Developer: Vik Tokai Publisher: Vik Tokai Released: January 1991 Genre: Action
Mega Man is one of my favorite video game series of all time. Even at its lowest points I’ve still been able to enjoy the games despite their repetition. I loved the series so much I wished there were more games like it. But not like this. The Krion Conquest is one of the most blatant clones I’ve ever come across. It doesn’t just look like Capcom’s venerable IP it plays like it too. But for as much as it takes, ahem, “inspiration” from the Blue Bomber it isn’t as polished. The Krion Conquest is still a solid game but the devil is in the details.
The Krion Conquest is known in Japan as Magical Doropie. The elaborate backstory was all but removed during localization. In the year 1999 the Krion Empire declares war on the planet Earth. The Krion Empire’s soldiers consist of robots completely immune to all conventional weaponry. However they are weak against magic. With no other choice the witch Francesca must end their threat. The only aspect of the game’s story left is the intro; all other cutscenes were removed.
Stating that the Krion Conquest is a ripoff of Mega Man doesn’t describe it fully. Not only does Francesca look like Mega Man in witch garb but she also animated like him as well. Tell me the way she extends her wand to fire shots doesn’t look like the Mega Buster. Even the tile sets used to create the levels blatantly look ripped out of Mega Man 2 & 3. The only reason this was not hit with a lawsuit is the lack of a level select screen. But I will give it credit; the Krion Conquest introduced charged shots before Mega Man 4.
There are also mechanical differences as well. Unlike the majority of platformers you start the game with all of your powers. Francesca has six spells she can use at any time. I should also mention that you change color when switching spells too. Sound familiar? Anyway, there is no MP or weapon energy governing their use so you can use spells as the situation demands. Only one spell, fire, has a cost which is health. Considering how it trivializes the boss battles I can see why. The last spell, broom, creates a flying broomstick to cross distances that the game calls on a lot.
Krion Conquest may have the look but it lacks the nuance that makes Mega Man. There are many small elements that are frustrating and bring the game down. The spells are a cool but there implementation falls flat. Both freeze and shield need to be charged before use which defeats the point. If I need a shield I need it immediately! Ball bounces off walls and there are plenty of situations where it is useful. But these come in situations where time is of the essence and you can’t afford to aim it properly. The same applies to the level design. Stage three’s sewer segment tasks you with dealing with enemies while finding oxygen. It is a cool premise ruined by bad execution. There are so many enemies that you’ll have to take the hits to find air in time. This isn’t the only bad level either.
The second half of the game relies heavily on the broomstick. Nothing wrong with that. The problem lies in its mechanics. The broom moves in the direction you fire. But you can’t move downward and if you jump or touch a wall it disappears or speeds off. The enemy placement is such that you have no choice but to take hits to avoid falling on spikes. Stage four emphasizes everything wrong with the broom mechanic as it almost completely takes place in the sky. You have to navigate tight tunnels and ascending rooms with little warning of what’s coming. Fail and you fall and have to retrace your steps or die. When it works it is fun. When it doesn’t it is infuriating. I guess you could say that about the entire game.
Magical Doropie was already a challenging game yet the Krion Conquest was made more difficult for the US. Enemies are stronger, requiring multiple hits to kill. Regardless of the spell used they are all weak. The game is incredibly stingy with health power-ups and the enemies inflict massive damage in every stage. If you can believe does not refill your health after every stage either. Every level has questionable enemy placement with cheap hits at every turn. But possibly the most damning is the lack of any continues. With unlimited continues I could overlook some of Krion Conquest’s flaws. But having to restart an already difficult game every time is pretty damning.
In Closing
There is a lot to like in Krion Conquest. But its various flaws ultimately make it a disappointment. Krion Conquest’s decent production values and gameplay ideas are met with lacking execution. It may look like Mega Man. It may play like Mega Man. But Krion Conquest is no substitute for the real thing. Play any game in Capcom’s series instead.
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