Gargoyle’s Quest II is one of those weird little Game Boy gems that somehow blends side-scrolling action with RPG elements—and it actually works. You play as Firebrand, a red gargoyle who can hover, shoot fireballs, and cling to walls like some kind of demonic Spider-Man. The overworld map feels like an old-school Zelda game, but then you drop into these tight, punishing platforming sections where one wrong move sends you back to the start.

The atmosphere’s surprisingly moody for a Game Boy title—lots of eerie castles and barren wastelands filled with monsters that hit way harder than you’d expect. I died a lot early on until I figured out how to time Firebrand’s float just right. And yeah, the translation’s a bit rough in spots (it’s a ROM hack), but the gameplay’s solid enough that you’ll push through. If you’re into weird retro hybrids with a challenge, this one’s worth dusting off.