Cyber Shadow Analysis
Cyber Shadow was first announced in 2019 as a new sidescrolling action-platformer to be published by Yacht Club Games, the team behind the juggernaut indie title, Shovel Knight. However, Cyber Shadow was not developed by the Shovel Knight devs; it was developed by Aarne Hunziker of Mechanical Head Games. And for a title mostly created by one person and one person only, the quality of it all is really impressive, taking inspiration from many classic franchises like Mega Man, Metroid, and Ninja Gaiden. Cyber Shadow sees players take on the role of a robot ninja on a quest to save his clan, and like the other franchises previously mentioned, the majority of the game is spent traversing linear 2D stage with various robot enemies and a couple of bosses to take down. The main character, Shadow, has a blade for his basic slash attacks, and can run, jump, and not much else, even at the beginning of the game. As players delve deeper into it all, new abilities will unlock and these powers are essential for survival in the world of Cyber Shadow. One of the first abilities allows Shadow to throw shurikens at distant enemies, clearing a path for the player without having to take any damage. Another allows Shadow to down thrust enemies, causing him to bounce through the air to reach high places. As these powers are unlocked over the course of the 10-hour story, combat opens up more and gives players more freedom. By combining these powers, the game can feel like a power fantasy at times where Shadow can slice and dice enemies without even hitting the ground. It will be wild to see how speedrunners approach the Cyber Shadow.
These moves take up Shadow’s SP, but players can refill the bar by destroying open chests or defeating enemies. This helps balance the powers to make sure players don’t abuse them to easily defeat bosses or anything like that. Cyber Shadow always makes sure that players have exactly what they need to complete the objectives, and while the game can be extremely difficult at certain points, it doesn’t feel like it’s punishing you for making mistakes. . The checkpoint system isn’t the most generous, but starting in certain sections will only take players a short time to get back to the point where they died. Cyber Shadow is not a game for the faint of heart. Depending on the player’s experience in games like this, death will often come. For example, someone dying about 400 times in a playthrough is very possible in this game, and will likely happen to many players. Enemies will appear across the screen, with them firing projectiles at players while the floor is electrified and spikes are on the walls. Cyber Shadow puts players in some sticky situations, but it doesn’t feel impossible. Cyber Shadow doesn’t have any kind of upgrade or equipment system, or stats or anything like that, but at almost every single save point in the game, players can choose to spend their money to heal the Shadow, recover their SP, or get an item that helps in battle, like a blade extender for example or an item that turns enemy bullets into SP, which is one of the best.
The item given to players seems to be random, and it adds an extra layer of surprise to keep things fresh. Players won’t be stuck with the same item over and over again, and each one is as good as the next. These items can also be very useful for boss battles in the game as they are very challenging but also incredibly satisfying. Each fight is very different from the last and each one has its own attack patterns and always changes things when you least expect it. Players should also be prepared for multiple stages as this will happen several times. In every encounter, it’s hard not to compare the battles to something from Mega Man or Metroid, but even if the game wears inspiration on its sleeve, Cyber Shadow manages to live its own life and not feel as if something had changed. or made to please a particular audience. It certainly kicks off some nostalgia for NES and SNES fans, but it’s accessible for anyone who wants an exciting action game to keep them busy for a weekend. The chiptune soundtrack mixes very well with the fast-paced gameplay, it works perfectly on PS5 through backward compatibility, and it’s an unforgettable experience of hardships and anger, but also of joy and success. One second, players will slam their controllers after dying in the same section for the 30th time, but once they figure it out and get past it, the incredible feeling of overcoming that obstacle is a joy. Cyber Shadow is an indie title that will be remembered for a long time and only adds to Yacht Club Games’ growing library of retro-inspired classics. Any fan of Metroid, Mega Man, Ninja Gaiden, Contra, and even The Messenger should have this game in their sights. This is an awesome, action-packed ninja adventure not to be missed. Cyber Shadow releases on January 26 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, and Xbox One. Today Technology was provided with a PS4/PS5 code for this review. MORE: Cyber Shadow Is Coming to Move Thanks to Yacht Club Games