Initial release date: September 26, 2024
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Developer: Storm Trident S. A.
Genres: Action game, Fighting game, Casual game, Adventure
Publisher: Forever Entertainment S. A.
Engine: Unity
For a change, we’ve got a remake of an old arcade game, but this time it’s one I’d never heard of.
Night Slashers: Remake is, shockingly, a remake of the Night Slashers arcade game from 1993. Storm Trident and Forever Entertainment have supposedly remade one of the best titles in the beat ’em up genre! A big declaration, and while fans of Final Fight and Streets of Rage may disagree, the truth is that this is a highly acclaimed videogame.
But can transplanting it 30 years later and introducing it to a whole new audience entice players, or should we choose another side-scrolling brawler?
A remake of Night Slashers.
The game’s tagline describes it as a “pulse-pounding, horror-themed beat ’em up game set in a nightmarish world filled with bloodthirsty creatures and unspeakable horrors,” which all sounds quite appealing. To be honest, the premise is typical throwaway rubbish, with the planet invaded by monsters from classic horror films – werewolves, zombies, and vampires, oh my! Can you, as one of four operators, utilize your kung fu talents to kick the monsters’ buttocks?
Well, based on the presentation of Night Slashers: Remake, the news is positive. The art style is large, bold, and violent, with blood splattered everywhere when you smack monsters in the face. The characters and opponents they fight are well-designed, and a fourth character has been introduced specifically for this version, which is always welcome.
The first impression is excellent, but the second and third impressions are not as wonderful. The animation seems a little off, since there don’t appear to be enough frames of animation for many of the moves. This is notably visible in the knockdown motion, as the transition from vertical to horizontal appears to be seamless. Aside from that, the rest of the visuals are fine and have a Saturday morning cartoon atmosphere.
Sound is another area where everything is in order, with the customary thumping fighting sound effects and strong voice acting for the four heroes and many of the villains, resulting in a well-produced sonic world. Apart from the activity, everything in the garden is rosy.
Standard beat’em up tropes.
So, how about the real gameplay? The first thing to highlight is the multiplayer component. If you have a large collection of controllers and can fit three pals on your sofa, you’ll have a terrific time bringing down the undead together. I tested this in two players, and everything works perfectly, and as is customary with these types of games, additional players make it much more enjoyable.
The gameplay then follows the typical side-scrolling beat ’em up cliches. We begin on the left side of a stage, go ahead, fight a slew of foes until they are all defeated, then rinse and repeat. A mid-level mini-boss breaks up the stages, which are eventually completed by a huge boss. Interestingly, these bosses are the only foes with a health meter, so all you have to do is keep hitting the other enemies until they burst in a shower of blood and guts!
Night Slashers: Remake’s challenge is also typical of the 1990s – pretty difficult, to say the least. Once your lives are gone, it’s either back to the main menu or back to the beginning of the stage you were on, and obviously, if you die on the stage boss, it can be a long journey back to where you were headed.
The controls are also a touch weird, with the jump and punch buttons not being where you’d expect them to be – jump is B and attack is A, for example. You can modify these in the options menu, and I recommend doing so because it seems strange otherwise. Another thing I’d like to point out is the brevity of the experience, as there are only seven levels to complete. This isn’t surprising given the source material, but I believe it could have been longer.
A horror-themed side-scrolling combatant.
Aside from the new character, additional features include some really meaningless extra modifiers such as exploding zombies. I’m not sure why you’d want to make Night Slashers: Remake more difficult; it’s already difficult enough.
So, while Night Slashers: Remake isn’t the best beat ’em up of all time, it does have a strong chance of becoming one of the only horror-themed side-scrolling fighters available. If you enjoy punching vampires in the face, this is the game for you.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 80%
Controls: 82%
Aesthetics: 85%
Content: 78%
Accessibility: 75%
Value: 80%
Overall: 80%
GOOD
Summary: “Night Slashers Remake” breathes new life into the old beat ’em up genre, with an intriguing mix of fast-paced action and rewarding fighting techniques. The controls are responsive, allowing for smooth action, while the enhanced visuals add to the entire experience with evocative locations and well-designed characters. Although the game has a good quantity of content, it may benefit from more modes to increase replayability. While there are some accessibility features, enhancing them would make the game more inclusive for all players. Overall, “Night Slashers Remake” is a standout title that provides a fun and nostalgic experience for genre enthusiasts.