Cyber Shadow Switch Review – The Real Cyberpunk

The age of indie continues to grow and gain more and more strength in the gaming world. Yacht Club Games proved this tremendously with their successful Kickstarter and continual updates for the now classic Shovel Knight, but since then, Yacht Club has expanded to publishing as well. Cyber Shadow is the first project the now publisher has tackled, and this is a one-man show by Mechanical Head Studios, AKA Aarne “MekaSkull” Hunziker.

This wonderful throwback is a reminder that NES-era games can absolutely be improved upon, just as Yacht Club Games proved with Shovel Knight, and Aarne Hunziker has proven himself exponentially with his effort in Cyber Shadow.

So is this a cyberpunk world that you should actually invest in (Sorry, Cyberpunk 2077)? The short answer is yes, but let’s talk about why you should.

Cyber Shadow starts off with our hero, Shadow, experiencing a cataclysmic disaster that sees himself and the city he protects perish from a massive explosion. Thankfully Shadow lives on in the form of a cybernetic suit, and the game moves quickly as your master has gone missing and it is up to Shadow to save the day.

We find out rather early that the world has been taken over by synthetic life forms, and they have been infecting the world and all the skilled ninja of the secret clan within Mekacity. Only Shadow is left to unlock the secrets to his clan’s ancient powers as he continues to uncover what started the path to perpetual ruin.

The story in Cyber Shadow gripped me way more than I expected. It is very impactful while also tragic, and it is hard watching Shadow collapse as he struggles to move on and finish what he started throughout the game.

It is a masterfully told story that Mechanical Head Studios deserves enormous praise for, and the game only continues to impress from there.

Cyber Shadow is a nostalgic trip down the 8-bit lane, and many older gamers will immediately feel the connection with NES titles like Ninja Gaiden and Contra as they blaze their way through the cyberpunk world. The frantic and fast-paced action is a reminder of how the old coin-slot arcade titles used to function, but Cyber Shadow takes this approach and transforms it in such a way that it is accessible and even more entertaining.

After the game’s intro, you will be slashing, dodging, and platforming like a ninja in no time. You will also learn an assortment of ninja abilities throughout the game that allow you to wall jump and ninja run, and it is in learning these new abilities that things open up even more. You see, Cyber Shadow allows for some backtracking so that you can collect items from previous stages that were inaccessible but become so after obtaining certain abilities. Some of the challenges within these areas will really test you, but they are loads of fun and a welcomed addition.

Another major improvement is the use of checkpoints, that also serve as a hub of sorts to purchase health and items. For those familiar with Contra and Ninja Gaiden, Cyber Shadow eliminating lives in favor of checkpoints breathes new life into the side-scrolling action genre that it borrows from, and it makes the game feel so much better because of it.

Thanks to this, dying is not such a big deal, so some of the more difficult action and platforming areas are significantly less intimidating than the NES titles that Cyber Shadow draws inspiration from.

But don’t let any of what I say misinform you. Although Cyber Shadow borrows a lot from games like Contra, Ninja Gaiden, and even more modern indie titles like The Messenger, it does plenty to separate itself and offers significant changes that propel the game to different heights.

The boss fights, in particular, are excellent. They are often big, bad, and wildly gratifying, and at no point do these bosses feel unfair. Each of them have relatively easy to choreograph rhythms that simply require you to be patient. These bosses will rip you apart if you go in sword-swinging and ability-using, so take your time and study them. It is the difference between getting easily frustrated and having a blast, so choose wisely.

Another cool addition is the ability to parry, which allows Shadow to swing at projectiles in a timely manner allowing them to be thrown back at the user with extreme force. Pulling this off against normal enemies is one thing, but consistently pulling it off against a boss is a feeling second to none. The nice thing about parrying is that it does not use SP like all of your secondary weapons, like shuriken, so once you get a feel for it, this becomes a powerful tool in the game.

The Duck Tales/Shovel Knight-like pogo action is a bit tough in Cyber Shadow because of the shallow bounce, but this becomes a lot easier and more useful once you obtain the double jump.

Controls throughout the game are stellar and as tight as they can get, but there are a couple sections that are a bit more frustrating than others due to some poor enemy or platform placement.

But enough about gameplay! Let’s talk about this soundtrack by Enrique Martin, because OH. MY. GOD. This is so good! I have not been this jazzed about a chiptune soundtrack since Mega Man 2 or 3, honestly, and that is even including the Shovel Knight soundtracks. Each time I cleared a stage, my first thought went to, “I wonder what the next song is going to sound like!” This drove me to keep playing and prevented me from feeling any fatigue that one would naturally feel after dying a decent amount in a certain area.

On top of the soundtrack, the graphics are simply breathtaking. Each stage and its corresponding backgrounds are equal parts nostalgic and new, and the level of detail that goes into a game like this honestly shouldn’t be so entrancing, yet it is. Every character, from Shadow to any of the massive bosses to a tiny robot minion, is beautifully designed and a solid reminder that graphics do not have to be realistic in order to blow players away. The cut scenes, especially, are gorgeous.

Cyber Shadow is amazing, but it is also a game that is not for everyone. This is a relatively linear experience with some possible backtracking that will last about 5-6 hours to clear the first time. That may not be so enticing for a $20 game, but Cyber Shadow does offer quite the experience for what I feel is a very appropriate price tag.

It is an excellent action platformer that reminds you of the best the NES had to offer. Shadow controls wonderfully, the soundtrack is top notch, the graphics hit the nostalgic feels, and there are some great powers to unlock throughout. If you are willing and able to take down this synthetic robot army, then I cannot recommend this game enough.

Cyber Shadow deserves all the praise coming its way, and it is appropriate that it is published by Yacht Club Games because this is a title that deserves to stand right next to Shovel Knight in the upper echelon of indie games. Aarne “MekaSkull” Hunziker should be beyond proud for what he was able to accomplish.

Cyber Shadow Review provided by Nintendo Link
Developer: Mechanical Head Studios
Publisher: Yacht Club Games
Release Date: January 26, 2021
Price: $19.99, £17.99, €19,99
Game Size: 200MB