Vanguard Princess
- March 3, 2014
- Tomoaki Sugeno
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Vanguard Princess" is a 2D fighting game featuring an all-female cast. Players can choose from various characters with unique abilities and fighting styles. The game includes a story mode, arcade mode, and online multiplayer for players to test their skills against others. However, some characters and content are locked behind paywalls.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Beautiful 2D graphics and animations that capture the anime aesthetic well.
- Unique gameplay mechanics with assist characters that add depth to the fighting experience.
- Fun and fast-paced combat that can be enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- Lack of online multiplayer and training modes limits replayability and practice opportunities.
- Poor controller support and confusing default controls make it difficult to play effectively.
- The final boss is unbalanced and can be frustratingly difficult, even on easy mode.
- story137 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story mode is widely criticized for being virtually non-existent, often described as a simple arcade mode with minimal dialogue and a lack of coherent plot. Players express frustration over repetitive AI behavior and a final boss that feels unfairly difficult, leading to a lack of investment in characters or narrative. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, with many reviewers suggesting that those seeking a rich narrative experience should look elsewhere.
“The 'story' mode (basically an arcade mode) scales in difficulty nicely, and the final boss, while I beat it on my first try, definitely had me going for a little bit.”
“Each of the all-girl cast (common anime trope) has her own story, set of moves, and combos.”
“There is a short intro for the plot, which doesn't do much except tease you with a hint of a story.”
“The story is completely unoriginal; a creative 10-year-old could create such a story in a matter of minutes.”
“The 'story mode' is, save for a few random injections of dialogue, virtually devoid of a story at all; what little there is consists of a brief paragraph before reaching the main menu, and is not built on or developed even remotely.”
“The plot and dialogue are mediocre at best, a generic plot with a deus ex machina that only really differs in one dialogue and the very ending.”
- gameplay112 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this fighting game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its unique mechanics and fluid animations, while others criticize its clunky controls and lack of depth. Many players find the assist character system interesting but feel that the overall combat is minimalistic and lacks sufficient attack options, making it challenging to execute combos effectively. Despite its appealing visuals and potential, the gameplay experience is marred by technical issues and a steep learning curve, leading to a divided reception among players.
“The gameplay itself is fantastic - simple yet satisfying, with good character diversity and a neat little assist system with unique, non-playable, assister characters.”
“With the wonderful art style and smooth gameplay, it's definitely a must-have.”
“An excellent fighting game with an extremely interesting two-character gameplay mechanic that's very unique from similar games.”
“The core mechanics for each character seem biased and imbalanced, leaving some characters' movesets feeling lazily mashed together.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay is where it falls flat.”
“Lacking depth in gameplay, combos, and story.”
- graphics104 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful anime art style and smooth animations, while others criticize the low resolution and lack of graphic options. Some players appreciate the nostalgic pixelated visuals reminiscent of older games, but note that the overall execution can feel basic or inconsistent. Despite these shortcomings, the visuals are often described as eye-catching and enjoyable, particularly for fans of the anime aesthetic.
“A very good unique 2D fighter with beautiful anime style graphics.”
“The game looks really good for an anime game, with stunning visuals and smooth gameplay.”
“Great visuals; animations are smooth and have great impact.”
“The graphics are poorly executed; there is too much going on.”
“There are no real settings to speak of, so even if the game would have an okay art style, the resolution is crap.”
“Well, if this game was released on Amiga 500 25 years ago, it 'might' have been barely okay, but seriously, the graphics do look like they were adjusted for those kinds of computers.”
- music52 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the catchy and enjoyable soundtrack, particularly highlighting specific tracks like the shrine music and final boss theme. However, some users express frustration over the inability to adjust the volume or mute the music, describing it as repetitive or uninspired at times. Overall, while the soundtrack is often considered a standout feature, opinions vary on its overall impact on the gaming experience.
“The art, gameplay, and music are masterfully crafted and blend together perfectly, creating a true masterpiece.”
“The soundtrack is awesome and the fighting is very reminiscent of the classic X-Men vs. Street Fighter.”
“Both the art and music are really good, with animations being fluid and eye-catching and music being crisp and memorable (love the guitar riffs).”
“The game looks and plays amazing, but it doesn't let me go to settings and turn down that loud music and doesn't let me leave the game.”
“And don't get me started about not being able to mute the awful soundtrack; it's just terrible.”
“The music is sadly very repetitive, but the plot is very deep and got me thinking [spoilers] jokes, there is no plot xd.”
- character development14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its visually appealing and creative character designs, which many players find engaging and colorful. However, there is a notable lack of depth in the characters' backstories and movesets, leaving players wanting more context and connection. Additionally, issues with controller support hinder the ability to fully explore the combat system, impacting the overall experience.
“Great character design and animations.”
“Character design is amazing.”
“Beautiful style game (anime style) with sweet character designs.”
“Character designs are generic, resolution is very small, controls are badly set up by default, interfaces are shoddy and irritating to navigate.”
“The major problem with this game is the controller support.”
“Character design is very interesting, along with some movesets.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and worth revisiting, particularly in the context of fighting games, others criticize it for being short and lacking depth after completing the story mode. Many users suggest that the limited content and flaws diminish its long-term appeal, making it less replayable for some.
“Has a high replay value and I would love to see a follow-up or some additional content.”
“Plenty of replayability, but the story is a bit dry.”
“Has a high replay value like other fighting games out there, and I'm having fun with this game, even with the flaws, and that's what matters in the end.”
“Controller support is wonky, combos are limited, and there is very little replayability.”
“Little replay value to speak of.”
“Don't expect much replay value from this game after you've beaten story mode once or twice.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and entertaining, with players enjoying the amusing one-liners and the comedic elements brought by various characters, particularly grapplers. While the story may be minimal, the humor effectively enhances the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable and often laugh-out-loud funny. Overall, the game's charm lies in its lightheartedness and the amusing interactions between characters.
“Start a versus match and let the hilarity unfold.”
“Story is almost non-existent but their little one-liners had me laughing out loud.”
“Beautiful cast of girls with a hilarious premise.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while some players find it runs smoothly and is optimized for console controllers, others report significant issues such as clunky controls, poor support for high-resolution screens, and a lack of fixes or online options. Many users express frustration with the overall optimization, indicating it detracts from the gameplay experience.
“It is crazy fast-paced and runs smoothly.”
“I heard it's optimized for a console controller though.”
“The controls are terrible, the optimization is poor, and there is no support or fixes ever provided.”
“Very clunky, with poor controller optimizations and a bad support character system.”
“Until the optimization issue is fixed, this game is quite bothersome to handle.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to be quite buggy, with issues such as freezing in fullscreen mode and compatibility problems with certain xinput controllers. Users recommend exploring older versions from the original creator's site for a more stable experience, especially if controller functionality is crucial.
“The game seems to be pretty buggy.”
“Also, there's an error that freezes the game when fullscreened.”
“Keep in mind that the game has an issue with some XInput controllers, so if you have one, make sure to check out the forums for possible troubleshooting.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is frustrating and tedious, particularly due to challenging bosses that require significant effort to defeat. Players who are not fans of grind-heavy gameplay or 90's fighting game mechanics may find the experience unenjoyable. Overall, the game seems to cater more to niche audiences who appreciate its specific aesthetic and gameplay style.
“The bosses are very annoying, grindy, and really hard to beat.”
“Unless you like 90's type fighting games, grinding, and fan-service type games, I really don't recommend the game.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by high-quality music, voices, and sound effects, which effectively create an immersive experience for players.
“The music, voices, and sounds are excellent and successfully create an immersive atmosphere.”
“The game's atmosphere is captivating, drawing you into its world with every detail.”
“The combination of visuals and audio creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after playing.”
