DRAGON NINJA BYOKA

Video Review: https://youtu.be/bjh_9UDGFw8 TL:DR Dragon Ninja BYOKA is an homage to ninja gaiden but there is a much greater emphasis on precision platforming. This is an incredibly difficult but incredibly rewarding game, with some fantastic level design, great bosses, and new abilities that keep things fresh. I absolutely loved this game!

Just starting out, but so far this is a fun Ninja Gaiden like action platformer, just like it says in the description. Platforming is demanding but so far it doesn't seem unfair, and it's pretty quick and easy to restart a level if you eat dirt. Combat is snappy and fun, the projectile deflection mechanic feels well tuned. There's an emphasis on improving your performance in given levels. It's easy to replay any previous level, and you have an option to race your ghost, in addition to online leaderboards. The pixel art is well done too, and although it's too early for me to form much of an opinion on the music, I like what I've heard so far, it does a lot to help set the mood. Main criticism so far is that it seems a little wonkier to navigate menus with a controller than with mouse + keyboard. I had issues opening the settings from the main menu with a controller, and rare issues pausing with a controller. All of this worked fine with m+kb, and the gameplay itself was totally fine with a controller, but it would be nice to not have to juggle between control schemes.

Bro, this game is about a bad guy who wants to DIVIDE THE WORLD BY ZERO so that everything will become Undefined. Yet the product description on Steam fails to mention this huge selling point. Also you're a lizard. Also you're chased by a mutant goon with one arm. Also chased by a helicopter that just won't die. The game doesn't start off on its best foot, I think the construction site is kind of lame, just slashing down cannon fodder and waiting for elevators/moving platforms to take you along. Really simple and plodding intro. But once you go underground and have giant blades flying at your head and more creative uses for your wall cling it starts going all uphill. For some reason the game does that weird 20XX/30XX thing of requiring you to hold down a run button to get further jumps, but 99% of the jumps require it and there's very little reason to ever use the stumpy jump. This leaves you wondering why the long jump wasn't just the default and why your left hand now feels like a claw. I wondered into some cheesy kills on some of the bosses, but bosses have a habit of ignoring the concept of hitstun and ploughing straight through your offense, so they could gladly get exploit…

Highly recommend this to classic NG and all platforming fans. This Feels GOOD! Similar to the first NES NG game. The movement is tight. The down stab while jumping is awesome. The different outfits are a nice addition "Love the Ronin" :) The level design and platforming features get intense. Sharp memory and ninja reflexes are needed. The different screen scaling options are Great!. If we want to be a bit closer to the action or take in more of the level. The story and level locations progressed nicely. \m/