Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro Reviews
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro took the risk of continuing a saga more than two decades after the original, keeping the same standard, both aesthetic and functional, as it could easily be taxed as old or outdated. Fortunately, the game proved to be challenging, well-made and quite satisfying, for those who persist in the mission and don't get discouraged easily.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Despite some occasional slowdown and framerate shenanigans Ganryu 2 is beautifully animated and moves around at a fair old lick, and the whole package is just a gorgeous neo-retro arcade treat.
A return to the past twenty-three years in the future. Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro is a tasty arcade game well understood and transferred pure to our days. Action and platforms, Strider and Revenge of Shinobi, VISCO and StoryBird Studio, Japan and France respectfully shake hands and achieve a game that continues to shine today with everyone and because of its values from past times.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ganryu 2 is incredibly difficult but it presents the ideal blend of challenge and satisfying action so you'll keep coming back after getting your ass kicked over and over again. With loads of secrets and a pitch-perfect presentation, this is one swanky old-school ninja game.
Among many classic games I was always drawn to in the arcades, Shinobi just seemed to scratch an itch for a certain sort of action and challenge...
At the risk of sounding like the typical scratched record begging for a difficulty slider, Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro is the kind of game that would have been a lot more enjoyable if it actually had one. It gets so many things right, namely its great visuals and controls, but some of its difficulty spikes, most notably its obnoxious boss fights, will frustrate a lot of players.
A sequel 23 years after the original Neo-Geo that maintains its essence of arcade action and platforming, but without giving up some good artistic improvements in high definition.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Ganryu 2 lives up to its predecessor, presenting itself with some tailor-made differences by Storybird Studio. A constant challenge to our patience and concentration, with a fair duration that more than justifies the price asked. Without a doubt a title to be considered for lovers of the genre and/or the saga.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Fortunately, the controls are tight and slashing baddies feels great in that old school button-mashing kind of way. The level design is largely enjoyable as well, offering hidden paths, secrets, and a good amount of variety in both visuals and gameplay. Meanwhile, the boss battles are consistently intense and require some serious precision later on — a dangerous mix if you're already struggling with Ganryu 2's stiff challenge, but rewarding to overcome all the same.
If you’re up for a challenge and fondly remember classic action games like Shinobi 3 or Strider, you’d be wise to pick Ganryu 2 up. It looks and plays great; aside from some bouts of slowdown and a dearth of options, there’s nothing really to complain about. And best of all, it’s available at a price that won’t break the bank.
Ganryu 2 is not a AAA masterpiece. But it is a very fun adventure that smells like pure Arcade era. It has some minor issues, like the short gameplay time and the problems with the wall bouncing mechanics, but I really enjoyed playing it. I recommend you not to miss it especially if you catch it at an affordable price.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Ganryu 2 succeeds in its goal to continue the legacy of the arcade, however, it’s dragged down by the shackles that come with it. Its failure to take inspiration from modern games means that it struggles to compete with contemporaries. The presentation is stunning and the levels are well designed, varying throughout. However, the stiff movement and lack of continues can make this a laborious experience.
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro is a stunning looking sequel that excels in how a game in the genre should be designed in relation to enemies and levels.
However, as it stands now on Switch, Ganryu 2 isn’t in a good shape at all, even with the recent patch: more balancing needs to be done, and that framerate needs stabilization. No longer a chaotic mess like it used to be, and it has glimmers of a fun gameplay loop, but alas, this quest for revenge should be held off on, for the time being at least
Ganryu 2: Hakuma Kojiro gives us one of the most mystifying pieces of software to hit the public domain in recent times. If it could muster even a stable 30 FPS, it would likely be a commendable arcade action adventure, featuring nice mechanics, stage variety, large bosses and pleasing graphics. Possibly, even, a highlight in its genre. As it stands, it's so confusing a technical train wreck that we can barely make sense of why it's been released in this condition. Should a patch materialise that resolves these issues entirely you can add at least three points to our current score, but at present technical problems gravely undermine the positives.