Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Gargoyles delivers a classic side‐scrolling platform experience that immediately feels familiar to fans of 16-bit era adventures. You guide Goliath through 18 distinct levels, each brimming with traps, enemies and environmental puzzles. The game’s core mechanic—climbing gothic structures—adds verticality to stages, allowing you to scale walls and avoid projectiles in ways that most platformers of its time simply didn’t.

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The move set is satisfyingly robust. Goliath can perform mid-air claw strikes, grounded slashes and a powerful somersault that smashes through crumbling walls or barriers. This gives combat a layered feel: you’ll plan whether to approach foes on the ground or drop in from above for a surprise attack. Boss encounters—ranging from hulking Viking warriors to mechanically enhanced Raptorbots—challenge you to adapt your tactics and master the timing of each ability.

Time‐travel elements keep the gameplay fresh. As Goliath journeys through 1,000 years of history in pursuit of the Eye of Odin, environments shift from medieval castles to futuristic cityscapes bristling with Spiderbots and Waspbots. Each era introduces new hazards and platforming gimmicks, ensuring that even late‐game levels maintain a sense of discovery and difficulty progression.

The difficulty curve is well-balanced. Early levels serve as a concise tutorial on climbing, attacking and somersaulting, while later stages ratchet up enemy density and level design complexity. Checkpoints are generously placed, but precise platforming and strategic use of Goliath’s abilities remain crucial—making victory all the more rewarding.

Graphics

Visually, Gargoyles captures the dark, brooding atmosphere of its Disney Afternoon predecessor. Backgrounds are richly detailed, featuring sweeping cityscapes, gargoyle-lined cathedral spires and the stormy skies that hint at the game’s supernatural undertones. The color palette shifts appropriately with each time period, providing visual cues that heighten immersion.

Sprite animations are fluid and expressive. Goliath’s winged silhouette and muscular frame are faithfully rendered, and his attack animations convey a satisfying sense of weight. Enemies like the mechanical Spiderbots twitch and skitter in a way that feels convincingly robotic, while Viking marauders lumber with a menacing gait.

Stage transitions and parallax scrolling add depth to the side‐scrolling action. As you move through a level, foreground elements occasionally obscure the path, creating dynamic set pieces where your line of sight shifts. This design choice not only looks impressive but also introduces moments of suspense when hidden enemies or traps are about to strike.

Cutscenes between chapters leverage hand-drawn art reminiscent of the TV series. Although brief, they do a fine job of advancing the plot and providing context for Goliath’s time-leap journey. Overall, the game’s presentation feels polished for its era and remains a highlight for anyone who appreciates 2D platform visuals.

Story

The narrative of Gargoyles revolves around a familiar yet compelling premise: an ancient evil artifact threatening the world. As the leader of the Manhattan Clan, Goliath is drawn from slumber by the prophecy of the Eye of Odin. From there, you embark on a quest through the ages to avert global catastrophe.

What sets the story apart is its faithful adherence to the tone of the 1994-97 animated series. Themes of loyalty, destiny and sacrifice permeate the dialogue in the game’s interludes. Although cutscenes are relatively brief, they effectively introduce each time period and underscore Goliath’s unwavering resolve in the face of supernatural and technological threats.

Time travel provides a narrative framework that justifies varied level themes and enemy types. One moment you’re battling Viking berserkers in a frost-bitten courtyard; the next you’re dodging laser fire from a Raptorbots assembly line. This variety keeps the story moving at a brisk pace and prevents the quest from ever feeling static.

While the storyline doesn’t delve into the deeper mythos of supporting characters from the show, it offers enough context to satisfy returning fans and newcomers alike. The emphasis remains squarely on Goliath’s heroism and the dramatic stakes of his mission, culminating in a climactic confrontation with the power behind the Eye of Odin.

Overall Experience

Gargoyles stands out as a well-crafted platformer that balances challenge, aesthetic appeal and narrative drive. Its 18 levels feel substantial without overstaying their welcome, and the escalating difficulty ensures that both casual players and platforming veterans find reasons to stay engaged. The control scheme is tight, making Goliath’s varied moves feel intuitive from the very first stage.

Fans of the original TV series will appreciate the authenticity of the game’s atmosphere and character portrayal. Even without the benefit of voice acting, the hand-drawn art and scripted cutscenes evoke the show’s dramatic flair. Newcomers will find a robust platformer that stands on its own merits, with responsive mechanics and inventive level design.

Replay value is driven by the desire to master every move, uncover hidden areas and conquer more efficient routes through later levels. Speedrunners, in particular, may take pleasure in exploiting Goliath’s somersault and wall-cling abilities to shave seconds off each stage. The absence of a lives system means you can experiment freely without fear of starting completely over.

Ultimately, Gargoyles is a standout title for anyone seeking an old-school, side-scrolling challenge infused with fantasy and time-travel flair. Whether you’re drawn in by the Disney Afternoon nostalgia or simply love finely tuned 2D platformers, this game delivers an engaging adventure that’s well worth adding to your collection.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10