Hagane: The Final Conflict is a 1994 action-platform video game developed by CAProduction and Red Entertainment and published by Hudson Soft for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The player takes on the role of a ninja cyborg named Hagane on his path to take revenge on an opposing ninja faction. The game combines traditional Japanese ninja and samurai aesthetics with a futuristic setting. The player has a wide variety of weapons, moves, and attacks at their disposal to defeat enemies and progress through the game. Hagane released to positive reception, and was compared favorably to classic side-scrolling action games. Reviewers praised the controls, art design, and challenge but criticized the quality of the graphics and sound.

Gameplay

thumb|left|Hagane attacking enemies in the first stage

Hagane features side-scrolling action and platforming gameplay and blends elements of traditional Japanese ninja and samurai with a futuristic setting. The player controls Hagane, a ninja cyborg, and can switch between four different weapons: a sword, chain, shuriken, and grenades. Additionally, there are also limited magic attacks available which clear the screen of enemies. There is no save feature,

The Koma clan eventually attacked a faction of the Fuma clan and stole the Holy Grail. However, they failed to notice that among the severely wounded, one man survived. On the verge of death, the barely living man known as Hagane was brought back to life by advanced cyber-technology performed by a mysterious old man named Momochi. However, none of Hagane's body survived except his brain. Already a powerful ninja, he now had the incredible power and speed of a cyborg. With this power, he vowed to take revenge on the Koma clan. At the end of the conflict and having destroyed the Koma clan's complex, Hagane overlooks the scene from a cliff outcropping, satisfied. His purpose fulfilled, Hagane's glowing eyes fade to black and he passes on. As the credits roll, time and nature claim his seated form and rust his katana as a nearby tree grows unhindered by the blackened land. It was released in Japan on November 18, 1994, and later brought to North America in June 1995, and Europe in May 1995.

Reception

Nintendo Power praised Haganes challenging gameplay, non-stop action. and controls, comparing it to the Ninja Gaiden series. However, they criticized the game's lack of variation and sub-par graphics which they compared to a "good NES game". GamePros Lawrence Neves also complimented the play control, as well as the Hagane's variety of special moves, but criticized the music as "techno Japanese rock at its most mundane". Neves found the graphics to be impressive but losing their appeal due to the repetitive enemies and environments. He found Hagane to be comparable with classic side-scrolling action games, but stopped short of calling it a classic itself due to the waning 16-bit market. Neves recommended the game to those looking for a nostalgic action gaming experience, but worthwhile only as a rental. A reviewer for Next Generation complemented the game's dark and detailed graphics, the suitable enemy abundance and variety, and the player character's wide set of attacks. However he criticized the game's lack of originality, particularly what he saw as a striking resemblance to the Sega Genesis installments of the Shinobi series.

Notes

References

  • Official website at Hudson Soft