When it comes to old action platformers, there is a treasure chest full of them out there. One of the most popular companies to produce such games was Epic Megagames (now just Epic Games). Xargon was one their first. It is, in my eyes, a classic side scrolling series that was heavily underestimated and went all but completely unnoticed. In Xargon, you play as Malvenous, an anthropologist digging around in South America. He comes across some ancient ruins that transport him to another world.
When it comes to old action platformers, there is a treasure chest full of them out there. One of the most popular companies to produce such games was Epic Megagames (now just Epic Games). Xargon was one their first. It is, in my eyes, a classic side scrolling series that was heavily underestimated and went all but completely unnoticed. In Xargon, you play as Malvenous, an anthropologist digging around in South America. He comes across some ancient ruins that transport him to another world. In this world, a political criminal, Xargon, whom the people had thought they put in prison, has turned this prison into his fortress. From there, he creates his robots and mutants and sends them out to wreak havoc on the world.
Upon entering
this world, you are welcomed by Silvertongue, a great guardian of the world who is powerless to stop Xargon alone. Your welcome, however, is short lived. Silvertongue blackmails Malvenous into fighting Xargon in order to get home to his own world. And so begins Malvenous' quest to destroy Xargon and return home.
Xargon is a typical side-scroller, but everything about it excelled it above other games of the time. The graphics were more advanced, the story was deeper than most games in its class, and it was rare in its map design too. Most of all, the game was plain old fun. Equipped with a laser gun of sorts, and an assortment of other weapons, you would go through the platformed stages destroying bad guys, finding keys, and taking care of mission objectives. The characters of the games were sophisticated and the story was mature enough and entertaining to hold through. Even the sound was a step above.
One of the most unique things about the game is its level design. The levels were quite good in terms of variety. One moment you were underwater in a submarine-like craft. The next you were a bee trying to fly yourself out of a maze. And even when you weren't actually in a stage, there was an overhead map that you would navigate to get from one stage to another.
If you're looking to get your hands on something classic, but unsure what to play next, give this one a try. You might find it to be some fun. I know it will most definitely be a classic to me.
