Highlights
- The Gargoyles Remastered game brings back beloved characters and features beautifully rendered visuals, but some levels fall flat compared to others.
- The New York level lacks vibrancy and feels empty, despite accurate visuals, while the subway level lacks a compelling boss fight.
- On the other side of the spectrum, The Forge level provides a dramatic and fun final battle, set in an industrial hellscape with gothic architecture and the power of the Eye at stake.
During the Disney animation boom of the ’90s, there were plenty of beloved cartoons that those who grew up with them still carry fond memories of watching their favorite show. While some of the other shows thrived in their three short seasons, Gargoyles stood out among the rest for having a deeper, more overarching storyline that spanned across the whole series.
With every good animation came an accompanying game, and Gargoyles was no different. Gargoyles Remastered is a true return to form, for better or worse, complete with beautifully rendered visuals. Below is a breakdown of the best stages of the game; short, sweet, and to the point. Which level was your favorite?
The rankings below take into account the level’s environment, how engaging certain boss fights are, and, of course, the author’s personal preferences!
5 Stone And Steel
New York, But Quieter
You’d think that having Goliath exploring the rooftops of modern-day (90s) New York while trying to take out as many robots and giant meta-insects would make for a colorful and exciting level, but compared to the other levels, it falls flat. On one hand, the sight of New York feels accurate, with numerous rooftops, neon lights, and a backdrop filled with skyscrapers; on the other hand, it falls flat and feels empty, something New York never is.
Still, there are a couple of touches that try to make the level feel a little more lived in. You’re able to dip in and out of several apartments in your path and crash through a few glass sunroofs, but ultimately, the city could use a little more life, or maybe more interactivity with the setting could make this stage more vibrant.
4 Subterranean Terror
Riding The Big Metal Monster
To you, the subway is nothing more than a sometimes inconvenient mode of transportation that everyone in the city can use, but to a newly reawakened Goliath, it is a creature tunneling its way through the subterranean underground. Add the cyber creatures that are hunt him down, infesting the mechanical monster he walks on, and there’s no time for Goliath to try and figure it out, so he must find the source of these ‘creatures’ before the next sunrise.
There’s not much of a boss for this level, and instead you’ll have to fight off several waves of Gargoyles of the Steel Clan as you go from underground to above ground and back again. While this serves well as the next obstacle in Goliath’s path for the Eye of Odin, it’s quite lackluster compared to the other area bosses.
3 Siege Of The Rookery
Where Gargoyles Are Most Vulnerable
Though the immediate threat at the castle has been somewhat subdued, a greater threat comes for your Gargoyle kin down within the depths of the earth. The rookery, a place where Gargoyle eggs are housed and cared for, turns out to be the real target of the Vikings’ cruelty, so you are racing against the clock to save your brethren, and it isn’t just the enemy you have to worry about.
Below the earth is a labyrinthine cave filled with traps and molten dead ends you’ll have to navigate through as you try and stop the incoming enemies. In addition to all this, it turns out you have to face off with the lightning-wielding boss from the first stage, but this time he’s physically pumped up and ready to exact his revenge for his loss.
2 The Forge
Where You Face The True Cause
The eye is in the hands of Demona, and all the answers you’ve been looking for, including where all the metallic beasts were spawning from, will be answered in The Forge. Once you reach it, you’ll realize that it is disturbingly similar to the Rookery level that took place thousands of years ago, but instead of the various eggs dotted around a hidden cave beneath the earth, the Forge is an industrial hellscape that is not much more than conveyor belts and fire.
Once you find her for the first time on your ascent within the forge, she still doesn’t make it an easy fight despite having the power of the Eye at her disposal, and she insists you continue to chase her even further to the top where she is ready to unleash the power of the eye at full force. Combine her floating in the middle of the battle arena with the surroundings comprised of lave, metalworks, and gothic architecture, and you’re in for a final battle that is both dramatic and fun.
1 Evil Awakens
Castle Wyvern Falls
Having Castle Wyvern as the first stage allows players and fans, both old and new, to learn the backstory of the Gargoyles. As the level starts up, the castle and its inhabitants are under siege, and playing as Goliath, you are all that’s left to defend the castle, with many traps and trebuchets dotted around the castle as if someone knew you would come to defend it.
You quickly find out that the attackers are Vikings who seem to be more thralls than the warriors that everyone in history knows. The castle has taken the brunt of the damage, shown by the various towers with chunks of walls missing and fires slowly consuming it, thanks to the betrayal of the Castle’s Captain of the Guard.
After Goliath makes his way to the top of the castle, he’s met by the leader of the Vikings, Hakon, who somehow has the power to summon lightning bolts to attack you. The stage is a perfect introduction to the game, both narrative and thematically, as an exciting set piece to explore.