Unoriginal but fun platformer
Something of a curiosity, Xargon is a fairly obscure side-scrolling adventure that is actually worth seeking out if you are into retro adventures. Taking control of the bizarrely monikered archaeologist hero, Malvineous Havershim, as he finds himself transported from Madagascar to the realm of Xargon, players must explore, destroy, jump and collect in typical platforming style. Initially armed only with a single-shot laser weapon, a variety of upgrades later become available, including rapid fire guns, rocks and fireball, all of which are useful when it comes to defeating the myriad nasties out to get you. Graphically speaking, this is something of an old-school delight, with colourful sprites, a variety of spectacular environments and some imaginative level and enemy design. There is always a lot going on at any given time and controls are slick and responsive enough to make jumping, shooting and evading enemies a breeze, while remaining a challenge. Gameplay-wise there is little on display here that is particularly different from many other platformers, such as Hocus Pocus or Rayman, but it does everything with a reasonable degree of charm and personality and overall this is a fun and diverting game with an unusually deep storyline that is worth a look.
