Despite the small scope and some imprecise and chaotic aspects, Pepper Grinder is worth picking up for platforming fans looking for something that manages to be both novel and challenging, and its considerable audiovisual charm absolutely doesn’t hurt.
All in all, while Tears of the Kingdom isn’t perfect, it’s a classic maximalist sequel and it succeeds at that, whatever baggage or quibbles various players might bring to it. It was never going to supplant Ocarina of Time among that game’s diehards. Neither will it supplant Breath of the Wild thanks to how thoroughly the former wilderness has been tamed and signposted. After six years, something more revelatory or revolutionary would have been quite welcome, but in the end the worst I can say about Tears of the Kingdom is that it’s a very good game that earns its place in the Zelda pantheon.
For those who still keep to the old ways, though, this is the real deal. There are plenty of retro games, including some widely lauded ones, that I feel missed the mark with ill-considered gimmickry, boring level design, and smug pandering. Cyber Shadow’s not that. It’s not a winking nod or cynical nostalgia bait. It’s a worthy successor.
This is still significantly easier than many run and gun classics like Ghosts ‘n Goblins or Metal Slug. If the tension, pace, and feel of Cuphead appeal to you and you’re curious about something more streamlined and frantic, consider Tanuki Justice.