9 Years of Shadows Reviews
9 Years of Shadows is a solid 2D action-adventure title that is very pretty to look at, and could be recommendable to those who don't focus on combat.
Halberd Studios has crafted a Metroidvania with a really encouraging number of unique elements. We have no issue in declaring it A Good Game™ and a great time thanks to its careful crafting and implementation of a number of original ideas that elevate the gameplay, rather than stifle it. It is just another Metroidvania at heart, yes, and it doesn't revolutionise the genre; but, while there are a few scrappy bits where you can see a thinning of the budget compared to works by larger studios, it holds its own as an inventive, pretty, and consistently enjoyable adventure.
9 Years of Shadows' pixel graphics are gorgeous, its story is compelling, and its boss battles are worth the slower moments you have to wade through to get there. It's a fun adventure that offers enough surprises to keep Castlevania fans engaged throughout.
It's pretty and it plays well, but this is a short, underwhelming Metroidvania with no exploration and uninteresting level design.
Call it refined nostalgia. Call it a love letter to Metroid Fusion and other Game Boy Advance metroidvanias. Call it what you want. 9 Years of Shadows is a good, short, yet approachable metroidvania. While it doesn’t quite hit the depth of combat complexity and story beats of its GBA predecessors, it overdelivers via gorgeous pixel art and an orchestrated soundtrack. Its Nintendo Switch port is not the best in its current state, but it’s worth playing if you’re wanting a metroidvania to play on a lazy Sunday.
I was initially hooked by 9 Years of Shadows, and I still have nothing negative to say about the game’s music or visuals, but then I realized that the game didn’t have anything interesting to show me after the Poseidon armor. The predictable level structure, meaningless upgrades, uninteresting enemies, mechanically boring boss fights, and stale combat make it a repetitive slog to go through.
9 Years of Shadows isn't the biggest Metroidvania game, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in other ways. Its visuals are sublime, for one, and its gameplay is fantastic, too. Add in a soundtrack which includes pieces by Michiru Yamane, and you're onto a winner.
9 Years of Shadows is one of those indies that manages to leave a lasting impression. The armor mechanics are well thought out and bring fluidity to exploration, especially during boss fights. Even with its mediocre story and minor technical issues, the title makes up for it with creativity, charming pixel art, and an excellent soundtrack, a well-designed atmosphere, and well-functioning gameplay. For those who enjoy metroidvanias and are looking for something new within the genre, it's worth giving it a try.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nine Years of Shadows is a good Metroidvania with an impressive presentation and intriguing world. Gameplay mechanics will be instantly familiar to any genre fans and easy to understand for newcomers. There aren’t too many surprises in the narrative but it is imbued with a sense of optimism that kept me engaged.
9 Years of Shadows is a great game that fans of Metroidvanias will definitely love; it's just the problems with the game crashing and freezing that make me have to score the game lower than it really deserves.
9 Years of Shadows may not shake up the world of indie games, but it comes as a metroidvania with quality, personality and a lot of good ideas. Recommended for fans of the genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
9 Years of Shadows is a challenging and old-school Metroidvania that never ceases to impress with its varied gameplay and striking world. 🌳
9 Years of Shadows is a beautiful game with interesting mechanics. It’s filled with great intentions and ideas that were never fully realized. However, even with its glitches, confusingly long load time, and input lag, it was an enjoyable experience, albeit a sometimes frustrating one.
9 Years of Shadows is a Metroidvania with beautiful pixel art, a memorable soundtrack, and solid gameplay. Its poetic story and elemental armors enhance the exploration. The level design and artistic direction are standout features. A great choice for fans of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
I had a lot of fun with 9 Years of Shadows. Furthermore, I'd say it has the potential to please genre fans and, more than that, be an excellent gateway for those who are new to metroidvanias.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
With the abundance of quality metroidvanias currently available on Switch, standing out is no easy task. Nevertheless, with great visuals and animations, fun combat and a simple but intriguing narrative, 9 Years of Shadows fulfills its mission and delivers an adventure that deserves to be experienced. Its linearity and short duration may disappoint some players, but it's undeniable that the mix of color, musicality and action works well here — and, given the competent adaptation and its inherent versatility, Nintendo's hybrid console is the best way to experience it.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
9 Years of Shadows obviously leans on the genre’s trademark mechanics, but it brings enough of its own to make it stand out from the rest. Its world alone is reason enough to give it a spin, but add in its creative balancing of combat and magic/health regen along with how the game deals with color and you’ve got something special that shouldn’t be missed even by the most veterans of players.
Undoubtedly giving off a feel of earlier days of grand environments, hacking, and slashing, but missing a spark to go next level
An experience of between five and eight hours of full-fledged metroidvania. Overcoming a mechanic that somewhat unbalances its gameplay, 9 Years of Shadows is a simple game that knows very well what it is looking for, providing art designs and a particularly remarkable soundtrack.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
9 Years of Shadows may not reinvent the wheel with regards to the genre but one can’t deny the quality on display here. The gameplay is fun and addictive, from the game’s tight combat to exploration, encouraging you to seek out every secret possible. On top of all that, you add beautiful pixel graphics and an excellent soundtrack which makes the experience all the more special. 9 Years of Shadows is a great example where it’s ok for a game to play off the same music sheet, so long as the band playing is skilled and brings a top-quality performance. I’m trying to say the game is great and well worth your time. Even if you are tired of adventure games, this may just renew your interest.