Official Review
Vengeance Hunters doesn't avoid clichés. It opens with a moody city view, describing a bleak future threatened by "High-rolling suitmen. Industry bigwigs. Upper-crust jerks." It's got a hint of politics. The game introduces three heroes with odd names: Candy (a fit woman), Golem (a big robot), and Loony (a muscular part-cyborg man).
One thing that really impresses is Vengeance Hunters' visuals. Nuala Studio's artists clearly put in a lot of effort. The backgrounds are rich in detail, with great color use and blending in the distant parts of the game. You'll move through forests, wastelands, city streets, and the usual (and perhaps less exciting) company buildings. The overall feel is like an '80s cartoon with an edge, similar to COPS or Bravestarr: grown-up in tone, sometimes bloody, but still true to its arcade game roots.
The game looks good in action too, with big, well-animated characters that move across the screen in cool and unique ways. The sound is okay, very synth-heavy, giving an '80s sci-fi vibe - but it lacks a certain punch and realness. It seems to want to be like Streets of Rage in parts, but it's softer and more background-like, less striking or memorable.
The fighting system has some smart touches. While not as combo-heavy as games like Winkysoft's Guardians (1995), it borrows some newer ideas. Each character has light and heavy attacks, a jump, and a special move they can use as much as they want. Pressing both attack buttons at once does a standard breakout move, which costs some of your health.
But here's a cool twist - instead of just losing health, the part you risk on the breakout turns grey. If you can then hit your enemies without getting hit back, you can turn that grey back to a healthy yellow. It's a clever way to handle an old part of these games, and it adds more strategy to the mix.
The combo system offers flexibility too. Players with quick reflexes can pull off juggle moves reminiscent of advanced fighting games, allowing repeated air hits before following up with a strong ground attack or signature move. Among the three characters, Candy is the least impressive. She lacks the interesting qualities and power of Golem and Loony. Loony's advantage lies in his projectile signature move, shooting his robotic arm across the screen. This helps offset his slower speed by keeping approaching enemies at a distance.
Golem, the robot, stands out as the top choice. He combines strength and speed, with a signature move that lets you grab enemies on the ground or in the air, then swing them forward or slam them backward. The game also features charged special moves that can be added to combos or juggles, and each character can perform a dash attack by double-tapping forward.
Overall, Vengeance Hunters is a solid project with some depth. The bosses have distinct patterns, and there are hidden areas and story variations depending on your chosen character. At one point, you ride a bike through desert wastelands, dodging toxic barrels and squid-like creatures. In another section, you face a boss in a virtual one-on-one fighting game on an arcade cabinet. These unique elements help break up the repetition and encourage replaying the game.
Despite its strengths, there are a few issues worth noting. The difficulty is well-balanced, offering a fair challenge on default settings and encouraging players to learn and experiment. However, some aspects can become frustrating. For instance, there's an abundance of explosions in the game: barrels, bombs, bombs in boxes, pipe bombs, and even enemies seem to be blowing up constantly. While you can learn to avoid these hazards, it's annoying when they disrupt your flow or force you to break off attacks to dodge them.
The secondary weapons are another quirk. Instead of typical items like swords or pipes, they appear as floating cannons above your character's head, firing at an isometric angle. This means you need to position yourself slightly above and diagonally from enemies to hit them effectively. While not impossible to use, this design choice feels less satisfying in practice than it might have seemed in theory. Compared to the powerful rifles found in games like Capcom's The Punisher, these weapons don't significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
While the combat system encourages experimentation, it falls slightly short of the satisfying feedback found in similar '90s arcade games. Combo creation feels good, but there's a subtle lack of weight to the overall experience. The absence of a grab mechanic is particularly noticeable, as it's typically a key element in beat 'em up games for crowd control. This omission is especially apparent when playing as Golem, whose signature move includes a grab, making him arguably the most enjoyable character to play.
The game features five extensive stages, each requiring time to master along with their respective boss encounters. The initial rainforest setting, complete with Amazonian zombies, offers an intriguing contrast to the futuristic city backdrop introduced in the opening story. However, some later locations lack the same level of originality. Local co-op is available for two players, but online multiplayer is not an option.
Verdict
Vengeance Hunters has many strong points. Its pixel art is consistently excellent, featuring some impressively designed enemies. The combat mechanics offer depth for experienced players to explore. The game oscillates between impressive and occasionally questionable elements. While enemy repetition can become tiresome, the imaginative and well-crafted boss battles help balance this out. The absence of grabs, the unusual implementation of sub-weapons, and the overabundance of explosive obstacles are notable drawbacks. However, it's impossible to ignore the game's competence and solid execution in numerous other crucial areas. While it may not quite reach the level of being essential, Vengeance Hunters offers a vibrant, well-made, and often clever beat 'em up experience that will appeal to genre enthusiasts and those who enjoy exploring combo possibilities.
