Reviewed
02.06.2001
Publisher
Masaya
Developer
Masaya/NCS
Format
4
Megabit
Origin
Import
Available
1991
(Japan)
Exclusive
Yes
Difficulty
Normal
Dimensions
2D
View
Side
Genre
Action
Player(s)
1
Options
6
Button
Mega
Key
Requires
n/a
Importable
100% |
INTRO:
> We all know the Genesis was loaded with top notch action titles like
Revenge of Shinobi, Alisia Dragoon, Sonic the Hedgehog, Strider,
and Gunstar Heroes. One of my favorite Japanese publishers/developers
is Masaya, who is known for the Langrisser series (Mega Drive & Saturn),
Target Earth (Mega Drive/Genesis), Assault Suit Leynos 2 (Saturn), etc.
They have supported Sega consoles for years with solid games. Devil
Hunter Yoko (DHY) is yet another solid entry by the wizards at Masaya.
It features a female hero, and is based on a Japanese anime...
> Importing is the only way to go. Unfortunately, this game was deemed
too "Japanese" for American localization. At any rate, it's easy
to play and loaded with action.
GRAPHICS:
> I would rate the graphics of DHY above average. The visuals don't
match the artistic splendor of Strider, or the technical achievements of
Sonic, yet they have their own merits. From swamps to caves, each
level is based on a new locale. The main character animates pretty
well, while most of the upright enemies look rather stiff. Speaking
of foes, you'll encounter a combination of walking, swimming, and flying
creatures with various types of close and long range attacks. As
usual, end-of-level bosses await to challenge your action skills.
CONTROL:
> The gameplay is fairly simple. You can jump and attack with your
sword. Similar to Alisia Dragoon, you have a charged weapon as well.
In this case, a ring surrounds your character and can be launched at enemies
in eight directions (using the D-pad). Other than that, it's standard
platform jumping, enemy killing, boss fighting action... One interesting
note is the level where you run into a wind storm, much like the one in
Ghouls 'n Ghosts.
SOUND:
> Surprisingly enough, the soundtrack is pretty good. It has a decidedly
Oriental flavor, which seems to fit the anime roots quite well. The
sound effects are adequate, and basically taken right out of the Genesis
pool of effects.
FUN:
> DHY takes a few rounds of play before you get the hang of the enemy patterns.
After that, it becomes average in difficulty. You can't be careless
though, since it doesn't take much to kill the heroin. I'd say the
short term interest level is high, but it goes down pretty fast after that
(like most action games). If you can associate with the anime, I'm
sure the game would gain a new level of intrigue.
|
