Strider Hands-on: Remember Your Ninja Training

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Strider Hands-on: Remember Your Ninja Training

Amidst a flurry of snow and the lazy trundle of passing airships, Strider Hiryu blazes across the screen, cutting down any and all that stand in his way. This classic ninja hero returns in Strider, a rebirth of the side-scrolling classic made famous in late ’80s arcades. The new Strider, which launches in early 2014 for PS3 and PS4, enhances the fast-paced spectacle of the original with HD visuals, while preserving the frantic combat and momentum that long-time fans will fondly remember.

Set in a dark and oppressed future, the world suffers under the tyranny of Grand Master Meio, the complete ruler of the planet. Players control Strider Hiryu, along with his indestructible Cypher weapon, in order to terminate Meio and restore balance to Earth’s governments. As the youngest Special-A Class recruit in the Strider program, Hiryu catapults into this mission, empowering players with a variety of eye-searing attacks.

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Strider is a side-scrolling action platformer, set on one sprawling map. Similar to other RPG-influenced side scrollers, like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Hiryu advances through the campaign by defeating enemies, vanquishing bosses, and collecting new power-ups that enable you to further explore once-sealed secrets.

Despite its open-ended nature, Strider pushes players along at a breakneck pace, as Hiryu leaps and swings his Cypher about as fast as you can push the attack button. Enemy units fall to pieces in the face of Hiryu’s weapon, and plowing through troops creates a satisfying rush that’s almost as thrilling as the visual spectacle of it all.

The pace accelerates with the presence of a combo meter at the bottom of the screen, which builds as Hiryu dispatches his foes. Fill it, and Hiryu enters a rage state, improving his already devastating attacks.

As you advance in Strider, Hiryu learns new techniques to employ against Meio’s forces, including a sliding dash and a reflect skill for his Cypher, which returns incoming fire towards enemy units. The Cypher will also feature elemental upgrades, like an explosive charge that sets Hiryu’s unfortunate opponents ablaze.

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Of course, Strider wouldn’t be complete without a few bosses to cut down to size. For example: climb up a mechanical serpent as it sails through the snowy air, dodging pulses of electricity and homing missiles. Nothing our trusty Strider Hiryu can’t handle — and he looks good doing it!

Strider is launching early next year for PS3 and PS4 on PlayStation Store. Capcom is targeting full 1080p visuals and 60 frames per second for the PS4 version, which can only make Hiryu’s high-speed mission all the better.

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34 Comments

3 Author Replies

  • the game looks kool but its made by double helix… im not trusting this game yet.

    also ryan, when can we hear more about FF15!!! dying for that one. (still im super mad sony let such an exclusive title go multiplat)

  • Loved the original in the Arcade and on my Genesis. PLEASE don’t screw this up.

  • If it’s good, I will buy it.

    Long time fan of Strider, such a cool character, has never really been given the AAA treatment by Capcom. Here’s hoping it turns out great.

  • @DarkOne_PR

    Killer Instinct looks and plays great, so by all accounts, I think they’ve turned themselves around quite a bit. All the impressions for Strider have been great, as well.

  • Ugh… killer instinct its one of the reasons i dont trust them. they have killed everything killer instinct in the game.
    Thunder its a grappler? LOL! since when that happen? LoL and the playing style its like the button smasher counterpart of street fighter 4 including the graphics and character appearance. DLC game free to play…. lol! not counting that one as a good game for them.

  • PLEASE Capcom, make the original Arcade Strider a unlockable. And while you’re at that, please add PS1’s Strider 2.

  • This game would be perfect for the PSVITA .

  • I’m getting it as soon as it launches….been a fan of Strider since the 1st Marvel vs Capcom on PS1.A demo would be welcome though.

    @ 5 DarkOne_PR – Its an xbox game what did you expected?

  • @Ryan Clements, I really like sidescroller RPG’s and although I’ve never played a Strider game before I’m definitely going to keep an eye on this. To be quite honest I don’t understand why Capcom has NOT included this game on the PS Vita and I hope that you guys will certainly take a look at bringing this game on over to the PS Vita because it would look great on the Vita’s OLED screen.

  • Another perfect Vita game that’s…not on the Vita.

    Seriously, what does Capcom have against the Vita?

  • This game looks good..but im really looking forward to SHANK and some other PS3 classic side scrolling games in PS4 HD!. Also since im talking about PS3 PSN GAMES..will we be able to download and play them on the PS4..off the playstation store?

  • Getting it on day one. I can’t wait to play Strider on a PS4. It’s looking very promising so far.

  • This game would be sick on the Vita, any chances of it happening?

  • Definately needed to be added with the Vita, and Cross-buy.

    Then, and only then.

  • @13: Zero. It’s Capcom.

  • I remember playing this on my Sega Genesis, it’s great to see this game being remade. But what would make it even better is if you include the original arcade strider game & strider 2 from PS1. That would complete the game. Or make it a collector’s Ed. Like what Konami is doing with the Castlevania game.

  • We should get Strider 2 as a classic release to hype this up even more.

  • It would be VERY detrimental of Capcom to ignore our cries for Strider on the PS Vita. If we keep up the petitions for them to bring Strider and other games to the PS Vita then they will have to acknowledge us. I really want the DmC reboot on the Vita too but right now let’s just focus on getting Strider on the PS Vita.

    Like xClayMeow said this Strider game is “Vita perfect.”

  • We miss you Clements! BEYOND! (ps thanks for the list)

  • This reminds me more of Hard Corps: Uprising on the PS3 than Strider.

    I think the colors are a little too muted, and what’s with all the fog?

    I wish these old remakes were done with hand drawn graphics instead of polys, but I realize it’s cheaper to go with polygons.

  • This would be perfect on the Vita. Please Capcom, bring this to Vita, and also Ducktales, Mega Man 9 and 10, Resident Evil Revelations HD, and Monster Hunter 4. Vita can handle this games, and people would buy them.

  • i wantz thissss :D

  • If this were for vita i would really be interested.

  • Holy… !!!

    This is the first timeI’ve heard of this.

    Never thought I’d see the return of Strider!

    Hope it turns out good, and I’ll be there.

  • #1. One thing is for sure… this is THE MOST beautiful looking 2.5D action platformer I’ve ever seen in my life! It’s probably safe to assume that the gameplay will be at least as good as this trailer makes me believe it is. I cannot wait to play this on my new PS4!!! Now all I need is a PS4.

    #2 As for hoping for a Vita version… they could make one, but it’s probably safe to say that it will not look and play as well as the PS3/4 versions. They even imply that the only the PS4 version will have 1080p/60 fps specs. Simply put, the game looks as if it is being made primarily for the next-gen console using next-gen tech. If that is the case, and CAPCOM still wants to make a Vita version (doubtful given their current Vita support), then they would most likely have to start from scratch as porting it would be out of the question.

    My wallet will have issues with me that’s for certain. Not only are there a bunch of retail PS4 games that I want, but the Indie scene on the PSN looks as if it’s going to take even more $ away from my wallet as well!!!

  • @ SpooNManX

    Looks like Strider-type action to me. Which is AWESOME. Lots of hackin’, slashin’, and dashin’. Hard Corps? If you say so…

    Muted colors? Too much fog? Polys vs. Hand-drawn? What?!?

    Is this the final version being played on your TV straight from the console? No. Why on Earth would you judge a games’ visual presentation by a YouTube video? By now, haven’t you seen enough videos of games that you’ve later played and noticed the huge difference in clarity? Videos like these should be used as a reference rather than review material.

  • hey capcom are you angry on ps vita?

  • I have to add my voice to the cries for a PS Vita version of Strider. I would buy this game day one. Is there any chance we could get an answer on any chance this game has of appearing on the vita??

  • I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE PERFECT FOR PS VITA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • wow this game looks great i will have to get this game when it comes out lets go sony!!!! <3

  • Strider for PS Vita!

    End of Question!

  • It looks promising indeed. I’ll keep an eye on it.

  • I don’t understand why the PS Vita is being constantly left out in the dark, its way to good of a system to have such a limited game library. I know its still early on in its life cycle but still, Sony should do a much better job getting games to it. Especially since it has the tech to handle most games out rite now. Personally I would love to see the new strider game come to it, it would play perfectly for the system. The gameplay is perfect for handheld gaming and the Vita could surely handle the graphics engine. If Sony got games like this to the Vita, it would surely help it’s sales. As for Capcom, they have no reason not to port it to the Vita, with people who own the Vita dying for AAA titles right now, the game would sell like crazy as a Vita port. Sony and Capcom make this happen, we want Strider for the Vita, as well as other great titles!

  • Also if anyone knows of any online petition thats pushing for Strider to come to the Vita, please let me know, I’d like to sign. Thanks.

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