and holding joystick backward. The drop jump attack (executed by by pressing "attack" button and holding joystick "down" while jumping) can be used to deliver extra punishment to downed enemies. Because the desperation move only cost energy instead of health, you can use it more often without worry unlike in other game. On the other hand, the shot command cost hefty energy. So use it sparingly. I forget to tell you that you can block by holding "attack" button. It's pretty useful defensive method but i forget to apply it because i'm busy beating enemies to death most of the time. The bonus stage is simple yet fun. The graphic may looks shabby but at least better than crayon-like graphic in Mug Smasher. The music is pretty good.

 

Guardians / Denjin Makai II (1995) is the best non-Capcom  made Side Scrolling Brawler. So it's definitely get my AAA recommendation. I'm saying that not only because of my nostalgic sentiment but also the gameplay itself is very fun for its genre. Because i have always been Side Scrolling Brawler connoisseur, you can trust me for recommended Beat Em Up games! Really.

Lastly, i want to say that thank you from the deep of my heart and soul for reading my articles up to this date. I really appreciate you, reader.

As much as i want to ramble (mostly) about video game, i decide that i will take a break for about 2 weeks. Please, understand! And thank you very much.