Another game with bad grammer
 You are a strider named Hiryu and your mission is to destroy an evil machine called zain. According to the game�s intro, it describes striders as �the toughest group of people who execute acts such as infiltration, abduction, explosion, instigation, etc.� 
Even though that is a pretty elementary description of what they are, it is frighteningly accurate. You basically perform all of those acts. Anyways, this is a pretty cool side-scrolling adventure game for the NES, and much different from the arcade style game with the same name on the Genesis. 
You will travel all over the world from China, to Japan, to Los Angeles, to Africa, attacking people with your freaky futuristic sword and searching for clues to help you pass each mission. There are a variety of special moves and items you will find, as well as enemies and bosses. 
| | Strider | Graphics: 6
They are impressive for an NES game, and still quite functional today. An idiot might even mistake this for a Genesis game. Because you travel all across the world, the visuals greatly differ from area to area. The character you control looks pretty cool too, in an 8 bit kind of way. |
Playability: 5
At first it will feel a little awkward when attacking enemies. Many times it will feel like you weren�t touched by an enemy yet your health will be completely decimated. After you are hit, there is no 2 second period where you are invincible like most NES games. This can get frustrating when fighting bosses, especially when they jump on top of you, crush, and kill you all in one motion. It isn't as bad once you get used to it, though, and executing some of the special moves are pretty freakin' sweet. Thank God the game included a password mode, the game is too long to finish in one sitting. |
Fun Factor: 5
Even though the game is very linear and once you beat it you have seen everything, this game is still fun to play through. The thing that makes this game last is the tricks you can perform with Hiryu, like the wall jump and charging up your sword so you can shoot a parenthesis symbol out of it. The storyline is really involving too, with many plots and twists. It isn�t a Metal Gear Solid quality of storyline, but definitely up with the best in terms of NES games. |
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