Rastan.

[maldoror]

This is what comes to mind when I see this game in motion. Anyone else agree?

[ECM]

Yeah, I came here to ask if I was the only one, which means I'm buying this and praying it's half as good as that classic.

(I guess Legendary Axe would also be applicable, even though that was also inspired by Rastan.)

(Asytanax, too.)

(And so on and on and on and on...)

[Citronvand]

It's very similar to Rastan, but also classic Castlevania and Ghouls n Ghosts. They talk a little about it in their kickstarter video http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1829034266/volgarr-the-viking?ref=live

[Jekhar]

Of course Rastan comes to mind, the devs cited it as a big inspiration in their initial Kickstarter pitch video. As well as Ghosts'n'Goblins for the get hit, lose armor mechanic.

[ALEX IV]

Yes, was the first thing that came to my mind when watching gameplay video.
Specially for the move to the side and just slash the sword in the same way thing.

[GrimReefer]

Rastan was the first thing that came to mind when i watched the vid..

Obviously a Rastan ripoff

[ivansword]

absolutely, check my write up a it ago, i wrote first then started to check for others thoughts as well. the first level is uncanny and so close to rastan in design.... the powerups, items locations, enemies, etc. i second your thoughts man, though the others above had some good insight on related characteristics as well, particularily Ghosts nd Goblins...

[Metallic Fruit]

In addition, the skeleton sitting in the corner on the second screen where you have to down attack to reach a chest appears to be the character from Rastan.

[Kailen]

Yea, this first level is so inspired by Rastan that it makes me wish I were playing that instead.

[Thor]

See my response here. It's a deliberate homage for the first 8% of the first map. http://steamcommunity.com/app/247240/discussions/0/540741769607789247/#c540741769615534853

[Appetite4Deduction]

That was where they were going with the game concept--a re-imagining of the original arcade game (even how it starts up into the game right away when you load it).

Make no mistake, though--this game has plenty of original content. It also has many other references to related material, such as the Conan movies, The Lost Vikings, and He-Man: Masters of the Universe.

[Trip Fisk]

Originally posted by Citronvand:

It's very similar to Rastan, but also classic Castlevania and Ghouls n Ghosts.

no. he's talking concept & level design, not game design.
its not just Volgar being a ripped topless barbarian killing lizardmen just like in Rastan, its also the first 5 seconds of the game has the little breakable block leading down into a cavern with a power up being guarded by 2 flying enemies. That's a carbon copy of the start of Rastan.