Play Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns Online

Summary

Journey from Darkness: Strider Returns feels like a hidden branch of the classic Strider saga that slipped onto the Genesis in the early ’90s. British studio U.S. Gold, working under a Capcom USA licence, re‑imagined the 1990 Strider II for the Mega Drive, releasing it in 1992 alongside Game Gear and Master System ports. You step into the shoes of Hinjo – the same sprite that graced the original Genesis Strider – and trade the rifle for shuriken‑throwing, but only after you’ve stocked up on them. The game keeps the signature slide and ceiling‑crawling moves, adds a choice between Hiryu’s old cypher and a new “sweeping” one, and surrounds you with protective orbs during boss fights. Across five sprawling stages you’ll notice huge sprites, richly detailed backdrops and digitised voice clips, though the pace is slower and the animation can feel a bit choppy. Reviewers at Electronic Gaming Monthly gave it a 6.75/10, praising its size and graphics while noting the rough animation, a sentiment echoed by GamePro.

Storyline

In the Genesis version of Journey From Darkness: Strider Returns, the story picks up with Grandmaster Meio—listed in the manual as the “Evil Master” and called “The Master” in‑game—who has survived his earlier defeat. He positions his massive Prison Ship above Earth, planning to turn the planet into a single black hole, and orders his henchmen to kidnap Lexia as leverage.

Strider Hinjo, billed as the “most pumped‑out Strider of them all,” is tasked with stopping Meio’s scheme and rescuing the captured Princess of Planet Magenta. The game follows Hinjo through five distinct stages, battling the terrorist group that holds the princess, while also trying to thwart the Prison Ship’s cataclysmic plan.