Cyber Shadow Reviews
There's no better way to sum it up than just by getting straight to the point: Cyber Shadow is a fun action-platformer and one that expertly emulates the NES classic of yore.
Cyber Shadow by Mechanical Head Games is an 8-Bit masterpiece entangled in a beautiful, dystopian world of ninjas action and deadly automatons.
Seamlessly blending the feeling of an NES platformer with a surprisingly engaging story helps Cyber Shadow cement its place as one of the best retro-inspired titles on the market. Cyber Shadow is the newest title developed by Mechanical Head Studios and published by Yacht Club Games.
Cyber Shadow is not only a great homage to times gone, but also a quite enjoyable game in itself. What lacks in originality it compensated by great controls and a spot-on level design.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While Cyber Shadow is fundamentally a solid game, it does go to show that some robot ninjas aren’t built as well as others.
Cyber Shadow is one of those rare retro-inspired titles that does not pale in comparison to its references or feel like a cheap knock off. Pretty much everything about Cyber Shadow is on point and executed flawlessly. From the visuals, to the sound, to the precise and responsive gameplay. The game gets the difficulty balance right the majority of the time. It’s tough enough to be challenging but rarely hard enough to be considered unfair. The addition of well-placed checkpoints and infinite lives definitely make the challenge more palatable than its ancestors. It is a really solid action platformer and a really good game that deserves some play.
In sum, Cyber Shadow does a great job of doing what it set out to do. It’s a modern take on genre elders Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi, and it provides all the ninja lore, atmosphere, challenge, and aura that those games do. Furthermore, it gives players plenty of reason to keep playing thanks to evolving gameplay elements that keeps things fresh, interesting, and challenging. For anyone who enjoys the genre or ninja games in general, Cyber Shadow is a must-have.
Cyber Shadow‘s level design is so good that you’d be forgiven for thinking Yacht Club both developed and published the title. The game is superbly paced, ripe for multiple replays, and visually polished. It won’t win over those who don’t love retro action platformers, but even casual fans of the genre will love this one.
In the end, the positives are strong enough to make Cyber Shadow a fun adventure for indie platformers fans, NES Ninja Gaiden fans, or even gamers who just like tons of challenging boss fights.
If you consider yourself a fan of retro action platformers, you owe it to yourself to pick up Cyber Shadow whenever possible. It's clear in virtually every facet of Cyber Shadow's design that this project was a labour of love and that its designer is intimately familiar with what makes the stalwarts of this beloved genre so great. Well-built levels, authentic presentation, tight controls and a high difficulty all combine to make this a supreme and focused experience, and one that we can easily say is well worth your time. Mechanical Head Studios has set a high bar with its inaugural debut, and we can't wait to see more from this developer.
Cyber Shadow brings the nostalgia in bunches.
Just as Shovel Knight, the other game published by Yacht Club Games, Cyber Shadow is a true homage to classic NES games, in particular to the Ninja Gaiden trilogy. It has all the elements that we remember fondly from those years, such as a retro sound and looks, but it complements them with modern gameplay mechanics. If we take off some of its visual effects and its resolution, I do see myself playing it in a classic 8-bit console. You only need the directional pad and two buttons to play it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
(One last note for Nintendo Switch players: Cyber Shadow actually plays best with Joy-Con, not the Pro Controller. The control pad on the Pro Controller sometimes incorrectly registers "forward" inputs as "down" inputs, which makes parries and dashing frustratingly more difficult.)
Cyber Shadow packs a lot of quality into a small six-hour package. If you love indie platformers and have a soft spot in your heart for games like Ninja Gaiden and Shatterhand then you won't want to pass this one up.
Cyber Shadow is an impressive old school ninja game. The kind of retro experience that can't be recommended to everyone, as it shines by being very very difficult, but a challenge that some stubborn players asking themselves if they still have good reflexes and memory will enjoy for sure.
Review in French | Read full review
Cyber Shadow isn't afraid to just be what it is: an unapologetic, retro-inspired action game. Steady upgrades mean you'll be introduced to new mechanics for most of the adventure, keeping things interesting all the way. An old-school challenge awaits, and while it's mostly a fair fight, checkpoints can be a little far apart, and some bosses might stop you in your tracks. Still, if you're looking for a rock solid side-scroller, this is absolutely worth your time
Cyber Shadow is a truly wonderful game. It's brutal, uncompromising, and insanely enjoyable to a degree that I don't often see. Between its lovingly crafted visuals, pitch-perfect gameplay, and maddeningly difficult, yet expertly designed levels, it's a must-play for anyone who enjoys side-scrolling action games.
Tough, beautiful retro games might seem like they’re everywhere these days. You might be losing track of them all in the midst of this recent deluge. I promise Cyber Shadow is one of the good ones. A delicate balance is struck between challenge and accessibility, leaving you bloodied and eager for more. The art and the music is among the best you’ll see all year long. Finally, the mechanical guts of this game are perfectly tuned. While some players will be rebuked by certain NES-era sensibilities (like the knockback effect), the overall experience is practically sublime. If you’re looking for a Ninja Gaiden send-up that’s been dragged into the 21st century, look no further than Cyber Shadow.
There is not a single original idea in Cyber Shadow, but it's a great game created with love for the classics like Ninja Gaiden.
Review in Russian | Read full review