Gargoyle's Quest II

Playing as an enemy you have killed a dozen times in another game has a peculiar charm. In Gargoyle's Quest II you take on the role of Firebrand, a winged demon from the ranks of the Red Arremers, the scourge of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series. Capcom took a secondary monster here and built a surprisingly thoughtful game around it, one that blends platforming with role-playing and adventure elements.

The title was developed by Capcom as a sequel to a game that originally appeared on the Game Boy, and as a prequel to the series' story. Gargoyle's Quest II is split into two layers. In one, you traverse a world map and visit towns where you talk to characters, complete quests and push the story forward. In the other, you dive into action platforming levels where you make full use of Firebrand's abilities, especially his brief hovering and his ability to cling to walls, which makes the controls markedly different from the usual heroes of the genre.

The combination of flying, clinging to walls and firing fire projectiles gives the game a unique sense of movement. Firebrand gradually gains new abilities and upgrades that open up previously inaccessible paths, so the game has a pleasant flavour of growing empowerment. The boss battles are demanding and require you to master the flying demon's specific movement to perfection.

Culturally, Gargoyle's Quest II is interesting as an example of a spin-off that was not afraid to step out of the shadow of its parent series and build its own identity. An annoying enemy became a likeable antihero, and with it Capcom proved that even a marginal character can carry an entire game. The series later continued with Demon's Crest on the SNES, which took this lineage to its visual and mechanical peak.

Today Gargoyle's Quest II ranks among the prized, if less heavily hyped, titles in the NES library. For Ghosts 'n Goblins fans it is a fascinating look at the world from the other side, and for everyone else a fresh action platformer with an unconventional hero and a clever structure.

Why play: For the chance to play as a demon from Ghosts 'n Goblins in a thoughtful blend of platforming and adventure with unconventional airborne movement.