If you've ever enjoyed challenging games back in the day, Gryphon Knight Epic is a pretty interesting take on those. It's one of those games that could surprise you.

A beautiful retro game with a great concept. However, there are a variety of hurdles along the way that keep it from being as good as it should have been.

Yes, I rage quit a few times but it drew me back in. Yes, sound effects and controls needed more work but I could look past that because it was fun. I really want to love this game more but something deep down says I shouldn’t.

Gryphon Knight Epic is a challenging and enjoyable—if forgettable—little shoot-‘em-up with plenty of nostalgia to offer the 25 to 35-year-old crowd.

Gryphon Knight Epic doesn’t bring a lot of innovation to the table. That said, with its relatively free movement and exploration, secrets to uncover, and several weapons to upgrade and master, it delivers well on what it does offer.

Gryphon Knight Epic has potential. It was a good idea and the dialogue isn’t horrible. Overall though the game just isn’t that good.

In the four hours it took me to get through Gryphon Knight Epic, all I could think about was how I wanted it to end so I could move on and play something better.

With hitbox resizing, the ability to move in one direction while shooting in another, and some difficulty adjustments, Gryphon Knight Epic could be an okay game. As it stands, it's a messy medieval hodgepodge that you'd be better off avoiding at all costs.