Dan Geeks Out: Video Game Review #415: Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins

PSP

Nostalgia Factor:

Back in 2006 I was just a 24 year old kid. I spent a lot of time with my girlfriend Jessica, playing big name console releases such as Final Fantasy XII, Tomb Raider Legend, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. I did not own a PSP, so I was not even aware that a brand new Ghosts 'n Goblins game with 3D graphics had been released.

In fact, I would never find out about this game's existence until just a few weeks ago, here in the year 2022. As soon as I heard about this game, I knew I had to play it. I've been waiting for a game like this to come out for as long as 3D graphics have been a thing. Little did I know, one has already been out for 16 years.

How would I feel about this brand new (to me) old game? That's what you're here to find out, isn't it? I'd hate to disappoint you, so why don't you go on and read my full thoughts?

Story:

Arthur.

Demons.

A princess.

A kidnapping.

Do I need to say more?

Gameplay:

My first impression of this game was that it was everything I could have ever asked for from a next-gen Ghosts 'n Goblins game. It kept the 2D side scrolling, which is good. I mean, I enjoyed Maximo, but it was never able to quite capture the feel of the classic series. This game, however, does. The controls, the stage design, the constantly spawning enemies, the weapons, the bosses, the power ups... based on first impressions alone this game came across as an awesome update to a classic title.

And then I really started to dive into it. Let's just say the game left me a bit underwhelmed in the end. And honestly, it's really hard to put my finger on what it is exactly that I don't like about the game.

The controls handle just like the classic 8 and 16-bit versions of the game. Arthur moves the same, he jumps the same, he throws his weapons the same. There are the usual staple of Ghosts 'n Goblins weapons to collect, with a ton of new weapons thrown in to keep things fresh - like a crossbow that fires flaming bolts, a whip made out of plant vines (?), and a metallic throwing projectile that homes in on your enemies. The usual staples like the lance, the dagger, and that freaking useless fire projectile all make an appearance in the game.

On the surface the difficulty is a bit more forgiving. You get more lives. Arthur can take two hits before losing his armor and going down to his undies. You can even collect armor upgrades that allow you to absorb more damage. When you die, you pick up where you died instead of having to start the entire stage over again, which is an absolute godsend. You can save your game. And of course there are unlimited continues.

All these extra features don't make the game any less difficult, however. This game throws EVERYTHING at you, right from the bat. You barely get a microsecond to breathe, as enemies are constantly swarming at you from all directions. I grew up on the NES game and Ghouls 'n Ghosts for the Sega Genesis, and I do not remember those games sending so much crap your way. They were slower and more deliberate and rewarded a patient gamer. This game, however, is absolute chaos. You are going to need every single one of those five lives. And if this game didn't let you pick up where you died, it would be virtually impossible to complete.

Everything in this game is out to kill you. If that wasn't bad enough, there are bottomless pits galore to fall down. A few stages revolve around jumping back and forth on floating platforms, and let me tell you these are a nightmare. If you get hit by an enemy, you get knocked back - just like in the older versions of the game. This was always one of the most annoying things to me, so I'm a little irritated they didn't fix it. I know, I know - they wanted this to be like a continuation of the older games. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

There are so many things that could have been done to make this game more accessible, like the ability to fire your weapon diagonally. I get wanting to be true to the original games, but come on. Evolve with the times. This game came out in 2006. The ability to fire diagonally was the very least thing they could have done.

Instead we get upgrades no one asked for, like the ability to double jump and use a shield. I guess double jumping is a good upgrade, but when you can't adjust your jump mid-air it makes Arthur wildly uncontrollable, and almost makes it harder to complete routine jumps.

In typical Ghosts 'n Goblins fashion, the game isn't over when you make it to the end of the game. No, no no. You have to go back to the beginning of the game and collect 22 gold rings that have been hidden throughout the game's stages. I had collected, like six of them on my first attempt. The thought of going back and scouring each stage to collect 16 more of them was NOT my idea of a good time, especially considering I wasn't even having any fun to begin with.

And then I find out that once you collect all 22 and make it to the end, you have to go back to the beginning of the game and collect 11 more! Ummmmmm: no. I said screw this. I'll look up the ending of the game on YouTube and call it a day.

Anyone who is a loyal reader of this blog should know that this is not typically the way I operate. I can count on one hand how many of my 415 reviews I've completed without actually finishing the game. Jet Force Gemini comes to mind, because it has a similarly annoying game mechanic. Honestly, I'm struggling to think of any others. I'm a stickler for actually completing a game before moving onto the next one. But sometimes there are exceptions. And this game is one of them.

I just couldn't anymore. I had to move on. And I'm completely okay with that.

Graphics:

Visually, this game is great. It looks like a PS1 game. The world of Ghosts 'n Goblins is made for 3D. The characters, the enemies, the items, everything looks so cute and charming with polygonal graphics.

The stages really steal the show, with the lively backgrounds and the eye popping special effects. I'm a big fan. Too bad the game isn't any fun to play.

Sound:

Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins some really good music, but I don't think it is anywhere on the level of the 8 and 16-bit versions of the game. Those games have such iconic musical tracks. This game's music just comes across as a not-quite-as-good copycat.

The sound effects are decent. I really can't complain at all about how this game looks or sounds. They did a really good job delivering a new entry to the series that really captures the essence of the originals' presentation.

Again, I just wish it was more fun to play.

Overall:

I've already said it several times now, but I'll go ahead and say it again: I wish this game was more fun. It has all the trappings of a great game. It's a resurrection of a franchise I enjoy, complete with updated music, graphics, sound effects, and stage design. There are quality of life improvements, such as being able to save your game so you don't have to beat it all in one sitting. There are power ups and character upgrades galore. You can even equip your character with different shields and other items.

But what good is all that if the game isn't any fun? I really, really struggled with this one. It took me almost three weeks to trudge my way through this game - and even then I didn't complete it 100%. The game asks you to play through the whole thing multiple times in order to get the true ending, and I just don't have that in me. I'll keep my save file active in case I ever decide to come back, but I highly doubt that will ever happen.

Life is too short, and there are too many other great games out there that you could be playing. I cannot in good faith recommend this to anyone, even to fans of the classic series. I see that this game is fairly well-reviewed online, so I must not be seeing what everyone else is seeing. I won't say the game is a complete failure. It does do a lot of things the right way, which I'll try to reflect in my final grade. It's just not my cup of tea, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

THE GRADE:

D+

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