In the frost-bitten realms of Norse mythology, the great wolf Fenrir is said to have been destined to devour the sun, plunging the world into an eternal winter. Alas, it seems this mighty beast’s cosmic appetite was spared one digital delicacy – ‘Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO’, a side-scrolling action game birthed from the realms of 1990s arcade magic. This fighting game, ported from the Neo Geo console, pits players against mythological monstrosities and vengeful deities in a struggle for Asgardian supremacy. But the question remains: does ‘Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO’ have the teeth to leave a lasting bite, or is it just a relic best left to the annals of gaming history?
An Uninspiring Revival of a Forgotten Classic
In an effort to revive the classic side-scrolling fighter, Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO attempts to bring this forgotten title back to life, but unfortunately, it falls flat in many aspects. While fans of the original might appreciate the nostalgic feel, newcomers will likely find themselves struggling to appreciate the dated gameplay mechanics and lackluster graphics.
The game’s storyline revolves around the Norse gods and the impending doom of Ragnarök, with players choosing from a roster of eight fighters, each with unique abilities and playstyles. However, the gameplay feels clunky and unresponsive at times, with poor collision detection and an overly simplistic combo system. Notable Fighters:
- Susano
- Karin
- Bao
- Thor
- Tyr
- Frey
- Hel
- Fenrir
| Developed By: | Saurus (original) / Code Mystics (ACA NEOGEO) |
| Platforms: | Neo Geo (original) / Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows (ACA NEOGEO) |
| Release Date: | 1997 (original) / 2018 (ACA NEOGEO) |
With its lack of modern features and poor controls, Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO feels more like a relic of the past rather than a revival of a classic. While fans of the original may find some enjoyment in this re-release, newcomers will likely find themselves searching for more modern alternatives.
A Lackluster Port of a Decent Neo Geo Title
When it comes to nostalgic games, we often find ourselves reminiscing about the countless hours spent playing classics on our consoles. The ACA NEOGEO series, in particular, has been a mixed bag in terms of quality and enjoyment. Ragnagard, unfortunately, falls into the latter category – a decent title that, despite its intriguing premise, feels lackluster in its ACA NEOGEO incarnation.
Among its shortcomings are the lack of challenge and an absence of meaningful mechanics to set it apart from other fighting games. Players can easily whittle down opponents with little strategy or finesse, making the experience feel shallow. Furthermore, those new to fighting games will struggle to find any tutorials or guides, making it difficult for newcomers to jump in. Some of the glaring omissions are:
- No noticeable input buffering or delay
- Lackluster controls without a fight stick
- Odd online multiplayer experience
All of these missing pieces leave Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO feeling more like an afterthought than a well-deserved port. There’s one thing that really sums it all up:
| ACA NEOGEO Ragnagard – Missing the Mark | A dull port that isn’t doing any favors to the original game |
If one were to go back and play the original, they might even be surprised at how better it holds up compared to this port.
Beyond the Shallow Depths of Norse Mythology
Beneath the captivating facade of Norse mythology lies a realm that whispers fascinating stories of complex gods, multifaceted goddesses, and enigmatic giants. Delve beyond the surface-level familiarity with Odin’s ravens, Thor’s hammer, and Loki’s mischievous antics to uncover the intricate, often blurred lines between chaos and harmony. Norse mythology tells the tale of a cosmos teetering on the edge of destruction yet striving for balance. The myriad tales of the Nine Worlds weave an intricate tapestry of allegorical life lessons, cautionary tales of hubris, and raw human emotions.
In this sprawling mythological expanse, the likes of Fenrir – the gargantuan wolf destined to devour the sun, symbolizing the unfaltering passage of time – become more than just an otherworldly, fearsome creature; it represents unrelenting forces shaping the very fabric of existence. Here are a few Norse mythological figures that showcase the intricate depth and complexity of this captivating mythos:
| Norse Figure | Symbolism/Characteristics |
| Freya | Love, Fertility, War |
| Loki | Chaos, Mischief, Trickery |
| Yggdrasil | Connection, Wisdom, Immortality |
Fighting Mechanics Riddled with Balance Issues
The moment-to-moment combat in ‘Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO’ can be grueling, not because of its difficulty, but because of its frustrating balance issues. Fenrir’s arsenal consists of special moves that are capable of swallowing halves of the screen, but they’re not as harmless as they seem – most of his moves have a tremendous amount of priority, rendering the player almost invincible during their animations. At the same time, smaller characters like Suzaku struggle to compete, as their moves are shorter in range and duration.
Character-Wise Special Moves Comparison
| Character | Special Move Range | Priority (out of 10) |
| Fenrir | Full screen | 9 |
| Suzaku | Quarter screen | 4 |
| Thor | Half screen | 7 |
It’s not just Fenrir that has it easy – Thor’s powerful hammer can beat down opponents with relative ease, but smaller characters will struggle to respond. To make matters worse, big characters often have limited mobility to avoid projectiles, turning every match into a guessing game where you’ll often be lucky if you succeed in landing a hit. This fundamental imbalance spoils what could have been a compelling set of unique fighters.
Disappointing Visuals and Overused Stage Assets
When it comes to visuals, Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO feels like a relic from a bygone era. The stages, while varied, are marred by a general lack of detail and uninspired design. Characters and enemies are not much better, with simplistic animations and a limited color palette.
One of the most jarring aspects of the game’s presentation is its over-reliance on reused assets. Environmental hazards and obstacles are recycled across multiple stages, giving the impression that the developers ran out of ideas. This is further exacerbated by the
| Reused Assets | Stages |
| Spinning Blades | Stage 1, Stage 3, Stage 5 |
| Pitfalls | Stage 2, Stage 4, Stage 6 |
| Electric Traps | Stage 3, Stage 5, Stage 7 |
lack of creativity in the stage design. Ultimately, this results in a visually unimpressive experience that fails to leave a lasting impression. Some features that could enhance visuals in games like this include:
- HD rendering
- Smooth animations
- Unique, detailed character designs
Fenrirs Fury Leaves Much to be Desired
Fenrir’s Fury Leaves Much to be Desired
While fighting games from the ’90s often had their charm, Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO fails to deliver a satisfying experience. One of the major letdowns is Fenrir’s Fury, a feature that promises to unleash devastating attacks but feels more like an underwhelming bonus than a game-changing mechanic. The conditions for activating Fenrir’s Fury are relatively straightforward – players must mash a specific button rapidly for a brief period while keeping their opponents at bay – but actually landing these supermoves feels haphazard. Sometimes Fenrir’s Fury triggers as expected, unleashing a spectacular barrage of attacks; other times it misses the mark, dealing damage that is hardly worth the trouble.
These inconsistent supermoves often make or break crucial matches. Here are some highlights from past encounters that left us scratching our heads:
* A well-spaced jump kick failed to trigger Fenrir’s Fury despite meeting the required conditions
* Overextending during an ill-timed rage activation led to a punishing counter
* Two consecutive jump punches in a row somehow fulfilled the requirements for Fenrir’s Fury activation
| Fenrir’s Fury Rating (out of 5) | Mechanic Impact (out of 5) | Mechanic Consistency (out of 5) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 1.5 |
Features that are supposed to feel impactful often amount to cheap tricks and half-knowledge mechanics – an overwhelming experience when put into context with actual battles, where their actual reliability just can’t meet basic gaming requirements.
A Game That Fails to Deliver on Its Promises
A Poor Man’s Fighting Game Experience
Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO is a game that had all the ingredients to be a hit, but the final product falls flat. The moment you step into the shoes of your chosen warrior, you’re immediately struck by the sloppy controls and unresponsive gameplay mechanics. This is a game that had potential, with an interesting premise and colorful characters, but it’s all undone by poor execution. Here’s just a small taste of what goes wrong:
- Delayed combos and special moves that are more often than not a hassle to pull off
- Special moves that somehow manage to feel both overpowered and underwhelming at the same time
- Enemies that are just downright cheap and unpleasant to deal with
Graphics and Sound: A Mixed Bag
The visuals in Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO are something of a mixed bag. On one hand, the characters and stages are colorful and visually interesting, with some genuinely nice touches of detail. On the other hand, the backgrounds are somewhat lacking, with awkward scaling and uninspired design choices. Here’s a quick breakdown of what we did and didn’t like about the presentation:
| Visual Aspect | Our Take |
| Character Designs | Nice touches of detail, visually interesting |
| Stage Design | Awkward scaling, uninspired choices |
| Backgrounds | Lacking, somewhat awkward |
The audio, on the other hand, is somewhat better. The sound effects are nice, if unremarkable, and the music is catchy but forgettable.
The Soundtrack Fails to Create a Lasting Impact
Music plays a vital role in setting the tone for any game, but ‘Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO’ falls short in this department. The in-game soundtrack, while catchy, fails to evoke any strong emotions or attachment from the player. This is largely due to the limited number of tracks and the random nature of their selection, making the music feel somewhat disconnected from the gameplay experience.
As you navigate through the various levels, you’ll start to notice a recurring theme – blandness. This is evident not only in the music but also in the overall audio design. Some of the sound effects lack punch, making it difficult to immerse oneself in the world of ’Ragnagard’. To create a lasting impact, the soundtrack should’ve been more diverse and engaging, complementing the game’s Norse-inspired storyline. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here.
| Feature | Implementation |
| Diverse soundtrack | Incorporating a mix of energetic and emotive tracks to match in-game scenarios |
| Effectively using sound effects | Using a range of sound effects that resonate with the game’s intensity and atmosphere |
Poorly Executed Arena Mode
The arena mode, also known as ‘Survival Mode,’ feels like a rather underwhelming experience. With the objective of defeating as many enemies as possible without dying, the game should’ve presented this mode as an intense, non-stop thrill ride – instead, it quickly becomes stale. The lack of variation, absence of distinct enemy sets, and lackluster presentation lead to this once-hyped part of the game feeling dull and uninspired. Things that make this mode less engaging include:
*
- Tedious repetitive battles
- No real boss fight encounters to spice up gameplay
- A general sense of feeling time trials without sense of danger
The statistics and high scores list serve no purpose other than filling the empty space within the game. Once you reach the top of the ranking, there’s no need to jump into arena mode again. The main flaw of the “Survival” ranked fights, boils down to every combat feeling bland, regardless of the stage number, where each wave gives you limited thrills before losing to the enemy number in later game stage in a poorly-designed encounter. In simpler terms, here is what survival mode should have been in a perfect world:
| Key Features | Completed Gameplay Ideas for Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO |
|---|---|
| Score Table Updates | Persistent leaderboards with unlockable elements for each milestone gained during ranking goals. |
| Boss Fight Cycles | Staggered boss encounter types, where the player faces every boss from a set during a set cycle. |
In a competitive age of fighting games, survival modes must evolve from static events and towards fast-paced marathon encounters designed to elevate end-game suspense.
Limited Character Options and Hidden Abilities
The character selection in Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO is quite underwhelming, with a mere five playable characters to choose from. Each character has their unique abilities and fighting styles, but it’s still not enough to impress.
| Character | Special Abilities |
|---|---|
| Gudrik |
|
| Ljosalfar |
|
| Kusanagi |
|
| Gotterdammerung |
|
| Yel |
|
Apart from their special abilities, some characters also possess hidden moves. These require specific button inputs to activate and can greatly impact the outcome of a battle. However, without proper documentation or guidelines within the game, discovering these hidden abilities relies largely on trial and error, leaving players in the dark.
Players and fans can still experiment with different character combinations to find unique hidden moves or fighting strategies. It might not be ideal, but the journey of exploration may reveal exciting features and enhance gameplay overall.
A Game That Struggles to Justify Its Price Tag
As I delved deeper into Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO, I couldn’t help but feel that the game was stuck in a state of limbo, unsure of whether it wanted to be a fighting game or a beat-em-up. The result is a hodgepodge of mechanics that fail to come together in a cohesive manner, leaving the player with a lackluster experience.
This lack of polish and focus is particularly egregious when you consider the game’s rather steep price tag. While fans of classic SNK titles may appreciate the nostalgic value, newcomers will be hard-pressed to justify the cost of admission. Here are just a few ways in which the game falls short:
- Underdeveloped gameplay mechanics, leaving combat feeling shallow and one-dimensional.
- Lackluster level design, with stages that fail to impress or challenge the player.
- Subpar graphics and sound, which, while true to the original, fail to impress in this modern re-release.
Players who are looking for a more engaging and polished experience would do well to look elsewhere. Even fans of the ACA NEOGEO series may want to think twice before dropping the cash on this title. For the sake of comparison, here’s a rough breakdown of what you can expect from the game:
| Feature | Expectation |
|---|---|
| Gameplay depth | 2.5/5 – lacking in polish and complexity |
| Visuals and sound | 3/5 – faithful to the original, but unimpressive by modern standards |
| Value for money | 2/5 – a steep price tag for a lackluster experience |
Key Takeaways
‘Ragnagard ACA NEOGEO’ stands as a relic of a bygone era, a reminder of the highs and lows of 2D fighting games. Fenrir, the great wolf of Norse mythology, may not have swallowed it, but time has nonetheless left its mark. This ACA NEOGEO release gives players a chance to experience the game in all its retro glory, for better or for worse. Whether you’re a nostalgic enthusiast or a curious newcomer, ‘Ragnagard’ offers a glimpse into the evolution of the genre – a nostalgic glance at a moment in gaming history that refuses to be devoured by the passage of time.
