It has been about 14 years since the last time Strider Hiryu appeared in a proper “Strider” game. But 2014 is the year of new beginnings, and the long-awaited and much anticipated new title in the “Strider” series has revealed itself. The new game, simply titled “Strider,” is a platforming action-adventure game in the vein of such titles as “Metroid” and “Castlevania.” The more you progress the more you’ll need to acquire additional abilities to continue further on.

“Strider” is not a remake of the arcade game by the same name; it’s more of a reimagining of the arcade classic. The story is based off the original, but the gameplay has been updated to that of a nonlinear experience. As mentioned, in order to progress through the game you must acquire upgrades to bolster Strider Hiryu’s abilities and fight off hordes of mechanized soldiers. “Strider” was developed by Double Helix, the company responsible for the latest “Killer Instinct” game. This is also the same studio that was recently purchased by Internet retail giant Amazon.

Hiryu is tasked with finding and assassinating Grandmaster Meio, the ruler of Kazakh city, which is really just a thinly veiled stand in for a Soviet era Russia. Along the way, you encounter classic “Strider” enemies: the Tong Pooh sisters, Solo the bounty hunter and General Mikiel, to name a few. As the best agent of the Striders, Hiryu enters the city alone to complete his mission.

The game adopts a very stylized aesthetic that includes highly reflective surfaces and sparks everywhere. The 2.5D rendering of Hiryu and the city of Kazakh look beautiful when you take the time to stand around and admire the view. However, things can get a bit confusing as you traverse the city, with some obstacles appearing to be in the background when they are really in the foreground with you and vice versa. Traversing Kazakh feels quick and easy. Even at the beginning of the game Hiryu has the ability to climb up any normal wall or even travel along the ceiling. Granted, some walls and ceilings have booby traps on them to prevent you from proceeding further until you acquire an upgrade that allows you to bypass such obstacles.

The best part is how the game feels as a whole. The gameplay is fast and frenetic, and makes you feel awesome. Hiryu wields his trusty Cypher, which is essentially a bladed tonfa. Each press of the attack button equals one swing of Hiryu’s Cypher, so mashing the attack button causes Hiryu to swing repeatedly, allowing him to slice and dice any enemy foolish enough to stand in front of him. Throughout the game, the Cypher receives various upgrades, one of which gives you the ability to reflect enemy projectiles. So initially, if you aren’t careful you’ll be shot down by hordes of respawning enemies. The good news is there are many health pickups scattered around the maps.

As you travel through the city, you’ll encounter hordes upon hordes of respawning enemies and you’ll quickly start to notice the lack of variety in enemy types. There are a handful of enemy types: soldiers, turrets, flying turrets and behemoths are the most common groups you’ll deal with throughout the game. As you progress further, however, the enemies begin to grow stronger as Hiryu becomes stronger himself. The only way to tell if you’re up against stronger enemies is by paying attention to what color they are.

“Strider” is an action-packed downloadable title that is sure to supply hours of entertainment. The large maps are fun to explore as you unlock more of Hiryu’s abilities, and the fast-paced combat is loads of fun. It’s remakes such as these that are truly exciting; seeing a classic character come to life on modern consoles is a sight to behold. As wonderful as the game is, there are still a few flaws. But none of them are big enough to really detract from the game as a whole.

Although “Strider” can be beaten in around six hours, there’s a lot to do in the game. Collectibles are hidden all throughout Kazakh that range from concept art to palette swap costumes for Hiryu. For the price, “Strider” is worth the cost.

“Strider” is out now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Unleash your inner ninja bada– today.

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