While the game changed a little bit in its transition from the Japanese Assault Suit Leynos to the American Target Earth, it retained its intricate plot (an amazing feat for a 16-bit, Contra-style run-and-gun) and kept most of the dynamics that made Assault Suit a smashing success in Japan. On top of that, DreamWorks later died in a coffin of red tape, and there was almost no promotional work done for Target Earth. The game looked cheap, and for most people that was enough to give it a pass. That meant horrible box art in an era when the decision to choose a new game was based mostly on browsing the titles in a store.

That's a shame, because this overlooked gem was a great addition to the Genesis lineup.įor starters, Target Earth was released by a company called DreamWorks (not the movie company), which existed solely to bring Japanese games to Western audiences via the cheapest means possible. Combine that with its late-generation release date, and few people gave Gargoyles more than a passing glance. Unfortunately, the combat side of Gargoyles leaves a lot to be desired - your character, Goliath, only has three attack moves, and the mechanics of the game can make it frustrating to land hits without taking damage. Hidden rooms, breakable walls, and a rich, atmospheric color palette turned Gargoyles into an experience on par with any of the more popular platform-based games of the era. More of a puzzler than a brawler, Gargoyles relied heavily on its level designs to make its gameplay fun. (You especially, Spider-Man 3.) But for whatever reason, Gargoyles flipped conventional wisdom on its head and turned into a spectacularly imagined game. In most cases, they're a load of fluff rushed through production to rake in more money. Licensed game adaptations don't have a spotless record. Basically, ancient stone gargoyles in Manhattan come to life at night to protect the city from crime. Exclusive to the Sega Genesis, Gargoyles was an action platformer that followed roughly the same premise as the show.

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