I feel like I want to do something that I didn’t do in previous years and that’s making Halloween special article! I know this is December. Sorry for being very late.
Credit to clipart-library.com for this fairly cute clipart of pumpkin. So, what I do for the very first Halloween article? How about an Openbor game? Night Slashers X rebalanced (2008) made by BonusJZ.
I don’t want to spoil the party but I have to say that the title screen is taken from Castlevania, I believe. But I’m not sure which one. You probably know what Night Slashers is. It got remake quite recently. It was quite obscured arcade game made by Data East. It’s beat em up game with various Halloween staple. Zombie, Werewolf, Vampire, you name it. Probably I will make the article about the original game next year. In the mean time you can read this guy’s article for the review of the original game.
Once I hit new game, I enter the character select screen. I recognize this place. I believe it’s taken from Irem’s Undercover Cops. Also, the music is clearly Castlevania Rondo of Blood’s Bloodline. I don’t complaint about it. It’s awesome. The 3 characters on left are from the original game: Christopher the western exorcist/vampire slayer (not the Belmont’s holy whip), Jake the mutant hunter armed with cybernetic part, and Hong Hua the Chinese exorcist. As for the rest of the casts, let that be surprise later. Anyway, I pick Jake first because he’s my main in original game. More often than not, I like the tanky slow character in any beat em up game.
This is funny. The game starts with the forest stage from 2nd level. The control is as per usual. There’s D-Pad/Joystick/WASD (or other button that you prefer) to move your Night Slasher around. A button to punch and another to jump. I can perform run by pressing forward twice and hold the direction. Another funny thing that I notice is: Jake’s running attack is uppercut which can facilitate me to juggle opponents whereas in original version Jake does running hook punch. I instinctively hold the attack button for special move but nothing happens. I should check the move list by pressing Tab button.
Engineer_negativevocalization01.wav. The move list is bit hard to read. In Final Fight LNS Ultimate, I have to keep 3 action buttons and it’s pretty manageable. But in this game, there’s 5 buttons total! The Playstation controller button’s symbol doesn’t help me in slightest because I use keyboard. But it gives me an idea to put the action button in arrangement akin to Playstation controller. So, I put attack on “J” button and jump on “K” button. However, the custom configuration gets my strangeness, next. I put special on “L” button and hotkey on “I” button. As for block button is in “F” button.
So, the way shortcut button works is to provide you with quick button for special command. For instance, the jumping attack’s input is down, up + attack button. Or alternatively you can press up + shortcut button.
Ok. Who put explosive barrel in the middle of desolated forest? Not that I mind though because I can use it to kill zombie. Look at that beautiful graphic on explosion. Demoman_positivevocalization04.wav
Then I pick up a grenade (which I believe copied from Capcom’s Cadilac and Dinosaurs game) and I can use it to destroy group of zombies like that guy in the opening scene of Resident Evil 3!
I think this dog is copied from my beloved Guardians/Denjin Makai II but with extra bloody effect to make sure you that they’re zombie dog which is bit more okay to kill. One of thing that I like about Jake is he uses gun on his cyborg arm as combo finish. There’s supposed to be blue muzzle flash right there but it blinks out. You have to take my word for it.
Then Jake barge into the house. Jake doesn’t ask are you ok to the scary executioner. He talks to the frightened family behind him. I suspect the father of the family is the one responsible putting that explosive barrel. Anyway, first boss fight ensues.
But not against the giant executioner because he’s squished by that demon cat. I believe they’re from Sailor Moon game. Hey! Are you one species with the monster that clawing a door in Final Fight LNS Ultimate? They don’t want to talk about it. They want to claw my body. Fair enough.
The dead executioner drops a
green orb from Capcom’s Knights of the Round. It should summon food items
in that game but not here. It refills super bar instead by half! Spy_negativevocalization03.wav
I finish the first boss with a super move. The input for the super is pretty simple: quarter circle forward + special button. However, it can only be performed when my health is low which is tedious.
By killing the cat demon and saving the family, the epilogue unfolds...Wait! This is not right. Come back!
This is the epilogue screen from the original game, revealed after finishing the first level. Weird. There’s more level than this, I promise.
Now we’re into the first level in the original game which is a hospital. Jake drives his van to smash though front gate and also some zombies. Talking about making an entrance. :D
Then I pick up a drum oil and throw it to zombie. This game legitimately 150% proper sidescroller brawler game. I like the drum oil will roll after being thrown so I can hit multiple enemies in front of me. All this time I was haunted by oil drum in any side scrolling brawler game and now I get my revenge. Huahaha!
Jake’s special is back breaker with satisfying crunch noise on zombie’s back. However it costs some of super bar so I have to use it sparingly.
Looks like someone having fun in this zombie-infested hospital. Too much fun, I say. Because this zombie in gurney speeding though his friends. Not that I complaint though. He’s quite helpful. Helping me clearing this hospital from his kin.
This is new. There’s chainsaw that I can use as weapon. In the original game, there’s barely good weapon to use. We all know that chainsaw is best weapon against zombie. Also, demon. Just ask Mr. Doomguy. He likes using it to split pink demons.
I remember there’s one type enemy that I hate the most in the original game. It’s knife wielder with hockey mask, probably bootleg imitation of Michael Myers. He has ability to long range sliding and skewer the night slasher from above with knife spinning technique akin to what speedboat propeller does. Unsurprisingly, he’s in this game and he’s annoying as ever. Good for him.
Move deeper into this morgue, I encounter the very first sub-boss: a mad doctor. I think I will rate this hospital with negative 10 stars if the management employs a mad doctor into the hospital even though he has legit diploma. I feel like I need to use this entirely filled super bar, so I unleash this screen-damaging super move activated by input: down, down, and special. Heavy_specialcompleted05.wav
The mad doctor took me by surprise as he throws 3 dynamites at me and a zombie that I try to fend off. He doesn’t do that in original game. I know he can throw burning scalpel but dynamites? That’s just too much for me!
The end of level boss is Frankenstein. Or should I call him Frankenstein’s monster? But that implies that the mad doctor that I killed is Frankenstein, right? Anyway, this monster just awakes from his sleep and electrocute the bed in process. I like new visual feature on Jake where he does “Come at me” gesture there.
I can execute counter attack after blocking much like Final Fight LNS Ultimate. However, it’s less satisfying. The counter inflicts minuscule damage and barely restores super bar. Although blocking costs no super bar in this game. So, the block is just viable. Pretty useful against running/sliding enemies or projectile, though.
I can’t remember the monster has ability to block in original game. Naturally, if enemy is blocking, you should counter him with grab, right? The thing is i don’t think the usual sticky grabbing mechanism is in here. Then there’s no combo finishing throw like in Capcom’s game. So, I have no idea to mitigate blocking enemy. At least, the boss’ health is pretty low.
Yeah. A human with various
cyborg part, that is. I can’t wait for your -so called- personal welcome, Drac.
So, we’re back to forest. But this time, it’s misty which more resembling the second level in original game. Suddenly, a flame elemental burns with his touch. Once again, I get caught off guard. I mean he can do that in the original game but I don’t remember his move is uninterruptible by my punch like here. Maybe I should jump kick him?
The game introduces me with Slashback which is powerful attack when I get up after I got knocked down by simply pressing attack button when lied down. Actually, this get-up attack move also in the original game but only Hong Hua can do it. On the other hand, there’s no special move done by holding and release the button which is the main feature of the original game. The absence of said charging move feels really weird to me.
What also weird is this purple monster. I don’t remember him in the original game and I barely know where he’s come from. His main gimmick is, he can turn into slime to dodge my punch. Other than that, he’s not tough to beat.
That’s not how you pronounce “Ride”, Drac. But you’re from Transylvania, English is not your native language. So, I give you a break.
The running section from the original game is quite accurately implemented here. However, there’s extra feature that sadly not helping me. First, I have to punch the wagon too besides any werewolf chasing me. Second, the coachman throws dynamites at me to defend the carriage which is sensible but make my life harder. Speaking of which I don’t see animal pull the carriage. It might as well as ghost car.
So how this section works? Imagine the running section in Alien Storm but you can’t shoot projectile but instead do dashing punch. Meanwhile the coachman actively bombards you with dynamite like that guy on pickup truck in Burning Fight. To put it simply. It’s quite hot mess.
I stop the wagon and I have to fight the coachman and his porcelain doll assistant. I can’t identify them other than demonic version of Geppetto and Pinocchio. Imagine that cheerful fairy tale of Pinocchio which adapted to Disney’s cartoon. Then there’s twisted version of it where Geppetto sells his soul and servitude to Lord Dracula to make Pinocchio alive. I mean it works but they become scary and horrible version of themselves.
Also, Pinocchio watch World Wrestling Entertainment too many times that he is able to suplex Jake the mutant hunter. I blame Vince McMahon for this even though he’s retired from the industry.
Jake didn’t make it but Christopher manages to murder evil Geppetto and Pinocchio for sure. Christopher found another grenade and he happily toss it around the graveyard. I wonder how many grenades that Christopher can throw. I wish there’s ammo counter or something. Oh, duh! The counter is within Christopher’s portrait. It’s so small. So, give me a little break.
Next boss stage is a golem. Not exactly staple of eldritch horror. At least, he looks…stoned. And he proceeds to throw his arm at me like some kind of massive boomerang. It was more powerful than regular dog slap.
Much like the fire elemental, the golem also immune to stunlock. My solution is punching him from behind while he throws his arm. Eventually, I manage to whittle his health up to 80% and he falls into pile of stone. However, he’s not downed yet. I have to keep punching his floating soul stone otherwise, his health is regenerating.
He’s resurrected but not in full health. However, he has a chance to perform jumping piledriver at me. Mike “Metro City Mayor” Haggar will be so proud of this golem.
Meanwhile Lord Dracula drink blood from this poor damsel while waiting for the Night Slashers in boring expression like someone in queue of Bank’s customer service or something. I’m bothered with how Drac here put his food source. At least, put the dead damsel in dinner table for God’s Sake! You just leave blood stain at perfectly fine carpet! Horrible!
Now we’re in Dracula’s castle. Or to be more accurate in his dungeon where he keeps his food source in jail and bound. These poor people hanging upside down making their blood concentrated to their head. So, Drac can drink their blood from their neck easier, you see?
Speaking of easier, combat feel easier with M-16 in hand. Sadly, no automatic shoot so I have to press attack button repeatedly to make the gun constantly spew hot leads. I believe this M-16 comes from Capcom’s Cadillac & Dinosaurs game.
After killing more zombies, I encounter this demon that I believe come from Capcom’s Ring of Destruction. He’s pretty fitting in horror theme of Night Slasher. It seems kind of reckless to hold a fight with massive guillotine in the middle of area but don’t worry. This one is inactive unlike in original game.
That demon guy is not much of a problem. What’s real problem is this elevator where enemies can knock away my Night Slasher to instant-kill fall. I believe in original game, this elevator has 100% safety invisible wall.
But on the other hand, I can knock away enemies to their death too. You want the big executioner guy out of elevator because he has big health and can deal big damage too.
The correct quote is: You shall not pass! Sir. But apparently Hong Hua doesn’t care about your words at all as she is busy flexing her biceps.
To defeat this living armor (along with the demonic sword), you have to throw it repeatedly which is bit historically true. Punching some armored man with bare fist, is futile. So, they have to resort to throw and lock. And that’s how Jujitsu born. Anyway, I finally manage to figure out how the grab works. It’s the usual sticky grab however I can only initiate it after stunlock when getting hit by 1 or 2 jab. The grab mechanism works like in Double Dragon. Sadly, it’s not as fast as the usual sticky grab mechanism.
Hong Hua’s screen clearing bomb move is: she summons Phoenix from that solar orb and later all screen engulfed with wall of flame. This is the only clearest moment before everything turn into flame, believe me.
Not only she can summon fiery phoenix but also she can freeze enemy and later unleash rapid combo on the victim. Honestly, I’m very impressed with Hong Hua ability to use both ice and fire magic.
But I’m still having hard time fighting the fire elemental. However, seeing his comrade burnt by himself, amuses me very much.
There she goes. Flexing her biceps that she’s really proud of. Let’s ignore Hong Hua flexing and misplaced coffins for a while as I point out that group of crows pecking at zombie that will rise soon. They’re from Irem’s Undercover Cops. They supposed to cover living person but covering zombies feels more reasonable. I give the developer of this game some credit.
Pretty funny that Dracula
decides to fight me in battlement instead in his throne room. Don’t you mind if
our fight lasts until sunrise? Anyway, Hong Hua is out and get replaced by
someone named Jasmin…NO! She is clearly Kurokishi from my all-time favourite
Beat em Up Guardians/Denjin Makai 2! In this game, she can
conjure a pillar of lightning. Pretty impressive.
Eventually, Dracula is defeated by jumping kick to the balls. Yeah. If you happen to face off against vampire, just do jumping kick to their groin. No need for garlic, stake, or cross.
Dracula still mocks us while his head melting under sunlight. What a sore loser. At least, we know that Dracula is not the one behind this massive horror accident.
How kind of Hong Hua to lend her robe to Kurokishi so she can do this cool idle pose before brawling.
I like her jumping kick combo here. Making her mobile and able to give some zombies serious kicking. But I don’t remember she can do that in Guardians/Denjin Makai 2. But again, Kurokishi is not my main so I don’t remember her entire moveset. I wish she’s replaced with one of my main: Zeldia, P. Belva, or Skullbyule. I’m pretty certain I can play better as one of them instead of Kurokishi. Probably, the developer picks her because she’s sexy character with big knockers. I won’t judge the design decision though.
It's not every day to see Kurokishi hold a shotgun (from Capcom’s Cadillac and Dinosaurs) at evil Aztec Sorcerers but here we are.
The shotgun is pretty satisfying to use. I can hit 2 of the bosses at once. Soldier_mvm_loot_godlike03.wav
Then one of the bosses does flying body slam at Kurokishi. I don’t think wrestling move and Mesoamerican magic go hand in hand. But that’s just me.
With the bosses defeated, Hong Hua can seal this malevolent portal. Good thing we have Eastern Exorcist who is adept with sealing talisman, on our team. I do wonder how other seal this ancient trapdoor if Hong Hua is absence. Christopher may sprinkle lots of holy salt on the portal. While Jake topples pillars around the portal and bury it with them, I think.
Next level takes place in a cargo plane. No explanation why we’re at the plane. I assume the dark horror portal in somewhere far that we need to get there by plane. I kind of baffled with Kurokishi’s way of throwing enemy. She lifts her opponent up and throw them away. I did research her throw move in the original game and I can confirm that’s not her way of doing it. She does quick shoulder throw and not picking her enemy up and then throw them down like sack of potato. What her throw in this game is from when she picks up barrel or crate and later throw it forward. Note that I just do some fun over analyzing here and I don’t mean harsh criticism toward the developer, really.
On the top of the plane, we encounter the golden version of the living armor that we met at the Dracula castle. I’m glad that Kurokishi still have the ice beam gun. She may not have ice magic but the gun is very handy to freeze multiple enemies. I kind of surprised that I can last longer when I play as Kurokishi than when I play as the original cast of Night Slasher. Perhaps that’s because I invest more time in Guardians/Denjin Makai 2 than in Night Slasher. Or Kurokishi is stronger than the original Night Slasher’s cast. Or simply I just getting better in this game.
Just as I have said that, Kurokishi is defeated by dozens of masked knifemen. I really hate these bastards. Strangely, I don’t hate Hollywood or El Gado in Final Fight as much as them. Maybe because they’re faster and have bigger health. Anyway, I switch to Aska who’s from Konami’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Fighter. The SNES version, the one which people praise and not the one that I grow up with.
So, we jump into another cargo plane where those masked bastards come from. The plane not only transport zombies and masked knifemen, but also transport a mummy who can suplex Aska. I think this Pharaoh come into monarchy once he beaten previous Pharaoh in honorable wrestling tournament that’s held monthly. Maybe there’s secret Egyptian kingdom that put wrestling as part of their holy tradition or religion. Who know?
Eventually, the mummy is defeated with some sort of Ninja magic. Wrestler is weak to magic, I see.
Aska is not bad character to pick. She can use flying butt and elbow strike to hit multiple enemies at ease. Although her attacks don’t inflict heavy damage.
The golem is back! But this time, I manage to hit his bare core fast enough so I manage to prevent his resurrection.
This man with chainsaw is pretty out of horror theme. I mean chainsaw sure is scarry but still the guy should not belong in Night Slasher game because he’s from SNES game Ninja Warriors Again.
I like the chainsaw guy has some visceral detail like those dead fat zombies. Anyway, I have to deal with another sub-boss: the ghost helicopter that harassing me with the explosive machine gun. It’s difficult target to hit because it likes to fly backward as I approach it. It seems the only attack that can be registered to hit the helicopter’s nose is neutral jumping attack. Needless to say, that forward jumping attack is ideally good to hit that kind of target but somehow it never hit.
After defeating the ghost helicopter, I’m defeated by group of zombies and masked men. I was too slow to pick up shotgun around. If only I can get my hand on it, the table can be turned to my favor. But again, the number of continues is too few. It only 4. With how aggressive the regular enemies and also how scarce the healing items are, 4 credits are not enough. Even if you find any healing item, it only fills your health bar by 20% at most. My rule of dumb is: if the credit numbers are less than the number of levels, those credits are indubitably not enough. There are 8 levels in total and the amount of credit is just half of it.
But I don’t give up just yet. Maybe I can’t finish the game but at least I have to show you the rest of the cast.
Next, I pick Ortega. He is another character from Ring of Destruction besides that hooded demon. Or to be more precise, Ortega is the final boss of the game. Funny thing is: the special button is just normal grab. Think of it like shortcut for the standard grab. It’s pretty handy feature. As expected from a genuine wrestler, grabbing enemies is his main play.
But just as I’ve said that, Ortega is defeated with the Frankenstein monster’s careless throw. He picks Ortega real high and then throw the CWC champion over his back. What an irony.
Pinocchio get super grabbed by Ortega. I have avenged Jake’s defeat! :)
The last but no mean the least of the cast is: Ash Williams from Evil Dead. You know? The “This is my boomstick” guy. That’s him. I don’t watch Evil Dead movies but I have faith to Ash Williams regarding black magic and slaying zombies. Even though his sprite is modification from Nick Fury in Capcom’s The Punisher game. Ash as shotgun, chainsaw arm, and the Necronomicon. Ash can cast various magic with the vile book. I use it mostly for absorb spell like the one in this moment. It casts magic projectile that doesn’t deal much damage but can heal Ash upon hit.
I forgot to tell you that Dracula can shoot fireball like in Castlevania game. He can do that in the original game.
I manage to get past the point where Aska was defeated. I have to fight the crazy doctor and the Frankenstein monster but this time they fight me in tandem. I get to extract revenge on the Frankenstein monster by doing Muscle Bomber on him. Heavy_revenge03.wav
I really respect Mike Haggar but Ortega gets a chance to powerbomb Death! I’m very impressed. So, yeah. The boss of this level is Grim Reaper himself. He’s also responsible to resurrect previous bosses and mini bosses. So, that’s why there’s boss rush in this game and in the original game too. After defeated, Death claim that he’s not the one behind this massive horror accident. So, who’s the mastermind?
If you have played the
original game, you should know the answer. It’s cyborg Satan. He’s barely
Cyberdemon from Doom but he’s still the final boss. Compared to him in
the original Night Slasher, he’s too lax. He doesn’t make the devilish
shield too frequently, leaving him defenseless quite often. By pressing the
shortcut button, Ortega does double axe handle smash move called Knuckle
Bigbang. It looks stupid but also stupidly strong. This move can cut Boss’
health bar by 20% if it hits twice.
Oh no! The Satan does big backbreaker on our wrestler hero. D:
But Ortega retaliates with his signature move: Muscles Bomber. I have to give credit to Ortega. I’m sorry, Mr. Haggar. But I believe if you are given chance to powerbomb Cyborg Satan, you will do that. Right, Mr. Haggar?
Like in original game, you are in another running section but this time you have to fight against the flying remain of the Cyborg Satan. Ortega can repeatedly stunlock him in corner with his attack. Heavy_domination18.wav
After the epilogue screen where the original cast of Night Slasher depart upon solving the undead accident. Ortega get his special ending which I believe the same as in Ring of Destruction. He wins the wrestling championship because of course he does. After wrestling countless zombies, werewolves, and masked murderers plus Death and Cyborg Satan, he grows stronger than ever! Wrestling cast of Ring of Destruction, is like walk in a park for him now. Well done, champ!
During credit roll, there are some screenshots. Surprisingly, there’s this one where Christopher fights on a van in 3rd stage of Konami’s Vendetta while being harassed by my bro/frenemy Red Arreemer. I assume this is cut content as part of rebalancing because fighting Red Arremer along with zombies is extremely difficult. That’s what happen in extra level of Final Fight LNS Ultimate. Anyway, let’s wrap things up!
BonusJZ ‘s Night Slashers X rebalanced (2008) is quite neat indie game but sadly still rough. The enemies are too aggressive and have lots of health. Plus, most non-zombie enemies can block your attack and the grab mechanic is not so intuitive and slow to perform. Moreover, healing items are very rare and they can only heal 20% of your health at most. I play the original game a bit and the combat feel better than in this game. An entire combo can finish a zombie. But not in this game. You can chain your combo move with special move but not as powerful or satisfying as in Final Fight LNS Ultimate (FF-LNSU). In my opinion, the best way to defeat regular enemies is: by hitting them with 1 or 2 jabs and follow up with whatever move is in neutral hotkey, usually standing auto-combo. That’s what I do when I play as Ortega and he survives for very long time because of that trick. Some special move doesn’t cost anything and some other cost MP/Super bar. That kind of confusing. In FF-LNSU, every special move and super move cost MP with various amount. This one is much easier to understand. The block or parry is just small liability. It’s still useful to negate projectile though but the counter is much less rewarding than in FF-LNSU. I think all the character has special move that can restore MP at the cost of some of his health. But why would you want to trade MP for health when healing item is very scarce? You better use the health cost for the usual desperation attack and fill the MP by simply hitting enemies. Then there are super moves that cost your entire MP. The screen-clearing bomb super move can be performed anytime as long as you have entire MP bar. Then there’s super combo move which can only be performed if your health is low which indicated with the health bar turns red. It can deal devastating damage when connect and usually your Night Slasher will dash very fast if the input command is correct. Be careful not to miss with the super special move. I feel like the bomb super move deal less damage than it should be as it costs entire MP bar. The additional weapons are great. But sadly, Ortega refuse to use any gun probably due to his wrestler pride. While, Ash has his trusty boomstick so he refuses to use random weapon in the game. The control left me with basic complaint is: there are too many action buttons that I have to keep up. 3 buttons should be enough, in my opinion. Then the special command input feels too responsive. Quite often I just want to move my character around and initiate combo swiftly but my character does a special move unintentionally. The sound and graphic have the same high level of quality with the original game, which is pretty nice.
The roster is pretty well diverse. Jake is the strong and slow fighter. Christopher is the average stats fighter. Hong Hua is the fast but weak fighter. Kurokishi is -I assume- average stats fighter too just like in Guardians/Denjin Makai II. Aska is another speedy fighter, I guess? Ortega is stronger but slower than Jake. Ash Williams is fighter with powerful special moves but he is MP guzzler. His magic, auto-combo punch and his shotgun. They all cost MP. I don’t get the chance to show you that the cast can do back attack (by simply holding back direction + attack button) which always useful to punish enemy approaches you from behind. Then there’s low attack (by holding down direction + attack button) that only active when there’s enemy lie on the ground. The attack is quite useful to give extra hit when enemy lie down defenselessly. I think there’s some kind of critical attack, activated by attacking enemy who’s about to attack you. It makes visual effect word “SMASH!” and kill the enemy instantly. But it isn’t triggered that often to be reliable.
I kind of don’t like to say this but Night Slashers X rebalance (2008) is not as good as FF-LNSU. The standard combo just feels too weak even Jake’s. I think it is intended so you can be creative linking the combo with special move but the combat become sluggish and not fun. The only good thing that this game has compared to FF-LNSU is: the loading time is significantly shorter. If compared to the original Night Slasher, I would still play the original game than this game because the combat feels more tedious. However, there are good thing in this game compared to the original ones. For example, there’s extra intermission screen like the one where Dracula sit on his throne after sucking damsel’s blood. Then the weapons that you can pick up and use, are big improvement. Even though the game is still diamond in the rough, I do want to keep playing this game because I’m curious what’s the ending screen for Kurokishi and Ash Williams. If Kurokishi’s ending is just that plain universal ending in Guardians/Denjin Makai II, I will be very sad because I feel like getting reprimanded for not playing better game.
Anyway. Uhhh. Happy Late Halloween, I guess?
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