Nothing unusual for the genre, but man was it fulfilling when I finally beat it. It’s a hard initial fight where you need to know your jump momentum, but once you think you’re done… a harder second phase occurs. My personal favorite is chapter 2’s boss, Scrambler. The bosses here are a treat too while some have easy exploits you can use to dispatch of them (some bosses are prone to your sword spam, for instance), they’re all difficult the first couple of times you face them, and they’re all fast-paced and fun to learn when it comes to attack patterns. Thankfully, these bits are everywhere, so if you’re feeling a bit worse for wear on one section of a level, you can easily pick up some currency to fully replenish your status. The fact that you get unlimited continues is a great option, and should you want a harder experience, most checkpoint terminals have optional modules you can select that will replenish your health, SP (used for special attacks and abilities), and a random item… for the cost of in-game currency that you’ll pick up in your travels. While the games Cyber Shadow mimics were devoid of checkpoints most of the time, here they’re peppered in enough that it feels like an achievement to reach one while also acting as a way to breathe easy now that you don’t have to worry about losing progress. Thankfully, this is mitigated due to the generous checkpoint system included within levels. This game is tough as nails, and you’ll die quite a few times.

The parry move you receive is a gamebreaker, but only if you can master the command prompts. That said, be prepared to practice a lot before you get to the level of effortlessly mowing down your enemies, since this game requires precise movement and timing in order to get anywhere. It feels so smooth when you can commit to the moves, and the game will challenge you with innovative approaches to movement. There’s nothing quite like clearing out a room of enemies using just a few moves. Downstrike and dash moves don’t seem too flashy… until you can chain together a bunch of them together and be nearly invincible. The best abilities come in the midgame with the momentum-based moves, and this is what makes Cyber Shadow shine. Thankfully, as you continue through Cyber Shadow, you’ll also receive abilities that you can use in a pinch, such as a shuriken or flame projectile (perfect for killing hard-to-reach enemies). The game throws enemies from all directions at you, so you’ll need to navigate a bunch of different hazards while managing your limited attack range.

Like Ninja Gaiden, your main attack is a sword that can only slash horizontally. The game is divided into chapters, and you’ll see more of the narrative unfold as you continue it’s done in an authentic pixel art style that emulates the NES era perfectly.Īlso emulated is the easy-to-use yet deep control scheme. It’s a premise that feels right at home for the 8-bit throwback, but I was surprised with how many story cutscenes there were in the game. A robot named L-Gion awakens the ninja as he plans to avenge the fallen in a race against time to save the day. It seems that Yacht Club Games has answered the call to make more Ninja Gaiden-esque throwbacks with Cyber Shadow, a game that fights you every step of the way but handles it exceptionally well and rewards rather than punishes you for the fact that you’ll retry often.Ĭyber Shadow puts you in the role of Shadow, who… well, turned cyber due to the evil Dr. You know why I adore Cuphead (a game with similar difficulty)? Because I don’t have to start from the beginning when I die every two minutes. 1 Launcher).While I love the retro gaming scene, I don’t hold the 8-bit era with a rosy nostalgic outlook, mainly due to its generally unfair approach to punishing difficulty. Especially helpful for shotguns ( Aegis Mk. The alpha legs (quickness, dodge), alpha eye, datajack ( Smartlink) and Mark Target and/or Eagle Totems (no actual spells) can give a ranged character incredible accuracy at far ranges.Adds +8 HP and +1 Quickness.Īlpha level cyberlegs made by Universal Omnitech. Adds +6% to hit.īasic yet powerful machine replacement for your leg. Renraku's state of the art alpha cybereye with magnification enhancement. Renraku's basic cybereye replacements extend and enhance your vision. When triggered, you will dodge the first attack against you each turn for three rounds.Ī requirement for Riggers, Deckers, and those that want to use a smartlink weapon. Shiawase's hi-tech alpha bone lacing uses a Kevlar coating.

Shiawase's process covers your bones with hard plastic. Adds +2 Armor.Īres' unique hi-tech dermal armor plating implants. Adds +1 Strength and +5 HP.Īres' basic dermal armor implants. Yamatetsu's alpha cyberlimbs are flesh friendly replacements. Silver Tech's basic replacement limbs that add +6 HP.

Cyber shadow cost