In Search of Gauntlet

Avatar image for vallian88
vallian88

45

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#1  Edited By vallian88

I am currently visiting family and sat down with my brother to play Gauntlet Legends for the N64. I was having a blast and started wondering, "where did games like this go?" I suppose I am looking for couch co-op 3D arcade hack and slash. As far as I can tell, that hyper specific genre disappeared about 16 years ago.

The Gauntlet franchise seems pretty dead - Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows was released 17 years ago and was apparently met with mixed reviews.

I remember having a great time with the BG: Dark Alliance games, but those also seem dead. The last one came out in 2004.

Castle Crashers came out 16 years ago. It was great fun, but seems closer to the 2D beat em up formula.

I have not played the Dynasty Warriors games since maybe DW3, So perhaps that is where all that 3D hack and slash energy went.

Diablo and Path of Exile are great, but feel a bit different - not really arcade style games, or couch co-op.

I have used co-optimus to find co-op games in the past, but digging through that is sometimes hard if you don't know what you're looking for.

Avatar image for bigsocrates
bigsocrates

6149

Forum Posts

162

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#2  Edited By bigsocrates
Loading Video...
Loading Video...

Avatar image for citizencoffeecake
citizencoffeecake

1642

Forum Posts

213

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

I’m with you, I grew up playing stuff like Fighting Force and Hunter: The Reckoning with my cousins. They were often “b-games” as some like to put it but they are more special to me than many bigger titles of the time.

Avatar image for looterjennings
LooterJennings

58

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

There's a new Gauntlet that came out in 2014 and it sounds like exactly what you're looking for. It's not perfect, but it's fun for some couch co-op.

Avatar image for capt_blakhelm
Capt_Blakhelm

27

Forum Posts

2278

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 21

User Lists: 28

I think that genre has folded into games like Path of Exile, Diablo, and Grim Dawn, industry wise. No big publisher would make such a smaller scope game nowadays, outside of maybe funding a smaller dev to do it.

The closest things I've played in recent memory are Gauntlet (2014) and the Tomb Raider top down games (Guardian of Light and Temple of Osiris).

Come to think of it, there are a few shooters that come to mind. Helldivers, Assault Android Cactus, The Acent, and Nex Machina, which I think was produced by somebody that worked on Smash TV.

The Musou/Warriors games does sort of carry that same kind of energy, but definitely doesn't scratch that itch the same way the Gauntlet games specifically did. Despite being called mindless games, you do actually have to pay attention to the mission messages to know what to do to prevent mission failure (which wastes all the time you spent), instead of just going forward like the Gauntlet games. Also, I don't think any musou game exceeds 2 active players, besides of the MMO style games.

I'm like you, I definitely miss that style of game. I've also haven't seen that style of game blow up or be so desired in the gaming zietgeist, so maybe the "Gauntlet-like" is a dead genre. :(

Avatar image for bondfish
bondfish

222

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 3

Hammerwatch, the first one, is more of a Gauntlet kind of game.

Avatar image for bladeofcreation
BladeOfCreation

2491

Forum Posts

27

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 3

The Gauntlet game from 2014 is pretty fun. If you're willing to try something similar with a cyberpunk aesthetic, check out The Ascent.

Avatar image for alianger
alianger

97

Forum Posts

32

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 20

User Lists: 25

Xeno Crisis (MD etc.) is kind of Gauntlet like. Moreso like Smash TV though.

Avatar image for oscar__explosion
Oscar__Explosion

3003

Forum Posts

5651

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 6

Diablo 3 is couch co op but only on consoles.

Avatar image for zelnox
Zelnox

656

Forum Posts

213

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I've played Realm of the Mad God Exalt before and I think it was MMO-like and in the browser. It had different classes and you can play co-op. It probably doesn't have the same feel as couch-co-op Gauntlet though.