Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection

{
"short": "Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is a challenging 2D action-platformer that revives the notoriously difficult series with a fresh visual style and cooperative gameplay.",
"long": "## Introduction\n\n*Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection* is a formidable entry in the long-running action-platformer series, developed and published by Capcom. Released as the eighth installment, it celebrates the franchise's 35th anniversary by delivering the signature, punishing difficulty that the *Ghosts 'n Goblins* name is synonymous with. The game adopts a visually distinct storybook aesthetic, blending 2D gameplay with 3D-rendered characters and environments. Its core mechanics revolve around precise platforming, relentless combat against monstrous foes, and the iconic ability to upgrade Arthur's armor and weaponry. What sets *Resurrection* apart is its embrace of modern accessibility features, including cooperative multiplayer and the ability to respawn quickly, without sacrificing the series' legendary challenge.\n\n## Development & Release\n\nDeveloped and published by Capcom, *Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection* was initially released on February 25, 2021, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. Later, on June 1, 2021, ports for PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One expanded its reach. The game serves as a spiritual successor and a direct continuation of the original *Ghosts 'n Goblins* and *Gargoyle's Quest* storylines, bridging the gap between the classic titles and a new generation of players.\n\n## Gameplay & Content\n\n*Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection* thrusts players back into the role of the brave knight Arthur, embarking on a perilous quest through fantastical lands to rescue his beloved. The gameplay loop is a demanding cycle of navigating intricate levels filled with treacherous traps, formidable enemies, and challenging boss encounters. Players must master Arthur's limited but versatile moveset, including his trusty lance and various unlockable weapons and spells. Death is a frequent visitor, but the game introduces the "Resurrection" mechanic, allowing players to quickly return to the action and learn from their mistakes. For the first time in the main series, *Resurrection* features cooperative multiplayer, allowing two players to tackle the challenges together. The game offers a substantial amount of content, with numerous worlds to explore and secrets to uncover, providing many hours of tough-as-nails gameplay. HowLongToBeat estimates the main story to take around 8 hours to complete, with completionist runs extending to approximately 15.5 hours.\n\n## Critical Reception\n\n*Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection* received a Metacritic score of 69 out of 100, indicating mixed but generally positive reception. The user score stands at a higher 79.93. OpenCritic categorizes the game as having a \"Strong\" tier of reviews. Critics praised the game's challenging yet rewarding gameplay, with Game Informer calling it \"An incredible continuation that is a showcase of clever stages and pitch-perfect twitch reflexes.\" CGMagazine described it as \"Ghosts N’ Goblins Resurrection is a tough-as-nails good time.\" Movies Games and Tech noted, \"Overall, despite the INFURIATING challenges this game will throw at you, it’s very enjoyable. I actually enjoyed myself playing this. Definitely way more so than the original. I do intend on playing on either Knight or Legend difficulty on a seperate save file, since you can’t change the difficulty mid-game unless you want to lower the challenge mid-level. It was very enjoyable, and I look forward to the next installment in this rebooted series.\""
}