Mystic Defender/Kujaku-Ou 2 (MD, 1989)
Graphics-7 Sound-7 Control-7 Challenge-7.5 Story-5
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8 Fun-6.5 Originality-5.5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Satisfying sfx overall
Mini-bosses
Short knockback
Fast movement and good jump controls
Charge shots
Upgradeable charge speed (two levels, lose one level per life lost or both if you use a continue)
Weapon inventory
Smart bombs (only 3-4 in the whole game on Normal though)
Difficulty options
Dark 80s anime atmosphere (the game is based on an anime)
Pretty fast paced
Some good bosses
+/-
Mini-bosses before main bosses
Unlimited continues?
Easy final boss with upgraded charge speed (fairly easy even without it as you can destroy its shots)
Slight delay when shooting
-
Can't walk while shooting (can jump) and can't walk while charging (can jump though) - Mega Man/Mega Man 4
Taking a hit makes you lose your charge
Can't keep your charge while using elevators (can lead to cheap hits in the last round)
Can't switch weapons while one of your shots is on screen (only a problem with the spread shot since you can cancel the flamer)
Trial & error (boss patterns, some cheap enemy and trap placements (round 3 (one or two flamer traps), round 4 (flying enemies near platforms in lava), fast attacks in round 5, round 6 (more flamer traps), round 7 (enemies next to the elevators), some shots from off screen)
No main boss in round 3 and it's very short
Some actions lack sfx (jumping/landing, enemies shooting)
Some annoying sfx (fire beam)
Main boss in round 5 is very similar to and easier than the mini-boss in the same round
Round 6 is just a harder version of round 3
The game switches back to your default weapon when entering boss fights
Can't see your invincibility time after a hit
Unbalanced weapons (?)
Loses the Adventure and character upgrading aspects of the prequel (Spellcaster)
The soundtrack doesn't take full advantage of the hardware
Some tedious sections (level 2's vertical part)
Western versions have a different character sprite and loses some cutscenes (less true to the source material although the new outfit looks fine)
Comment:
I think this was the first MD game I bought with allowance money. I probably would've had to return it if my parents saw the zombie baby enemies haha. It's a good game, a little clunky and unfair at times but I'd recommend it to CV and MM fans. Having played the prequel (Spellcaster on SMS), I do think it's a shame that they simplified this one much like they did with Alex Kidd - who knows what they could've come up with in terms of world building and cool new abilities to explore your surroundings with. Might've been a solid early platform adventure/metroidvania game for the system and added more depth to the early lineup?
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8 Fun-6.5 Originality-5.5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Satisfying sfx overall
Mini-bosses
Short knockback
Fast movement and good jump controls
Charge shots
Upgradeable charge speed (two levels, lose one level per life lost or both if you use a continue)
Weapon inventory
Smart bombs (only 3-4 in the whole game on Normal though)
Difficulty options
Dark 80s anime atmosphere (the game is based on an anime)
Pretty fast paced
Some good bosses
+/-
Mini-bosses before main bosses
Unlimited continues?
Easy final boss with upgraded charge speed (fairly easy even without it as you can destroy its shots)
Slight delay when shooting
-
Can't walk while shooting (can jump) and can't walk while charging (can jump though) - Mega Man/Mega Man 4
Taking a hit makes you lose your charge
Can't keep your charge while using elevators (can lead to cheap hits in the last round)
Can't switch weapons while one of your shots is on screen (only a problem with the spread shot since you can cancel the flamer)
Trial & error (boss patterns, some cheap enemy and trap placements (round 3 (one or two flamer traps), round 4 (flying enemies near platforms in lava), fast attacks in round 5, round 6 (more flamer traps), round 7 (enemies next to the elevators), some shots from off screen)
No main boss in round 3 and it's very short
Some actions lack sfx (jumping/landing, enemies shooting)
Some annoying sfx (fire beam)
Main boss in round 5 is very similar to and easier than the mini-boss in the same round
Round 6 is just a harder version of round 3
The game switches back to your default weapon when entering boss fights
Can't see your invincibility time after a hit
Unbalanced weapons (?)
Loses the Adventure and character upgrading aspects of the prequel (Spellcaster)
The soundtrack doesn't take full advantage of the hardware
Some tedious sections (level 2's vertical part)
Western versions have a different character sprite and loses some cutscenes (less true to the source material although the new outfit looks fine)
Comment:
I think this was the first MD game I bought with allowance money. I probably would've had to return it if my parents saw the zombie baby enemies haha. It's a good game, a little clunky and unfair at times but I'd recommend it to CV and MM fans. Having played the prequel (Spellcaster on SMS), I do think it's a shame that they simplified this one much like they did with Alex Kidd - who knows what they could've come up with in terms of world building and cool new abilities to explore your surroundings with. Might've been a solid early platform adventure/metroidvania game for the system and added more depth to the early lineup?