Not a massive problem initially but when a lot of the later action takes place on precipitous platforms positioned above insta-kill spikes, you’ll soon be wishing that Shadow kept his feet planted firmly on the ground. ‘Big bad robot ninja killing machine’ Shadow leaps back a good metre if only even gently caressed by a teeny tiny monster. The first example is in the intensely irritating ‘knockback’ mechanic. Overall, it’s mostly fair, though there are some glaringly cruel exceptions. For far too long you’ll be stuck jumping with a basic attack and not a lot else going for you.ĭifficulty wise Cyber Shadow is as challenging and unforgiving as you would expect a game of this genre to be. Whilst this ability certainly opens up the game world for exploration, it felt late in its arrival – I’m used to being able to double jump and wall climb in my retro platformers from the get-go. There are some more interesting abilities to eventually be unlocked, but by the time you can parry, dash and cross slash like a ninja master it all feels a little too late into your adventure. In fact, I was well into a third of the game before unlocking the wall climb skill. You’ll be bashing bosses for many a level with the slim reward of useful but tedious health boosts and uninspired abilities that you’ll rarely use. Normally this is an excellent device to drive a player’s engagement and commitment to the game, yet Cyber Shadow waits an absolute age before dishing out the fun stuff. Just like any 2D action platformer, Shadow gradually gains a slew of abilities which can be used to further explore previous levels.
The description of ‘spot-on pacing’ can’t be applied to the lethargic dribble of power-ups that come Shadow’s way. Smooth animation, super-detailed characterisation and a palpable sense of atmosphere – Aarne has perfected the art of 8-bit visual design. What Aarne “MekaSkull” Hunziker of Mechanical Head Games has accomplished is nothing short of astonishing. The 8-bit visuals are, quite frankly, kissable. Because, if like me, your first experience of a video game console was the NES then seeing Cyber Shadow in motion will give you a nostalgic dopamine hit of epic proportions. But can a retro-infused nostalgia fix succeed without having a sense of humour? Whilst The Messenger was a loving parody of retro classics, Cyber Shadow takes itself very, very seriously. But that would be to do Cyber Shadow a disservice.
“As we polish Cyber Shadow, the gameplay, action, and set pieces continue to come together in exciting new ways.Cyber Shadow answers a very specific question, namely: What would a modern AAA video game look like if it existed in the eighties? Now, if you’re feeling pedantic you could argue that Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger already answered that question way back in 2018. Additionally, we’re also deeply involved in giving design feedback, imparting our lessons from developing the Shovel Knight saga so Aarne can create the best version of his game possible.” YCG is handling the marketing, porting, business side, and typical roles of a publisher so Aarne can focus on the core game development. “In this way, the game became a bit of a codevelopment. Shovel Knight and Cyber Shadow are both destined to present the trials of NES games without the tribulations!” After 6 years and 5 Shovel Knight games, YCG has become associated with authentic 8-bit fun, and we were confident we could use our experience and expertise to take Cyber Shadow to the next level.
What we played was a brilliantly elevated take on classic ninja action. Aarne described Cyber Shadow to us as an NES-style game that had the level design principles of Mario, the skills and action of Ninja Gaiden, the enemy designs of Contra, and the dark visual aesthetic of Batman. He’d been developing it on his own for years with no intention of going with a publisher – but YCG was the only team he’d ever consider to help him hone his creation. “We reached out to Aarne two years ago about being involved with Cyber Shadow. Why Cyber Shadow? What is Yacht Club’s role? There’s no set release date, but Nintendo of America has said in the video description that it is scheduled to be release soon It is a retro-themed ninja-based action game which is coming to the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Nintendo of America has lifted the lid on Cyber Shadows which is developed by Mechanical Head Studios and published by Shovel Knight creators Yacht Club Games.
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