Compounding these problems is the Castlevania-style knockback that can turn unlucky hits into instant death if you’re near any pitfall. What adds to this problem is the multitude of enemies-like Ninja Gaiden however, seemingly placed at random throughout each level insta-kill pitfalls, and environmental hazards that make moving through a level a constant gauntlet, and the lack of mobility options make this less than fun to play through. However, upon starting the game, you’re only given a standing slash and a jump, and those don’t really go far in a game like this-hell, even the original Ninja Gaiden gave you a wall jump at the start. The initial release trailer really hyped me up, because it makes the game look so fast-paced and intense. The biggest problem with Cyber Shadow’s control is a serious lack of mobility, particularly in the beginning of the game. I had a bad feeling from the beginning when I discovered there was no crouch feature-a staple in most 2D action games-but it only got more frustrating from there. Cyber Shadow can be extremely frustrating to play, mainly because the control feels so archaic in its design. However, now I have to get into my main complaint with the game: the gameplay. The soundtrack was done by Enrique Martin, produced by Jake Kaufman-Kaufman having also done the Shovel Knight soundtrack, which, in my opinion, is one of the all time greatest game soundtracks so you know it’s going to be epic. Every track gets your heart racing and so perfectly fits the mood of the game, creating tracks that are as fast as Ninjas, but somehow somber yet triumphant. On top of the excellent visual design is an absolutely BANGIN’ soundtrack. From garbage disposal facilities, to grimy sewers, to the desolate ruins of Mekacity, the game has a wide variety of levels, and the amount of detail both in the foreground and the background create a world that feels so visually distinct. Cyber Shadow does a lot with it’s minimalist, 8-bit aesthetic, creating interesting levels that may remind some players of the NES Batman. The game compels you to move forward, teasing you with brief flashes of Shadow’s pre-cyborg life, particularly his relationship with the Master.Īdding to the story is the game’s visual design. It’s an excellent story that wears it’s Ninja Gaiden influence on it’s sleeve blending elements of Neo-Noir, Anime, and Cyberpunk to create a lot of drama and intrigue. From there he sets out to free his fellow Ninja and save his Master. After a cataclysmic explosion that levels his home of Mekacity, he reawakens as a Cyborg and quickly learns that sinister forces have captured his clan and Master syphoning their essence to power their machines. Players take on the role of the titular Shadow-a Ninja who, along with his clan, is tasked with preserving the balance between the spirit world and the living. However, before this review starts sounding more negative than it is, I want to take a moment to focus on Cyber Shadow’s positives starting with the story. However, unlike Shovel Knight which used it’s NES inspiration as a foundation to build something truly inspired, Cyber Shadow doesn’t quite hit the same mark-pulling more of what made those aforementioned games frustratingly difficult. Much like Shovel Knight Cyber Shadow blends the gameplay sensibilities from several of the NES-era games that inspired Shovel Knight-it’s a little Ninja Gaiden mixed with Castlevania, with a sprinkle of Mega Man. However, it is worth noting that Yacht Club only published the game while Mechanical Head Studios developed, and it’s easy to see why Yacht Club put their money behind this. Here was a fast-paced, old-school Ninja game with the legendary creators of Shovel Knight’s name behind it? I was sold. When I saw the first announcement trailer for Cyber Shadow back in March of 2019, I was pumped. However, the newest entry into the Ninja pantheon Cyber Shadow has me at a bit of a crossroads while it’s a fundamentally solid game, the more I played it, the more frustrating it became. Thankfully, the Indie scene has been keeping the ancient art of Ninjistu fun and interesting for years with noteworthy games like Mark of the Ninja, Aragami, The Messenger, and GhostRunner to name a few. As I thought about the many Ninja games that I have played over the past few years, I noticed that the “AAA” industry has all but abandoned the coolest stealth assassins to ever grace this planet- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice being the last noteworthy entry. Luckily for me-as is the case with most Ninja related games-I have yet to find a bad one. As CGM’s resident Ninja, I pride myself in having a highly refined palette for Ninja related games.
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