Hagane: The Final Conflict (1994)

Hagane is the type of game that follows in the roots of a very similar series (Shinobi) but does enough mechanically and aesthetically to stand apart and in ways as a superior title to its roots.

In a very complicated story that one will find in the manual, the player is cast as a cyborg ninja (named Hagane) formerly in a faction of the Fuma clan, which was destroyed by the evil Koma clan in a plan to get the Holy Grail. After resurrected by cyber tech, Hagane returns to take vengeance on the clan.

Across 5 "Stages" that are split into 4-5 levels each, the player will quickly make their way through difficult gauntlets of combat and even more difficult platforming segments. The player has four different types of main weapons at their disposal (sword, grappling hook, and consumable kunai/grenades) that can be used very handily based on short distance, long distance, or hanging to ceilings. There are also a variety of advanced moves that can allow for a variety of gameplay tactics but they're more stylized than essential. Hagane can drop kick on enemies and bounce on them like a pogo stick, charge a somersault (with very awkward invulnerability frames) with varying levels of special punch/kick attacks. Some of these can lay the pain on enemies/bosses and pass through difficult situations but attempting them is usually more trouble than it's worth.

Hagane also has an air dash that is done with very specific timing after an initial jump. If done correctly, the player can gain a lot of horizontal ground, bounce off walls, and move more quickly through the air. This is a really cool and much more responsive technique than the Shinobi games but the platforming in this game can vary based on level design. It's great in open levels when Hagane can cover a lot of ground and bounce off of enemies and hang to ceilings but there are some miserable upward shafts that will definitely test the player's patience and memorization skills.

Given the array of challenges squished into a quick game, the game opts for a continue system that gives players room to breathe in between batches of levels should they lose lives, since they will lose a LOT of lives on specific segments. Caves, forests, factories, fortresses, and a very awesome hovercraft segment await the player but things can be tricky and uneven in some places (the auto-scroll of deadly pits, that upward shaft, a murder wall or two) but there's light exploration, mine carts, and enemy gauntlets that are a blast to play through.

The bosses are also gorgeously made and very fun to fight. While the player can try to get a good somersault charge on them the attack patterns are challenging but not frustrating enough that the player has to rely on rote memorization. Whether it's drop kicking on your rival, tossing grenades at the sky unicorn from afar, or finding the best way to get close enough to slashing a deceptive hologram, these fights are well worth fighting.

Music and graphics-wise the game is very moody and exciting. Music seems subtle at first but is very peppy and high quality, and the background environments can show some excellent vistas. A lot of enemies are inspired by ancient Japanese culture and apart from the excellent array of bosses you'll run into homing monks, castle gunships, and hulking warriors that are used repeatedly across the game but never feel old due to the game's quick length. The game is also smooth to play, which ensures great action.

Hagane is a game that has a lot of great potential and is executed in a way that ends up being much more fun than its faults. Platforming segments aside the game has a variety of fun combat techniques that can be done for style or strategy as the player finds the quickest way to tear through their foes. Oh, and did I forget to mention this is one of the few SNES games I know of with a full button remapping menu?