Description:
Moon Diver (Mūndaibā, MOON DIVER?), formerly known as Necromachina, is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed by feelplus and published by Square Enix. It was released for the PSN on March 29, 2011. A XBLA release date is set for April 2011.
Reviews:
1. Moon Diver Review by GameSpot
Sometime in the early months of 1989, an immensely satisfying and fairly innovative platformer by the name of Strider began to make its way into arcades and the hearts of button-mashing patrons across the world. It remains the kind of game that inevitably sparks wistful conversations among those old enough to remember it, and so it perhaps comes as no surprise that Strider’s creator, Koichi Yotsui, has at last made an attempt to revitalize the game’s winning formula for contemporary audiences. The result of that effort is a downloadable game called Moon Diver. It’s an admirable endeavor armed with a strong concept based on some lightweight role-playing elements and an enjoyable four-player mode, but its repetitive combat and some lackluster presentation values keep it from being anything other than a merely passable homage to past glories.
2. Review: Moon Diver (PSN) by GamePro
Moon Diver has been touted by the team behind it as “Strider for the 21st century,” and given Strider mastermind Kouichi Yotsui’s involvement, it seems like an apt claim. In reality, the side-scrolling co-op slash-’em-up more resembles Diablo or Gauntlet than the 1989 arcade classic. That comparison isn’t meant as a knock against the game, but it’s symptomatic of Moon Diver’s deeper issues: Namely, being steeped in “old-school” gaming mechanics, confusing the source material, and winding up with a polished game that has the look down but not the feel. There’s fun to be had, but I had to properly and drastically adjust my mindset after plunging in.
3. Moon Diver Review A difficult, old-school romp by IGN
Some games only appeal to a very specific niche of gamers. In the case of Moon Diver, the new downloadable title from studio Feel Plus, its appeal will rest solely with old-school gamers who want something new, yet familiar. Once known as Necromachina during its development cycle, Moon Diver looks and feels a bit like a new-age Strider title, and for good reason. After all, Moon Diver is the brainchild of Strider creator Koichi Yotsui.
