Gynoug Analysis – The Return of the Winged Warrior Wor

Those who enjoyed it on Mega Drive will know Gynoug very well

Although this is a recent release on Xbox, you might as well treat this game like a “retro” title. And it is that Gynoug, the last work of Ratalaïka games It’s nothing more than a redesign of the classic Mega Drive, released in 1991, in an attempt to reinvent the scene from side scrolling shooters. A proposal that tried to get the most out of the SEGA console, and which we will see below how it tried to do so. Sharpen your reflexes and aim, because we are embarking on a very special adventure.

Wake up warrior

The story repeats itself. Demons have once again invaded the earth and the hearts of the humans who inhabit it. Everything seems lost and the only hope of restoring normalcy lies with Wor, a winged statue that awakens from its sleep to eliminate all threats. We will control this little big hero, who must eradicate every grotesque creature, demon and being of the underworld that gets in his way.

Divine help

The approach doesn’t differ much from other side-scrolling shooters. We will have a “standard” plan that we will enhance as we find power ups on the road. In addition, there will be various more powerful but limited use sideplans, which will be especially useful against clashes against final bosses. With these aids, we will have to pass the six phases that make up Gynoug to hunt down the demon king.

One of the peculiarities of Gynoug, as I mentioned before, is that I was trying to make the most of Mega Drive. For this, the study Amusing He did not hesitate in his time to offer revolutionary graphics (for the time, of course). We will see some of the most colorful scenarios, with a scroll dizzying and undulating which in its time attracted a lot of attention. Speed ​​was also his strong point, and we’ll see how Wor and some enemies move at a speed that even Sonic himself is not able to achieve.

Is there some kind of washing?

But of course, we are not in 1991, but 30 years have passed, and we have to see some kind of evolution. Surprise, there is none. Ratalaika Games offers us the same title that we saw in its time, preserving its virtues and its faults. And the problem is, the flaws weigh a lot.

The sensitivity to command is palpable, and sometimes it will play tricks on us. As soon as you move the stick, Wor will move more than necessary, hitting the scene itself or a stray bullet from the enemy. Graphically, there is also no significant improvement. Yes, in theory has been polished to make it visually more pleasing to the eye, even if in practice it is the same thing. And on a 55-inch television, everything leprechaun “sings” a lot.

Do you like classic titles? So don’t miss our analysis of Millipede: Reloaded, a redesign of the classic Atari

Despite these incidents in his artistic style, without a visible appreciation for the new generation, Yes, we found other types of news in terms of filters. We can change a CRT filter that allows you to see the original scanlines of the time, select the side frame of the game, and even put Gynoug himself in full screen if we want the action to flood the whole screen. In addition, we will have a great implementation which is becoming indispensable in these modern times, and that is the rewinding. There will be a few times that we will use it, I assure you.

Gynoug’s conclusion

Those who played the Masaya classic in 1991 will know exactly what they are doing. And it is that this Mega Drive game is presented on modern consoles without significant changes, maintaining the aesthetics of the time, its playable mechanics and with the advantages or shortcomings that we found in its time. Ratalaika Games dug it up from the Vault of Memories, and with the exception of specific implementations like rewind, specific filters, and one more option, we’ll find the same experiences Wor had when he killed the demons there. 30 years ago. Do you dare to give Gynoug another little tour?