From what we could tell, right off the bat it seemed as though Cyber Shadow was suffering from a bit of “samey-ness” with PAX attendees… the comparisons with The Messenger were undeniable, but for those who actually stopped at the booth and gave this title a go, it would have become quickly clear that this is its own game. Ultimately, it’s darker (post-apocalyptic), more serious, and requires rapid precision for success.
Coming from Yacht Club Games, which we all know from Shovel Knight fame, Cyber Shadow does visually evoke similar emotions due to its classic platforming visuals. In the game, you play as a cyborg ninja doing battle with robots and other machines, upgrade skills, and develop strategies for making it through levels during high-stakes combat.
And when we say high-stakes… yes, you’re going to get frustrated. It’s the type of gaming experience that frustrates and causes controller-throwing, but then you immediately jump off the couch to grab the controller back and try it again. The good news is that the controls are very responsive and the gameplay feels natural to anyone who enjoys retro platforming, so there won’t be a massive learning curve—anyone can jump right in.
The game was created and developed by a one-man team, Aarne Hunziker, who was at the booth to show off his creation and answer questions—and he admitted that Ninja Gaiden was a huge inspiration, which is clear when you start to play. The goal here was to evoke a similar level of difficulty in gameplay, without resulting in rage-quit frustration. The boss battles are also evocative of Contra, and more than one person at the booth cited Mega Man when it came to the soundtrack.
No release date has been set yet—it’s coming “soon.”
