


The robots can work together rather deviously with area specific concerns as well. Because of the danger they present you often need to think about how you need to move forward but not so much that it slows things down, respecting your foe important to getting in and striking at the right moment so they don’t shoot you or barrel into you. Regular enemies are a dangerous and ever changing mix of forms meant to deny you the limited space you must cross, your health pretty limited and the strength of your robot opposition growing in turn as you start to be able to sustain more damage. At first your sword slash is your main way of handling trouble and even in the final moments of the game the swift and easy swing of the blade is also the most reliable method for quick damage. Shadow starts off with a fairly small range of abilities to navigate the 2D side-scrolling world, the game having a focus on moving forward most of the time but some areas you can return to later with the skills you gain to grab a few extra goodies.

The game actually begins with very little info given and it doesn’t delay the action for too long to give you more substance to the story in later scenes, the final form of the plot providing a deeper link between Shadow, the Master, and the people responsible for this situation that adds helpful context to make the whole adventure a touch more satisfying. When he is freed though, he sets about trying to find and release his fellow ninja from their fate, the state of the clan’s Master a particular concern as you learn more of the personal connection he has with her in short but informative cutscenes. Shadow is one such captive, his organic body ruined by the explosion but cybernetics kept him alive so he could be a battery like his other clan members. The creator of the machines is able to drain the life energy from the shrines and the ninjas themselves, capturing the members of the clan to continue fueling his work. A clan of ninjas who were protecting the city were able to tap into special shrines and connect with an afterlife known as the Ethos. In Cyber Shadow, the robots who patrol Mekacity after a terrible explosion rocks it require the mystical energies ninjas tap into in order to continue functioning. While these two bedfellows have few similarities on a conceptual level beyond an air of coolness, Cyber Shadow takes these two genres and has them intersect on a deeper level than simply applying a cybernetic coat to the ninja action. Being a stealthy Japanese assassin is certainly thrilling, but adding some lasers and robots to the picture can easily make things more exciting. Ninjas and science fiction elements intersect quite often in video games.
