We’re not introducing him anymore. The world’s most famous mecha is finally being offered a game that will allow everyone to make Fulguro fists at will. Goldorak, Le Festin Des Loups is finally available, and Microids is responsible for the title. OK, so we’re talking about a mecha that no one under the age of 20 can possibly know…
Goldorak the great…
Goldorak is a bit like the license that nobody wanted to adapt, as the universe, the character etc. made the task complicated. And yet the little French studio behind it decided to go for it. Endroad offers us their adaptation of the anime with their visions.
So we find our heroes during the Feast of the Wolves arc. So, yes, there’s nothing new or original here – we’re on familiar ground. We meet Duke Fleed, Prince of Euphor, at the time of his planet’s destruction. Condemned, he must flee to plot his revenge with an ancient machine called Goldorak. The only weapon ready to help mankind against the Vegas who want to conquer the galaxy.
There’s nothing original here, as the studio preferred to stick to what’s known and adapt the universe faithfully. Right down to the narration. The crazy thing is that the sound effects are the same as in the series, and the title is fully dubbed in French too! What’s more, having the official soundtrack means you’re totally caught up in the game.
Well, if fans are totally in a trance. But what about the gameplay? Yes, that’s what we’re interested in here. Well, it’s a fairly demanding beat ’em all mixed with ship-based shoot ’em up and the occasional rail shooter… Yes… 3 different gameplays. And we had to, as the basic anime already mixes all this up.
… The great Goldorak !
The mix of gameplay is fascinating, as it helps to break the rhythm of the title and allows you to pause between different important moments in the game. On the one hand, there’s the classic Beat ’em all, where you smash your enemies with all the power of Goldorak. But there’s also a healthy dose of difficulty, as the enemies don’t just need to be hit over and over again. Some require a variety of combos to get the better of them.
Add to this a sky-based gameplay based on classic shooter mechanics. This is perhaps the most unsuccessful part of the title, since you’ll be doing nothing but shooting at everything without doing anything else. Suffice it to say that this is quite a change from the small open world that the game offers.
Last but not least, you’ll also need to collect various materials throughout your adventure to upgrade Goldorak and his equipment. With each map offering a new feature, it’s a real pleasure to customize your robot.
Graphically, the game isn’t exactly a slap in the face. But it’s consistent with the series’ graphic style. It’s quite pretty overall, and fans won’t deny it. Not the game of the year, but a fine tribute!
Finally, Microids has succeeded in its gamble by choosing the studio behind the game. And they’ve given us the best of all Goldorak titles. A faithful adaptation that doesn’t distort the source material. And let’s hope for an even better sequel in the future.
