Inti Creates often ends up being known for two types of games. One is the kind of 2D run-and-gun titles of the type Azur Striker Gunvolt, zero master blasterthere mega man. The other is full of fanservice. gallon gun rail shooters. So… what happens if you mix the two? Turns out you get a 2D, step-based, Castlevania-issue star characters from gallon gun. Although it falls short of the heights of the always impressive Azur Striker Gunvoltit can be quite fun.
Set in the same world as Gal Gun: Double PeaceShinobu Kamizono and his younger sister Maya are both demon hunters and high school students. When Kurona gains infinite power, she uses it to transform the Demon World into the real world, turning Sakurazaki Academy into her castle and leaving the students captured inside. The sisters use their unique spiritual abilities to find out how Kurona developed these abilities, defeat the monsters and demons lurking throughout the building, and hopefully restore a sense of normalcy.
Remember how Inti Creates worked on both Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Games? You will after playing Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge for a moment. Although I would say both are superior, the same kind of DNA is infused into this project. While you’ll eventually acquire weapons and abilities that make returning to completed levels appealing, each area you pass through is essentially treated as a separate “step” in the castle. This gives the impression that some of the oldest Castlevania type of titles, rather than a real Metroidvanias.
Shinobu and Maya have unique abilities, very similar to characters from Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, which provide more tactical options when approaching situations. Shinobu can attack from a distance and tends to equip secondary weapons that deal ranged damage. She also has more health. However, her ranged weapon will eventually need to be reloaded and doesn’t deal as much damage as Maya’s more direct attacks. Maya, on the other hand, is more fragile health-wise, but hits much harder and has secondary weapons that can create protective shields that damage enemies or deal more stationary damage at close range.
Having two heroines also means different approaches to levels. There is a two-player co-op mode, which lets people take on the challenge together. When both sisters are alive and a gauge is full, you can use an overpowered special attack to damage all enemies in front of them on the screen. However, if you are playing solo, you can swap between the two heroines. It also allows for a kind of “second chance” system, like if one dies, the other will appear at the start of the most recent room you entered and can go to your sister and perform CPR for the ” revive” with some health. . .
I would almost say that this, like other elements, can leave Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge feel a little comfortable. That’s not too long, as I ended up beating all eight of its levels in nearly seven hours. Characters eventually grow in strength, making them more fearsome. Shinobu even takes on a healer role after a point. The boss fights feature fairly predictable patterns, and it wasn’t until the last quarter of the game that I broke a sweat. It’s also very straightforward overall, and as long as you lean into the character’s strengths and change frequently, it’s never too creative when it comes to level design or enemy approaches.
However, Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge this is great for referencing your source material. As a nod to that old school, and full of female students, you’ll often find classmates to rescue! In addition to Shinobu, Maya and Kurona, other characters from the gallon gun series appear. When they do, they are smartly referenced. They’ll also end up in recurring casual locations, so you’ll still be able to see your “friends.” While there’s something of a minimalist approach to sprites, the returning cast members are distinctive and familiar. There are also multiple endings, which is a fun bonus.
I would say that Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge is a great snack for lovers of Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs or games adjacent to Metroidvania. It’s a brief distraction, which isn’t a bad thing! In a world where so many games can last 20-40 hours, sometimes I want something silly and fun to keep me busy for a night or two. I really appreciated what Inti Creates achieved with the generally lovely Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge.
Shadow Guardians: Demonic Purge is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and PC.