Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection

It takes some great steps in the right direction in terms of modernizing this series – but it doesn't quite stick the landing. [Issue #52 – May/June 2021, p. 22]

In the end, Resurrection works well as a reboot of the original IP, but nostalgia can only carry it so far. If the overall difficulty felt a little more fair and a lot less mean-spirited, I would recommended it to anyone looking for a challenging platformer. However, the contract Resurrection wants the player to sign on to is a Faustian one, demanding patience, and perhaps a small bit of one’s sanity.

In short, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is a glamorous reimagining of a 1985 classic, which is why lots of owners of the Nintendo Entertainment System fell in love with it. The visuals are renewed and it's a challenging experience that will put the patience of any player to the test. Sir Arthur is back in a way that will make you think of the possibility of seeing new things popping up for the future.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is just as mean as it used to be. Thankfully you've got option now to change the difficulty level a bit.

Ghosts' n Goblins Resurrection is a great throwback with fresh ideas, accessibility for all types of players, and original art-book visuals. Its greatest failure are its controls since they can only be described as "frustrating".

If you are a fan of the Ghosts 'n Goblins franchise, you'll love Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection. This is not a "casual" game by any stretch, but it does provide a challenging experience that has been mostly forgotten in a more modern style of video games. Making it through even the first stage is an accomplishment and successfully completing the game will leave you with the same feeling of invincibility that you felt when you beat a game on hard more as a kid.

The general difficulty of Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is ultimately what will make players either love or hate it. If you have treasured memories of playing earlier games in the series and yearn for another adventure with Arthur, go to the eStore and buy Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection right now. You’ll likely become besotted with it, you really will. If this will be your first Ghosts ‘n Goblins rodeo, however, be wary before you part with your money. It’s an experience that can feel like heaven or hell depending on your perspective. Put it this way: it makes Dark Souls seem like a walk in the park.

I get the impression, too, that Resurrection's default difficulty of Knight is harder than what I played on the original Ghosts 'n Goblins, its arcade sequel, and the Mega Drive port of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, which I adored way back when. I've been dabbling in Capcom's new Arcade Stadium collection on Switch, which features the arcade versions of Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, but I haven't played it enough yet (I bought it, so it's for my downtime, not for review work) to really know where Resurrection sits in terms of overall toughness, and in regard to a series 'ranking' - but after a few runs through its devilish dangers, it's made quite the impression. I'm just glad I'm not paying for it with my pocket money, nowadays.

This long dormant franchise gets a rebirth on the Switch, and while it struggles to consistently hit that tough but fair sweet spot, there's enough charm in this brutal old-school platformer to warrant a look in.

And that’s why the addition of Page and Squire difficulty modes is the biggest redeeming factor for this game. Those easier options are there if you need them so you can enjoy the game no matter what your skill level is. All the while, Knight and Legend modes offer an adequate challenge for long-time fans of the franchise.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is exactly what fans of the original titles are looking for. There's nothing quite like taking on a level, learning its patterns, and triumphing over them with practice. For those without the time to replay sections, the casual difficulties will still provide an engaging and rewarding platforming experience (and Page was the mode we played most and found most enjoyable). That means there is a little bit of something here for everyone. With a title like Resurrection, there's a big promise being made to fans of the series - and more often than not, Ghost 'n Goblins Resurrection delivers on that promise.

Difficult, unfair and bloody like the classic installments. A song of love for them, with a new packaging but with the same simple demands. If you liked them and you are in for a challenge, go ahead ... if you dare.

Yes, the enthusiasm of the 80s is gone. But this still is solid old school entertainment.

Capcom and Fujiwara are resurrecting a legendary hard series and it is a success. They found a middle ground between tradition and modernity. Ghosts and Goblins Resurrection is indeed really smooth on Switch but some enemies and platform phases are really hard and random which makes the experience sometimes unfair. It's definitely not a game for everyone.

Like its predecessors, Resurrection isn’t for everyone. Different difficulty levels help soften the blow, but if you’re playing on anything tougher than Paige mode, you’re going to die. A lot. Still, it’s tremendously satisfying when you finally beat a hard-as-nails boss or a tough stage, even if the sheer number of enemies and obstacles to overcome often feels unfair. This is a good-looking remake with plenty of new sights to take in, even if I’ve got a feeling that most won’t get to see them.

With its limited controls, sluggish protagonist, unnecessary, frustrating deaths, and overall tendency to cling to the past too much, Ghosts ‘N Goblins Resurrection is a game either for masochists or die-hard fans of the franchise. There are plenty of platformers out there that are much better at bringing the old-school look and feel into present day. [05/2021, p.36]

Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrection's uncompromising approach will appeal to many, and the new visuals and additional features go a long way.

Ghosts 'n Goblins is a classic that has stood the test of time. Unfortunately, the same thing can't be said about Resurrection as it takes a bit too many missteps in trying to bring the arcade classic into the modern age.

Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrection is a bona fide niche title that will only hold appeal to the masochistic. Even on its easiest setting, where dying leads to an instant respawn, I can’t have fun with a game that amounts to slamming your head against a rock wall. It might have been better for Capcom and Nintendo to make the original games available through the Nintendo Online service because Resurrection is an experience modified to make it somewhat more digestible to a new audience. Choosing different difficulties is a nice touch but after beating the game on Page, which was insane even with no-cost respawning, what incentive did I have to go back and do it all again while adding even more painful roadblocks? Yeah, no thanks. I’m too old to put up for this sort of thing now.

All told, the nostalgia rush of reliving a classic game is enough to make Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection a worthwhile experience, but the game's underwhelming design decisions may make some players bust out an NES Classic to enjoy the original Ghosts 'n Goblins instead. It has some unique concepts of its own, but those can only carry it so far.

Had the gameplay been tuned up a bit more I could see myself recommending this, but unfortunately, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is one game that feels like it came back from the dead a little too soon.

Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is much more frustrating than fun, and it’s unfortunate because the look of the game, and the amount of replayability is quite high, with 31 in-game challenges to shoot for.

A needlessly stringent remake of the original two arcade classics that is just as frustratingly difficult as ever, although it does have a neat co-op mode.

Fans of classic arcade games will almost certainly be eager to jump into Arthur’s sluggish boots again for another romp through this classic adventure. For those on the fence, the best approach may be to download the original game in Capcom’s Arcade Stadium and see how it feels. Resurrection captures everything about Ghosts ‘n Goblins, warts and all, with little to no compromise.