Game: Goliath Depot
Genre: Action, Platformer, Arcade
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows))
Developer|Publisher: Vidvad Games | Flynns Arcade
Age Rating: EU 7+ | US Everyone
Price: US $9.99 | UK £6.99 | EU € 9,99
Release Date: May 30th, 2024
A review code was provided, and many thanks to Flynns Arcade.
Goliath Depot: Another Arcade Hit
The days of heading to the arcade and inserting a coin are long past us now. But thanks to indie developers and publishers like Flynns Arcade the spirit of this era in gaming has been kept alive on modern systems. It may not quite be the same as standing up against a hulking cabinet. But there is still a place for these pick-up-and-play nuggets, especially if you’re a busy gamer. Goliath Depot very much embodies the spirit of the arcade game while also adding a few modern tweaks.
Shut The Door
Goliath Depot is an action platformer that takes heavy inspiration from retro arcade games. Each level is presented as a single screen. The goal is rather unusual in that you need to navigate around the level, closing doors whilst avoiding angry computer enemies. When you close a door, it will unleash a horizontal wave on either side, stunning any enemy in its path. This gives a window for the player to then kick the enemy and rack up some extra points.
Once every door is closed, the main door will open, allowing you to exit and move on to the next stage. There are 4 areas to visit, each of which has 10 levels. Controls are easy to pick up and play. Basically, you can jump, close the door or even enter it. Entering a door gives a moment to breathe and prevents harm from any passing enemies or hazards. The feel I got from Goliath Depot was instantly satisfying and fun, just like an arcade game should be.
Modern Additions
It’s up to you as the player how you tackle the game. You can run through just trying to survive, then once you gain some confidence, focus on a high score. Multiple coins are scattered around each level, which serve an important purpose. If you lose all your lives and you have enough coins, you are given the chance to cash them in to continue instantly. But hold back on this and the coins can be exchanged in the main menu to unlock helpful new abilities such as a double jump, dash and being able to jump down from a platform. It’s a nice modern feature which is optional to implement in the main game.
Graphics and Story
Graphically, Goliath Depot recreates the pixel look of arcade classics like Burger Time and Donkey Kong. It also includes the typical arcade blips and coin-collecting noise you expect. It does the job but doesn’t do much to stand out from the crowd other than its somewhat odd premise. The story is minimal. Basically, your character is trying to figure out why all the computers have started to malfunction. There’s a short opening cutscene and a pretty funny closing cutscene when you finish the game, but I won’t spoil that here. It’s all kept short and sweet.
Boss Fights
On the last level of each area is a giant boss battle. Which needs to be defeated by the power of closing doors. I found these boss encounters very enjoyable. Requiring some quick thinking to adapt to the situation presented. An example of this is once a door is closed; it can’t be reopened until all the doors on the stage have been shut. This means you may want to think ahead about when to close each door rather than just rapidly closing each one or hoping for the best. However, in a way, either option is not wrong.
One boss I really liked spawns several enemies, if the player doesn’t defeat these in a timed window each enemy will heal the boss by a single point. This meant weighing up what to prioritize. Take out the enemies but risk losing a life, or play more conservatively and gradually wear the boss down. It provides room to experiment, making an appealing prospect to replay through Goliath Depot.
Extra Modes
The main campaign doesn’t take too long to finish. I managed to get through it in under two hours. There is plenty of incentive to replay. Goliath Depot can be enjoyed in two-player local co-op mode. An additional difficulty mode is unlocked with more enemies, no continues and shorter time limits. This feels more catered to the experienced arcade fan.
It’s a shame the ability to customize difficulty is not present in the game. Additionally, levels can be replayed to unlock achievements and new characters. Lastly, there are extra modes like a Speedrun Practice, allowing you to replay any individual level. There’s a 1985 mode where you play through the entire game in one sitting without a pause between areas.
Finally, there’s a randomizer where levels, coins and enemies are randomized, adding a nice spin to the formula, especially if you have mastered the main game. For the price of entry, Goliath Depot provides great arcade value for money.
Conclusion: Arcade Hit
I really liked Goliath Depot. Although it’s a unique idea, it feels like it would be worthy of its very own oversized cabinet. It’s pick-up-and-play arcade goodness that’s appealing to retro fans and even those dipping into the genre for the first time. Ideal for the busy gamer with only a short amount of gaming time to spare.
There are also plenty of reasons to play, whether it’s to unlock new abilities, attempt a high score or even enjoy the experience with a friend. It falls slightly short of not allowing the player to customize difficulty. But if you’re just looking to revisit the arcade days but with something different, then be sure to check out Goliath Depot.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
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