It falls really really hard on that classic pitfall of skill trees in which the upgrades feel like the game was holding back on essential verbs instead of being interesting additions to an already engaging moveset. Because of that, it spends most of its run time actively choosing to be rather bland — something that is only reinforced by the explicit and unchallenging ways it clings to its inspirations — to then get super cool for a hot second before it ends, like it was teasing you.
4 Comments
Well, yeah, it's not like there's something inherently wrong with this kind of progression (and I would argue it works differently for a metroidvania), it's about how you do it. The problem here for me is a combination of how they paced the upgrades, the order they're in and what the base experience has to offer. Cyber Shadow just takes so much time to give you verbs that feel fundamental to make the game interesting and/or special at all.
So, comparing to Mega Man X again, it's more like if you played most of the game with the classic mega man moveset and only unlocked the dash and wall slide/jump at the very end. The boss upgrades work fine because they do feel extra and not core to the experience.
So, comparing to Mega Man X again, it's more like if you played most of the game with the classic mega man moveset and only unlocked the dash and wall slide/jump at the very end. The boss upgrades work fine because they do feel extra and not core to the experience.
Cyber Shadow feels like you already have all the fundamental skills from the very beginning. It took heavy inspiration off of NES games, after all. You also have to remember that the earlier levels are designed with what skills you would have at that point. I would understand it feeling a little basic on a replay, but on a first playthrough? So the Mega Man X analogy doesn’t work at all. Comparing it to Ninja Gaiden (for obvious reasons), the only fundamental skill you’re missing initially is like, what, the wall jump? I feel like this “problem” has little to do with the game itself, but more with your expectations.
Oh, for sure, if you just want basic Ninja Gaiden it's mostly there from the beginning, but if that's the game, it's just not very interesting (for me anyway). The frustration comes from the fact that they actually did have some new ideas to apply to this classic format, but buried it under the more basic stuff.
And while and I don't hold this against the devs, and would probably maintain my opinion of the game even if I didn't have any expectations attached to it, they totally did sell this game by flaunting those late late game mechanics. haha It's not only the first thing you see in the announcement trailer but it is constant throughout out all the promotional material. Which is fair, because it looks cool, and it is cool! I just wish the game had more of it.
And while and I don't hold this against the devs, and would probably maintain my opinion of the game even if I didn't have any expectations attached to it, they totally did sell this game by flaunting those late late game mechanics. haha It's not only the first thing you see in the announcement trailer but it is constant throughout out all the promotional material. Which is fair, because it looks cool, and it is cool! I just wish the game had more of it.
PKMudkipz
3 years ago