If you've owned a 16-bit system or frequented around a 7-11 in the late 80's/early 90's, then you'll easily recognize the name Arthur. He's the main hero of Capcom's Ghouls n' Ghosts games, starting with the Ghosts & Goblins chapter and eventually making its way to modern times with the 3-D Maximo series, although the hero involved wasn't exactly the same knight that we grew up with. Regardless, Arthur has kind of a magic to him, as he's just one dude pitting himself against supernatural armies for the sake of love. Not money, not fame, not self-sacrifice...LOVE. This carried him through a series of memorable games from the Capcom camp, all of which recently came around again in the Capcom Classics Collection release for PS2 and Xbox. Now we're getting what could be Arthur's most complex adventure to date. You ready?

Ultimate Ghosts n' Goblins has been anticipated for some time, as early shots of the game first surfaced months ago under the moniker Extreme Ghouls n' Ghosts. Well, at the Capcom Gamers Day event a little while back in Las Vegas, the company confirmed it was US bound, and showed us an early build of the game to get us excited for its release. And, judging by what I played, it looks to be yet another classic in the making.

The game once again puts you in the shoes (um, metal cleats?) of Arthur, the hapless knight who once again must battle supernatural forces and save the girl. This time around, though, dangers seem to be coming out in droves. In one level by itself, for instance, we faced spiders, ghosts, a large rattlesnake, a wave of hot lava, and little arachnids...and that was just half of the level!

The level design has been given a boost in the arm to challenge gamers a bit more. No more straightforward left to right to get where you're going, sometimes you have to take part in some complex platform jumping to get ahead, all while avoiding pools of acid that can turn you into a hapless grasshopper or, of course, monsters that could mean certain death. Your armor has a hit system now, fortunately, so you can take up to three hits before you're stripped down to your undies and force to pull weapons out of your...say, where does Arthur get all those lances and knives, anyway? The game also graciously lets you continue off at a close point in the level where you died, instead of starting you off at the beginning or middle of a level. This is rather helpful, considering the difficulty curve the series has taken over the years.

You can also upgrade your armor, from red to yellow, giving you a further boost in weapon ability and strength. But the weapons themselves speak volumes, with an array of dazzling do-gooder tools at your disposal. Not only are there a few familiar weapons making a return, like the speedy knife and the somewhat unhelpful flame bomb, but there's new ones also, like a boomerang blade that comes in handy for ranged enemies and a vine-like whip that has a Simon Belmont-like quality to it. You'll be sure to find your favorites as you work your way through this latest adventure. There's also spells you can equip yourself with for better effect, as well as the ability to both aim in all directions for firing and having the double jump, after completing the first level. You'll need both of these abilities to survive, I assure you.

The game's graphics look pretty surreal for the product. It has a throwback look that's dedicated to the old 2-D nature of the original games, but it also has a quasi 3-D effect to it, without going full 3-D. The graphic detail's pretty astounding, especially on the animation and the visual effects. Loading time was pretty quick as well, letting you move along from level to level without having to wait an excrutiatingly long time.

But what really surprised me was the game's sound. The sound effects are varied, depending on which enemies you are battling, and the whole thing's backed up by a wonderful musical score that has the old themes in mind, but breathes new life into them with an almost comedic flavor behind them. The result is surprising, and will be a pleasure on the ears...especially if you have headphones.

Thus far, Ultimate Ghosts n' Goblins has everything working its way. The graphics are a great reminder of the series' past while establishing a beat on their own, the game design is off the charts in terms of challenge and depth, the musical score is a joy, and the extra gameplay features just appear to stack on top of it all. We'll return with a full review upon the game's release later on in the year, probably jam-packed with old-school raves and "the feeling is back" statements. Hey, whoever said that old game franchises can't make a comeback apparently hasn't seen the dedication that goes into them in the first place. Poor saps.