Vanguard Knights

About

"Vanguard Knights" is a high-speed, 3D shooter that pays homage to earlier generations with its chaotic action and arcade style. Players must navigate through obstacles and enemy attacks in both on-rail and all-range combat modes, utilizing a variety of advanced weapons to defend their home world. The game offers frantic dogfights and massive bosses, requiring precision, reaction, and timing skills.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

story5 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game successfully combines elements of classic shooters like Star Fox and Ikaruga, offering a fun and nostalgic experience.
Boss fights are a highlight, providing intense and engaging challenges that keep players on their toes.
The game features a unique color-switching mechanic that adds depth to combat, allowing players to absorb projectiles and strategize their attacks.

The controls can be clunky and require significant adjustment, making it difficult for players to get accustomed to the gameplay.
The game suffers from technical issues, including a confusing resolution selection system and a lack of clear audio cues for damage and healing.
The story and character development are weak, leaving players with little context or investment in the game's narrative.

story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
79%
8%
The game's story, while featuring an intriguing premise of a conflict between humans and an AI-led faction, is often criticized for being underdeveloped and difficult to follow, especially in the early missions. Players note that the narrative takes a backseat to gameplay, with many wishing for more depth and clarity in the plot. Overall, while the story has potential, it lacks the necessary context and development to fully engage players.
- “The overall plot is pretty cool, nothing super unique, but still very charming with the story being that an AI grew so knowledgeable that humans feared it and it sent itself into space to start its own colonies under the name of the Union, whereas the humans formed the Alliance and the two oppose each other, you as the main character fight for the Union as a war between the two factions breaks out.”
- “My exposure to the story element of the game has been limited considering how far I am in the game, but you can tell that the developer put a lot of effort into it.”
- “This was like British vs Germans WWI Christmas levels of 'made me wonder if I was the good guy.' Unfortunately, I wish that went somewhere in the story.”
- “Flesh out the story; I saw some hints of intrigue that could have been further developed. Better graphics and voice acting/sound work would also help.”
- “Story: definitely the weakest area.”
- “We don't know anything about what set this conflict off, the build-up to said conflict, or the overall goal of the enemies other than 'destroy the good guys!' I understand that this game is following the same blueprint as Lylat Wars, but despite that game being 22 years old this year, it still managed a brief backstory to show what was at stake.”
gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the fun mechanics and engaging bullet hell elements, while others criticize the janky controls and lack of polish. The color-switching mechanic adds a unique challenge, but the presentation of tutorials and certain gameplay elements could be improved for better clarity. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and innovative ideas, it suffers from inconsistencies that can detract from the overall experience.
- “Pretty nice bullet hell game— the mechanics are pretty straightforward, some dialogues made me laugh a bit here and there, and the music was a blast.”
- “Vanguard Knights is a short game, maybe 2 and a half, 3 hours, but in those 3 hours are a ton of really great gameplay ideas.”
- “Despite how I bash certain aspects of the gameplay, perhaps being a little nitpicky at points, I do honestly love the gameplay; it is very fun when things go the way they should go and you know that any mistakes are your own.”
- “It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness, and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
- “Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
- “During gameplay, your targeting reticle (crosshairs) do not move with the player’s ship movement.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its unique art style and overall visual appeal, especially for an indie project, while others criticize it for lacking the polish and depth found in more established titles. Although the visuals are generally considered enjoyable, they can become overwhelming during intense gameplay moments, leading to difficulties in tracking the action. Overall, the graphics are seen as decent, with a score around 6.5/10, indicating room for improvement but still commendable for its category.
- “Enjoy the fantastic art style for a one-man project.”
- “Really cool game, nice graphics, and the guy who made this also makes the best Blender and Unity tutorials.”
- “Graphically, the game is quite superb.”
- “While this is on PC, it has all the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunkier than needed control scheme to the less than cutting edge graphics.”
- “There's not that much wrong with the on-rails sections apart from when the screen becomes really busy with bullets and lasers; you can very easily lose your reticle and sometimes even yourself when the visuals get a little overwhelming.”
- “It may not have over the top graphics as some AAA games do, but what this game has is more than enough to enjoy it.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The music in the game has received a generally positive reception, with many players praising the energetic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some reviewers noted a limited selection of tracks, suggesting that additional music would improve the overall atmosphere. While the audio quality varies, the voice acting is highlighted as a strong point, contributing to the game's charm.
- “Pretty nice bullet hell game—the mechanics are pretty straightforward, some dialogues made me laugh a bit here and there, and the music was a blast.”
- “On a lighter note, I personally loved the soundtrack; it included tracks with a nice beat that really got you pumped for the action and sounded pretty cool.”
- “I think there were only 3 tracks playing; more music would have improved the game.”
- “Soft electro music definitely fits the aesthetic of this fast-paced space shooter, but I feel they could've done with maybe one or two more songs.”
- “The volume control needs adjusting; the music and sound effects overpower your voice actors.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the occasional funny dialogue and amusing moments, despite some inconsistencies in voice acting. Overall, the comedic elements enhance the experience without overshadowing the gameplay.
- “Pretty nice bullet hell game— the mechanics are pretty straightforward, some dialogues made me laugh a bit here and there, and the music was a blast.”
- “The humor in it is just right for me.”
- “Voice acting here is a little wonky, but at times the dialogue sounded funny!”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the controls to be responsive and fair, with no significant game-breaking bugs reported. However, some users have noted issues with the camera, describing it as occasionally buggy and erratic.
- “The camera is a little buggy and all over the place.”
- “Controls feel responsive enough, so nothing really feels unfair, but I haven't encountered any game-breaking bugs or glitches so far.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Vanguard Knights is criticized for its $5 price tag, which many users feel is unjustified due to the game's defects and shortcomings, especially when compared to the abundance of free, higher-quality games available on Steam.
- “Vanguard Knights has a cash grab price of around $5 USD. It's not worth it given the defects and shortcomings of the product, especially considering the sheer number of completely free, much higher quality games on Steam.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it pushes players to spend money on features that should be included in the base game.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many essential items are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”