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Guerrilla War is a game that suffered a bit in its travels from Japan to the United States. In its original release, the two guerrillas controlled by players were named Che Guevara and Fidel Castro. The two heroes raid a tropical island, save hostages and throw more grenades than I care to count.
The game is very much a re-skinned Ikari Warriors, complete with weapon power-ups, tanks to ride in and endless waves of enemies. Much like its predecessor, Guerrilla War was designed as a quarter hog. The difficulty is crushing, made worse by the absence of the original control scheme, which made the game function like a twin stick shooter.
Moving and firing directions are still handled independently, but because the game is a Playstation Mini and required to work on a PSP, turning is handled with the L1/R1 buttons (or the L/R buttons on the PSP). It’s clunky and slow and draws a lot of the fun out of the game. Additionally, the absence of a second player (despite what the game shows in attract mode) is a bummer.
From a visual and audio perspective, the game is true to its 8-bit era roots. The sound effects are rudimentary and, other than the hostages crying for help (most of the time before being shot into a grave by an enemy), it works.
Guerrilla War is an enjoyable game marred by a cumbersome control scheme. If you are interested in an Ikari Warriors clone set on a Caribbean Island, this $2.99 Mini will fit the bill.
Review copy provided by publisher.
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