2004-09-14
Advance Guardian Heroes is a pseudo-sequel to Treasure's unusual Saturn brawler. Unlike its predecessor, this game uses a standard free-roaming brawler system rather than the three lane setup of the original. It still features magic attacks and light RPG elements, though. Additionally, it adds a unique death system where you have the option to play through the rest of the stage with invincibility when you die (although it's Game Over when you finish the level.)
Moreso than the original Guardian Heroes, this game strongly resembles Treasure's first game: Gunstar Heroes on the Genesis, which is a Contra-style shooter. The characters featured in the intro cutscene were the playable fighters in the first game.
Advance Guardian Heroes is easily the worst Treasure game by far. It inexplicably abandons the original's lane system in favor of a much blander, simpler combat engine. There aren't unique fighters so much as there are just color-swaps of the same one. The sound is mediocre, and the graphics have way too small of sprites for a portable game.
