All the way back in 1985, the Capcom classic ‘Ghosts ‘n Goblins’ emerged in the arcades and became notorious for its punishing and unforgiving, but addictive gameplay which had many players inserting just one more credit to try their luck and complete their quest. The game saw various sequels and spinoffs over the decades, as well as a few crossovers with Arthur and Firebrand appearing in other series including ‘Marvel vs Capcom’ and ‘Project X Zone’. Originally released on the Nintendo Switch back in February 2021, Capcom’s latest entry in the franchise, ‘Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection’ is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Much like the previous games, the story is the classic hero setting off an adventure to save the damsel in distress. As Arthur, a brave and noble knight, was relaxing peacefully under a tree, wearing only his boxer shorts with his armour by his side, the Princess approaches him before suddenly, they witness their land and kingdom being engulfed in flames and consumed by darkness. While the tragic events unfold before their eyes, a dark, demonic, and shadowy figure appears and takes the princess away. Without a second thought, Arthur throws on his armour and enters the Demon Realm to rescue the Princess. Sir Arthur is ready for battle!

‘Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection’ serves as a reboot to the series, giving the game’s design and presentation a big overhaul, but stays true to the Ghosts ‘n Goblins’ 2D, side-scrolling gameplay. Fans of the classic games will immediately feel right at home, as they take control of Arthur and battle their way through hordes of zombies, ogres, and other monsters of various shapes and sizes, with the largest being the boss battles at the end of each stage that will test the players’ courage.

Arthur comes equipped with his armour and lance, with more weapons to be found during the game, as well as magical abilities that can be upgraded by collecting fireflies in each stage. Each weapon and magic ability have their advantages and disadvantages and after some trial and error, players will learn which is best suited for the situation. Unlike the original games in the series, Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection provides four different difficulty settings instead of just one.

Players can choose between Page, Squire, Knight, and Legend, with the last one being just as hard and challenging as the arcade classics, with Arthur only being able to endure two hits before meeting his demise. Legend mode is highly recommended for long-time fans, but of course, it isn’t for everyone. Going for an easier setting will help players learn the game’s mechanics, the various types of enemies, and the layout of each stage without constantly dying and trying again. Arthur will also be able to survive multiple hits instead of just two. There is no health meter on display, instead, it’s represented by the amount of armour remaining on Arthur and when he’s left with only his boxers on, that means he can only take one more hit. Even with the easier settings to give you more chances at success, the platforming side of things is still no walk in the park.

A 2-player mode is also available which can be enabled before the next stage begins or even in the pause screen during the game. Player 2 acts as an assist to Player 1 and will take control of one of three ancestral spirits known as ‘The Three Wise Men’ named Barry, Kerry, and Archie. They each have their own unique abilities and Player 2 can switch between them anytime during the game. Barry can fire a single projectile and create a barrier around Arthur to shield him from enemy attacks. Kerry can fire a projectile that falls downward and can even carry Arthur to those hard-to-reach platforms. Archie can also fire three projectiles at once and can even build a magical bridge for Arthur to run across. Each of the magic abilities does have a limit however and needs to recharge between each use. Unfortunately, there is no online co-op play available.

Even with only seven stages to get through, each stage is incredibly different and unique from one another, with their own hazards and obstacles to overcome. This helps keep the game feeling fresh, exciting and not feel repetitive at all. Each stage also has a shadow version of them, which changes up the enemy types and even adds elemental effects to make the game just that more challenging than it already is. The Umbral Tree can be accessed between each stage allowing players to unlock more abilities and there’s even a list of challenges in the main menu that details the conditions on how to complete them, which is perfect for the completionists out there. All of this just gives the game a ton of replay value.

The overall art style and presentation look incredible with its bright, colourful, and detailed 2D sprite animation. Even though the graphics and animation have that flash game feel, it actually seems to go really well with a Ghosts ‘n Goblins game, since it has a medieval fantasy theme. The game’s soundtrack pays homage and gives a modern take to the classic tunes from the original games, giving that feeling of nostalgia which will really please long-time fans.

Capcom has a huge library of classic games, so it’s great to see them bring back one of their iconic titles (and not repeatedly cancel it like some of the Mega Man games). Hopefully, this will even lead to them bringing back more of their long-forgotten games. ‘Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection’ is a modern take on the arcade classic that also stays true to its roots. The unforgiving and addictive gameplay will please long-time fans and the easier difficulty settings will appeal to new players as well. Sir Arthur is back and ready for battle!

Written by: Sammy Hanson