HAUNTED: Halloween '85 (Original NES Game), aside from its Steam Store page name, is a very simple game.
It's not trying to break any sort of mold or dazzle you with graphics that push the NES hardware to its limits; because yes, it can be played on an original NES, which is pretty cool. It's just a platformer-beat em' up hybrid with a Halloween theme that offers just the right amount of challenge.
Its mechanics are consistent and function perfectly well when compared to other titles of a similar nature, even if takes a little bit to fully understand your punch and uppercut hitboxes. It has a solid soundtrack that, despite being ultimately unmemorable, fits the atmosphere that the game's going for very well. There's also a good amount of enemies to fight, and each level ends with a unique boss battle, which really helps keep things fresh. Some of the level design can be unfair though, like how when you enter certain rooms, an enemy will jump you in about half a second. And the back half of the game can suffer from enemy overload, where you can't go more than a couple yards without 3 new guys spawning and charging towards you.
But this game is a classic example of "what you see is what you get". If you like the idea of playing a new NES platformer-beat em' up hybrid with Halloween window dressing, then this game is good for that. Really the worst part of Haunted Halloween '85 is that it's pretty short. I imagine that if you were used to NES-level difficulty you could clear this whole game in about an hour.
Other than that, this is a perfectly serviceable title that I'd say is worth grabbing on sale.
7/10
