Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark Review

Published by PQube and developed by the indie studio Ini Creates, Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Gal Guardians: Demon Purge. Demon Purge was released in 2023 and quickly became a fan favorite owing to its dark humor, addictive gameplay, and powerful 2D action-platformer principles.

With the publication of Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark, which took place only two years after the initial concept, an attempt was made to enhance the concept by including elements of the Metroidvania genre. A significant change from the more linear level design of the prior game was a considerable divergence. The most recent installment in the franchise was met with favorable reviews; however, the question remains if this sequel will be able to catch the same fascination or if it will fall into the shadow of its predecessor.

When you play the video game Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark, you take on the roles of Kirika and Masha, two new protagonists who are tasked with the mission of restoring Maxim, the demon emperor, to the grandeur he once possessed.

In order for Maxim to regain his ability after suffering severe wounds, he needs to reconstruct his bones that have been scattered throughout the area. The experience is not carried by the plot, despite the fact that it is a basic idea; instead, the experience is carried by the characters and the humor in the story. 

The game, on the other hand, has a more formulaic and less biting feel to it, even though attempts have been made to reproduce the sardonic humor and bizarre conversations that were there in the first session. Although the tone does not have the same spontaneous spark as Demon Purge, there are several notable individuals who make appearances in the film. For whatever reason, the writing does not quite live up to the charm that Demon Purge possesses or possesses.

You will spend your time in Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark exploring a vast environment that is interconnected and full of enemies, mysteries, and upgrades. The gameplay style of the game is Metroidvania, and it is embraced in this game. 

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark's gameplay fundamentals feature switching between the two characters, Kirika, who is a ranged gunner, and Masha, who is a close combat specialist who wields a whip. One of the most prominent aspects is the option to freely switch between characters in single-player mode or to collaborate with other players in local cooperative mode. 

Both of these modes are available in the game. In the same way that you would anticipate the exploration to be comparable to what you would expect from a Metroidvania game, which entails acquiring new abilities such as double jumps and air dashes while also returning to regions that were previously unavailable to you, you can anticipate that the exploration will be similar.

Kirika's long-range arsenal of weapons, which includes a machine gun and a shotgun, stands out as the key focal point of the conflict. Masha's close-range attacks with her whip and Kirika's long-range weaponry armory are also important. The fighting is effective, but it does not provide you with a substantial challenge. 

Along the way, you will come across a variety of enemies, and although the combat is functional, it does not come with a significant challenge. While Masha is particularly effective in close-quarters battles, where she deals a lot of damage and moves rapidly, Kirika's guns are most effective in long-range encounters. 

Masha's ability to deal damage also allows her to move quickly. This problem arises from the vast availability of secondary weapons, which include swords, bombs, and other objects that usually appear to be unnecessary, owing to the fact that your primary attacks are sufficient. The dilemma arises from the fact that secondary weapons are so widely available.

Positively, Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark is a lot of fun to experiment with the many combat styles that each character possesses, and the fact that you are able to swap between characters provides you with a great deal of variety in the ways that you can approach different conflicts. The problem, however, is that there is not enough complexity; the optional weapons do not significantly improve your experience, and battling tends to seem too easy. 

Although boss fights might be creative at times, they do not provide the level of challenge they should have given the way they work; you will have the impression that you are wasting your time by grinding through regular enemies. In addition, the Metroidvania exploration does not offer a great deal of excitement; you are forced to wander aimlessly through monotonous environments and are confronted by foes who are not creative.

Maxim's bones, which you will acquire along the route, will provide you with experience points as you make your way through Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark. These bones will be collected as you travel through the game. On the other hand, while these bones allow you to level up and acquire new skills, the system appears to be lacking in complexity. Participating in combat frequently provides the sense that it does not contribute much to your growth. 

This is due to the fact that the majority of your bones come from treasure chests or the progression of the plot. For the most part, you will be collecting bones for the purpose of completing the game rather than for any advantage. This is due to the fact that the game does not present a significant challenge when it is set to its default settings, and the grind does not contribute significantly to the overall experience.

Visually, Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark doesn't live up to the standards set by its predecessor. Although there are still some spots in which the pixel art is beautiful, the surrounding environment is boring and repetitive. There are lifeless caves, deserts, and forests among these locations, and they are unable to capture the same spirit as the first game. 

Even while there are certainly some lovely moments in character designs and sequences, the overall aesthetic is not especially impressive. Even if there are some recycled sprites that do not contribute to the sensation of familiarity, the overall aesthetic is not particularly impressive. When compared to the original Demon Purge, the artwork does not have the same clarity or intensity as the original.

The sound design is just another area in which the sequel fails to live up to the expectations that were set for it. There is a feeling that the music is buried in the mix, and the soundtracks are monotonous despite the fact that the music is of high quality. The same songs will be played over and over again, and they will not contribute to any improvement in the environment in any way. 

Once again, the sound balance does not do credit to the characters, except that the voice acting is a wonderful touch. The entire audio design is lacking in punch, which would have been beneficial in that it would have made the scene feel more alive and interesting.

Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark does not meet the excellent standards established in comparison to its predecessor, Demon Purge. Even though it expands the expanse of the universe and examines new gameplay components, it is lacking in crucial aspects such as the depth of the combat, exploration, and general appeal. Despite these things, it is still a good game. 

The game's shift to Metroidvania principles does not deliver the excitement that you would have hoped for, and it feels too standard and forgettable. While there are some novel concepts, the game's transition does not provide the excitement that you would have hoped for. It is still possible to enjoy the game for short periods, but in the end, Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark does not stand out in a genre that is already rather saturated.