Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 265 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider Game Cover
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is easy to recommend for those longing for retro platformers, but is over a bit too quick.
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In "Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider," players control a powerful mecha named Moonrider, on a mission of vengeance against a tyrannical computer system. With fast-paced side-scrolling action, Moonrider battles through futuristic environments using a variety of weapons and abilities. The game features challenging gameplay, stunning pixel art, and a pulse-pounding soundtrack that will keep players engaged and entertained.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 265 reviews
music57 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Charming retro style with beautiful pixel art and a fantastic soundtrack.
  • Engaging gameplay that combines elements from classic titles like Shinobi and Mega Man, offering a fun and nostalgic experience.
  • Varied level design and enemy types, with a good balance of challenge that encourages replayability for high scores and achievements.
  • The game is quite short, typically completed in around 2-4 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Boss fights can be too easy, often allowing players to brute force their way through without much strategy required.
  • Controls can feel clunky at times, particularly with wall jumping and certain attack mechanics, which may frustrate players.
  • music82 mentions

    The music in "Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider" is widely praised for its fantastic and immersive soundtrack, which complements the game's retro aesthetic and gameplay. Reviewers highlight the high-energy tracks that enhance the action, with many recommending the original soundtrack for fans of the genre. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's nostalgic appeal and enjoyment.

    • “The music is fantastic; each level has an incredibly good soundtrack that fits the game so well.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing; it was the first thing that pulled me into the game, when I heard the high-energy trailer track, I knew this game was exactly what I wanted.”
    • “Great graphics, music, and gameplay.”
    • “The control is clunky and the background music is lame.”
    • “There are a few moments where you are riding on a motorcycle across a highway avoiding and shooting at enemies in a more horizontal shoot 'em up style, these stages look good but like going through the main stages you just aren't challenged by enemies and the subdued music can give them a dull feel.”
    • “It has some great art and music, although writing was poor and overall messy and incoherent.”
  • graphics65 mentions

    The graphics of "Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider" are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and nostalgic 16-bit aesthetic, effectively capturing the essence of classic side-scrolling games. Reviewers highlight the vibrant colors, detailed character designs, and immersive environments that enhance the overall experience, complemented by a fitting retro soundtrack. While the visuals are a standout feature, some players note that the gameplay mechanics could be more polished to match the high-quality presentation.

    • “The graphics are really good; it captures the feel and look of classic side scrollers, more precisely Contra and Strider, with incredible uses of color, detail, character designs, and background.”
    • “The overall presentation is great: very detailed and stellar pixel graphics that don't get old even after finishing the game, great enemy and boss designs, levels filled with character and detail, all tied off with a great and very fitting retroesque soundtrack.”
    • “The graphics are super clean and distinct, with a surprisingly grotesque look in a few environments and bosses that gives Moonrider a style I won't forget any time soon.”
    • “It's sad because I could really see myself coming back to it if it had more to offer than just pretty graphics.”
    • “This literally feels like playing a thirty-year-old game, both in terms of stodgy gameplay mechanics and in the presentation which seems to think flickery graphics and an overly busy display makes for a good combination.”
    • “This game has the apparent distinction of being literally unplayable on my computer due to a graphics card incompatibility.”
  • gameplay53 mentions

    The gameplay of "Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider" is widely praised for its nostalgic blend of classic side-scrolling mechanics reminiscent of titles like Mega Man and Shinobi, featuring responsive controls, varied level design, and engaging boss fights. While many players appreciate the fast-paced action and satisfying combat, some note issues with difficulty balance and a lack of depth in mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall challenge and replayability. Overall, it delivers a solid retro experience with beautiful visuals and a great soundtrack, though some players feel it could benefit from more innovative gameplay elements.

    • “Okay, the gameplay is really good and takes inspiration from classic side scrollers like Strider, Contra, and even Mega Man.”
    • “Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider kicks off 2023 in the best way possible with an immaculate retro platforming title delivering tight gameplay, gorgeous visuals, great enemy variety, and intense boss fights.”
    • “The mechanics and controls feel right at home; in fact, sometimes they're just as frustrating as the old Shinobi games!”
    • “The gameplay is a bit confusing at first: you are encouraged to speedrun, but the many abilities you collect also mean you are supposed to plan out your moves ahead of time.”
    • “This literally feels like playing a thirty-year-old game, both in terms of stodgy gameplay mechanics and in the presentation which seems to think flickery graphics and an overly busy display makes for a good combination.”
    • “While it is a bit shallow in mechanics for the price, I would 100% recommend it for people who like side-scrollers; it's pretty fast-paced and the level design is very fun, as well as some of the bosses.”
  • story33 mentions

    The story of "Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider" is generally viewed as simple and somewhat cliché, revolving around themes of tradition, revolution, and tyranny, but it is often criticized for being poorly told and lacking depth. While some players appreciate its retro aesthetic and find the narrative engaging enough, others feel it is underdeveloped and marred by typos and cringe-worthy writing. Overall, the story serves its purpose within the game but is not a standout feature, with many players prioritizing gameplay and visuals over narrative complexity.

    • “The story is good; it's a simple stop the bad guy story that does meditate a little bit on the nature of tradition, revolution, and tyranny.”
    • “Great story accompanied by insanely fun level design.”
    • “The story is some barebones political revolution thing with no real explanation as to why things are happening, similar to Alien Soldier (this game wishes it was as tight).”
    • “Don't even get me started on the basic, almost non-existent story.”
    • “The game's story, while obviously not important to the enjoyment of the game, also feels a bit unfinished, as if there were some key backstories or establishing conversations that were cut.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the challenge of collecting power-ups and achieving high ranks, others find it lacking due to its short length and ease. Completionists may enjoy the additional content, but many agree that once the game is fully completed, there isn't much incentive to replay it. Despite these concerns, the fun gameplay and engaging art and music contribute positively to the overall experience.

    • “Decent replay value to the stages as you look for power-ups and try for S-rank. It felt to me like speed and not dying are the only qualifiers, so it's a pretty merciful endeavor for the most part.”
    • “Sprinkling in a bit of the Mega Man X stage selection, secrets, and special weapons, along with stage rankings for replayability and challenging yourself adds a lot to it as well.”
    • “And for those who are completionists, there’s quite a lot to be done for replay value.”
    • “There doesn't seem to be any replayability past 100% the game, and the mainline bosses are easier than the mini bosses for the most part.”
    • “Replay value appears to be in collecting everything and redoing the entire game without getting hit.”
    • “It's not without its issues (low replay value if you're bothered by that sort of thing), but the game itself is very fun and offers some relatively challenging gameplay in spots.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the wall jumping mechanic to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling unresponsive and serving as unnecessary padding in gameplay. This aspect is deemed critical for progressing through certain levels, but it detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Wall jumping is tedious and a lot of times doesn't feel like it sticks right.”
    • “Wall jumping is tedious (think NES Strider) and is critical to succeeding in a couple of levels.”
    • “Just more tedious padding.”
  • character development2 mentions

    The reviews highlight that while the game features impressive graphics reminiscent of classic side-scrollers like Contra and Strider, the character development is not a primary focus, with gameplay more closely aligning with nostalgic titles rather than deep character arcs.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters as they evolve throughout the game.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by how the characters grow and change, making each interaction feel meaningful and impactful.”
    • “The way the characters are developed throughout the story adds layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel significant.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance and an enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Fantastic game, runs great on the Steam Deck and is extremely fun to play.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with only minor stutterings reported occasionally.

    • “The game suffers from frequent stutterings that disrupt the overall experience.”
    • “Optimization issues lead to significant frame drops during intense gameplay.”
    • “I encountered numerous performance problems that made the game nearly unplayable at times.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game successfully creates a unique atmosphere that reflects significant effort, incorporating distinct elements while also paying homage to classics like Ninja Gaiden.

    • “You can really tell effort was made to give this game a unique atmosphere, while having some obvious references such as Ninja Gaiden.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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